New Event Industry Standard launched

Representatives of the Australian event industry have participated in the development of recently launched international standard ISO 20121: Event Sustainability Management Systems.
These representative organisations, appointed by Standards Australia to the national committee, have recommended that the international standard be adopted and considered for an identical adoption as an Australian Standard.
Involvement in the sustainable event management movement is fast becoming expected of all event production and delivery. The committee believes the adoption of the International Standard by the Australian event industry will drive the change needed to see improved sustainability performance outcomes across the country.
By adopting the international standard as an Australian Standard, the committee believes that uptake and implementation of ISO 20121 by the domestic event industry will occur. Meegan Jones, from the Sustainable Event Alliance who also represented the Australian committee at several international working group meetings explains "we are seeing many Australian events stand out as leaders in sustainability performance, particularly in the performing arts. They are addressing the social, environmental and economic impacts and benefits of their events and are not only leading in Australia but the world. We hope that this standard is adopted across all sectors of industry including big sport, and business events, with all events considering sustainability issues, impacts and opportunities in their event planning and delivery."
By embracing the international standard, Australian event organisers are sending a message to the business, sports and tourism sectors. There is an increasing 'demonstration of sustainability' expectation within tenders and bids particularly within inbound congresses, symposiums, large corporate conferences and exhibitions and large sporting events. International organisations are already looking to ISO 20121 and how it is included, embraced or proposed by potential event destinations and organisations.
Australian Committee Chair Giselle Radulovic, who represents Business Events Sydney, adds "internationally, event organisers are increasingly including social, environmental and economic factors as a key factor in their decision making process. Australia's adoption of ISO 20121 shows we are ready and able to deliver on these expectations."
The implementation of ISO 20121 requires a management system to be in place. This approach offers a strategic way to manage sustainability and ensures the inclusion of strategies, policies, processes, systems and actions that intertwine to support and manage event sustainability issues more efficiently, effectively and professionally.
With extensive global stakeholder engagement and involvement, the standard is something event organisers can follow to systematically address sustainability issues in the event planning cycle.
Integral to success is commitment by the organisation's top management to sustainable development principles and that the team producing and running the event has skills and knowledge in sustainability and how it can be applied in action in event production.

Who can conform to the standard?

An event organiser, a single event, a venue or even the supply chain such as caterers and waste companies servicing the event industry can implement the standard.

Conformity Assessment and Certification?

Conformity with ISO 20121 means the organization has met the requirements of the standard in implementing an event sustainability management system.

Assessing conformity and making claims can be in one of three ways:

First Party: This is where an organization assesses its own system and makes a self-declaration of conformity with the requirements of the standard.

Second Party: An external party (such as an individual or organization in the supply chain, consultant or industry associatio

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