Certification of management systems for sustainable events - ISO 20121

Purpose of the certification

Organizations that certify to ISO 20121 demonstrate both internally and externally that they are making an active choice regarding the sustainability management of their operations and the impact of their products and services on stakeholders and society.

The standard for sustainability in events is aimed at various venues and meeting and event organizers. The standard works for both one-off and recurring events. It is a management tool to guide how the organization's work is planned, implemented, monitored and continuously improved. It helps organizations to:

• identify and reduce its impact on stakeholders and society
• ensure compliance with legal and other stakeholder requirements
• provide management with good control over the organization's impact on sustainability issues
• set concrete sustainability targets for improvement to continuously monitor and evaluate environmental performance
• continuously improve its sustainability performance
• create sustainable business models

Method

An independent agreement with specific requirements for event sustainability management system certification is ensured through an initial audit, annual follow-up audits and recertification audits every three years. Follow-up audits are carried out during the event.

See description of the RISE management system certification process.

Certificate

When the organization meets the requirements for event sustainability management system certification according to ISO 20121:2024, a certificate can be issued.