ISO 20121

ISO 20121 – the leading sustainable event management standard – guides you to seamlessly integrate sustainability into all your event planning and execution. Whether you are organizing a local craft show or a stadium-filling sporting occasion, this global standard supports you in managing social, economic and environmental impacts responsibly.

ISO 20121:2024 steers your organization toward more ethical, eco-friendly and socially conscious practices, focusing on inclusivity, human and children’s rights, event legacies and sustainability’s transformative role in the industry.

What are the benefits of ISO 20121 certification?

Certification enables you to:

Reduce the environmental impact of your organization, events and venues
Adopt a holistic approach to sustainability, considering social, economic and environmental impacts
Enhance stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
Attract more business, events and top talent to your organization
Reinforce organizational reputation and brand value
Contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1-16

Why choose ISO 20121 certification from SGS?

Combining decades as the world’s leading certification company with over 30 years of sustainability leadership, we support your ISO 20121 event sustainability management system goals, including setting and achieving targets, and implementing best practice policies and procedures.

We offer a full range of ISO 20121 assessment and auditing services, educate your team with SGS-led training and workshops and, when you are ready, conduct the relevant certification audits.

As your supply chain is equally important to your sustainability management system, we can carry out second-party audits to monitor your supply chain, anywhere in the world.

Ensure your event sustainability

FAQ

ISO 20121 is for any organization planning, managing or delivering events that wishes to integrate sustainability into operations.

Going beyond a checklist, ISO 20121 utilizes a transformative framework, places sustainability at the heart of event management and invites a creative yet systematic approach to making a positive, lasting impact.

The international standard applies to any event, from small gatherings to large-scale sporting events or conferences.

The 2024 edition enhances the standard, placing greater emphasis on social legacies, inclusivity, the diverse means of demonstrating compliance, and fostering a more comprehensive and accessible approach to sustainable event management.