Launched this month, in response to a global demand, ISO 20121, the international standard on sustainability in event management will potentially be part of a very influential global legacy.
The standard, developed by co-opted experts from 30 countries, provides a common international language for sustainability in the events industry and a practical benchmarking tool. It takes a management systems approach for running more sustainable events, which should lead to improvements in key sustainability issues such as venue selection, transport, recycling or reusing demolition waste, creating a sustainable food strategy, promoting healthy living and creating skills, employment and business legacies.
In 2011, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) became the first Organising Committee to be independently certified to the British Standard 8901: Specification for a Sustainability Management System for Events. ISO 20121 was developed following the success of BS 8901.
LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority have both successfully implemented ISO 20121 making London 2012 one of the first to adopt the standard. Other early adopters include Coca-Cola and Games venues Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and Earls Court.
David Stubbs, Head of Sustainability at LOCOG, said: “London 2012 is proud to have been the catalyst for ISO 20121. This is a piece of legacy with the potential to transform how events around the world consider their economic, environmental and social impacts."
Howard Kerr, Chief Executive of BSI, said: “Over the next few years as sustainability becomes an inherent factor in all businesses, this standard will provide the event industry with an opportunity to lead. We hope that future initiatives, small or large, will be inspired by the good work started by LOCOG in partnership with BSI in this important area of sustainability”.
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Notes to editors:
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London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.
LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.
There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and two domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Suppliers, Otto Bock and Panasonic. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.
About ISO 20121
ISO 20121:2012 specifies requirements for an event sustainability management system for any type of event or event-related activity, and provides guidance on conforming to those requirements.
ISO 20121:2012 is applicable to any organization that wishes to:
• establish, implement, maintain and improve an event sustainability management system;
• ensure that it is in conformity with its stated sustainable development policy;
• demonstrate voluntary conformity with ISO 20121:2012 by
• first party (self-determination and self-declaration),
• second party (confirmation of conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as clients, or by other persons on their behalf), or
• an independent third party (e.g. a certification body).
• ISO 20121:2012 has been designed to address the management of improved sustainability throughout the entire event management cycle.
ISO 20121:2012 was developed by ISO project committee, ISO/PC 250, Sustainability in event management. It is available from ISO national member institutes (see the complete list with contact details). It may also be obtained directly from the ISO Central Secretariat, price 146 Swiss francs through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing, Communication & Information department
About BS 8901
For further information or to buy a copy of BS ISO 20121:2012, Event sustainability management systems – Requirements with guidance for use – please visit www.bsigroup.com/iso20121. BS 8901 will be withdrawn after six months (mid December 2012).
