A framework for planning and delivering events that minimise environmental impact and maximise social value — and proving it.
ISO 20121 is the international standard for sustainable event management. Used by event organisers, venues, and suppliers worldwide, it manages the sustainability of events — from small corporate conferences to major international exhibitions.
Book a Gap AssessmentThe scope of ISO 20121:2012
- Sustainability objectives and targetsDefine measurable sustainability goals for your events — carbon footprint, waste diversion, local procurement, social impact — and build the plans to achieve them.
- Stakeholder engagementIdentify and engage the stakeholders whose participation is essential to sustainable event delivery — venues, suppliers, sponsors, contractors, and attendees.
- Supply chain sustainabilityEstablish the supplier assessment and engagement processes that extend your sustainability requirements through your event supply chain.
- Impact evaluation and reportingImplement the monitoring, measurement, and post-event evaluation that lets you demonstrate sustainability performance — and improve with each event.
The business case
Major event organisers, sports bodies, and governments increasingly require sustainability management certification from event venues and service providers.
Structured waste reduction, energy management, and sustainable procurement typically reduce event costs while improving sustainability performance.
For corporate event hosts, ISO 20121 certification provides credible evidence that sustainability commitments extend to event planning and delivery.
Clients, sponsors, and attendees increasingly prefer sustainable events. Certification positions you as the provider of choice in a growing market segment.
The certification journey
Most firms hand you a document pack and leave. We stay with you from gap assessment through certification — and beyond.
We audit your current operations against the standard's requirements and show you exactly where you stand.
We build your management system — policies, procedures, process maps — tailored to how your business actually works.
We work alongside your team on the ground to embed the system into daily operations and train your people to own it.
We run a full internal audit cycle, close any gaps, and make sure you're ready before the certification body arrives.
We support you through the certification audit — and stay available for surveillance prep and continuous improvement after.
Ready to get certified?
Book a gap assessment and we'll show you exactly what it takes.
Book a Gap Assessment