ISO20121 - Incorporating sustainability into event planning and operation

Surfer cresting a wave

The growing importance of sustainability to event hosting has led to the development of formal frameworks that can help organisers minimise their negative environmental impacts and – ideally – act in ways that benefit the natural world around them. The most important of these is ISO 20121, the International Standard on Sustainable Event Management.

ISO 20121 is based on the British Standard BS 8901, a specification for a sustainability management system for events created as part of London’s planning for the 2012 Olympic Games. It helps you to take a long-term view of an event by considering the geography, culture and socio-economic characteristics of its host. This perspective enables you to identify the potential impacts of an event; understand how to reduce any negative effects on the environment, communities and local economy; and plan a positive legacy to leave behind.

The principal indicator of sustainability planning and management is:

  • ISO 20121 certification in place (ASOIF reference EN-EP2.1)

To learn more about ISO 20121 and understand whether it can help you plan sustainability into your event, visit the British Standards Institute website.

Other resources that can help sustainability planning and management include:

ISO20121 in action

Case study: 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships

Case study: 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26)