Get certified in Event Sustainability Management Systems. Deliver sustainable events with reduced environmental impact, social responsibility, and economic viability.
Complete ISO 20121 implementation including sustainability assessments, stakeholder engagement, impact reduction strategies, and certification coordination.
ISO 20121 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, and managing an Event Sustainability Management System (ESMS) for organizations involved in the design, planning, delivery, and follow-up of events.
Published in 2012 following the London Olympics, ISO 20121 was developed to provide a framework for managing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of events. Whether hosting conferences, festivals, sports competitions, exhibitions, or corporate events, organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate sustainability credentials and minimize negative impacts.
The standard addresses the entire event lifecycle—from concept and planning through delivery, post-event activities, and legacy management. It covers diverse sustainability issues including carbon emissions, waste management, water use, biodiversity, accessibility, community engagement, local economic development, ethical sourcing, and attendee well-being. ISO 20121 helps organizations identify sustainability priorities, set measurable objectives, engage stakeholders, and continuously improve event sustainability performance.
ISO 20121 integrates with other management systems like ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) Learn more →, ISO 9001 (Quality Management) Learn more →, and ISO 37301 (Compliance Management) Learn more →, allowing event organizations to align sustainability with quality and governance objectives.
ISO 20121 is ideal for event organizers, venues, suppliers, and any organization involved in the events industry.
Comprehensive certification services for sustainable event management across all event types.
Assess current event sustainability practices, identify material issues, and benchmark against ISO 20121 requirements.
Design Event Sustainability Management System with policies, procedures, performance indicators, and improvement targets.
Develop stakeholder engagement strategies to involve attendees, suppliers, venues, and communities in sustainability goals.
Create ESMS manual, sustainability policies, procedures, issue registers, action plans, and monitoring protocols.
Train event teams, suppliers, and volunteers on sustainable event practices and ISO 20121 requirements.
Coordinate with accredited certification bodies and support through audit process for successful certification.
Extensive experience with conferences, festivals, sports events, exhibitions, and corporate events across diverse sectors.
Delivered ISO 20121 programs across 35+ countries for international events, multi-venue festivals, and major sporting events.
Proven methodology to achieve certification in 3-5 months, ideal for organizations with upcoming major events.
Implement robust monitoring systems and KPIs to track and report sustainability performance and achievements.
Expert facilitation of stakeholder engagement processes to build buy-in and collaboration across event ecosystems.
98% first-time certification success with audit-ready systems that demonstrate real sustainability improvements.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your event sustainability goals and timeline.