Certification
Greenwashing or gamechanger ? An overview of ISO 20121 certification
ustainability standards
S have drawn controversy over the years . In the clothing industry , the Better Cotton Initiative was linked to illegal deforestation and human rights abuses in Brazil . The events industry ’ s main standard , ISO 20121 , has kicked up no such scandal . But is it worth the time and cost to certify ? Or is it just marketing fluff ?
Industry without a standard For many industries , ISO is a household name . Automotive manufacturers , pharmaceutical labs , food exporters and defence contractors all rely on certification by the International Organisation for Standardisation to secure contracts and work in international markets .
For these industries , ISO gives a prescriptive list of dos and don ’ ts . In the events sector , however , the ISO ‘ standard ’ isn ’ t actually standardised . ISO 20121 is a ‘ sustainability management system ’, meaning each company must set its own targets . A large company may set more cautious targets , for example , as practices take longer to implement and bigger firms suffer more public scrutiny if they fall short .
In the authors ’ own words : “ This document is not a checklist ... [ It ] is intended to be applied flexibly and allows organisations that have not formally addressed sustainable development to start to implement an event sustainability management system .”
ISO draws up the guidelines but does not provide the certification . To achieve ISO 20121 certification , companies have to pay a third-party like BSI ( UK ’ s standards body ) or TÜV Rheinland ( German certification body ) to go through an audit . We contacted BSI for a quote , and they told us that the average price tag to certify , from start to finish , would be £ 6,584 . This derives from a four-day review costing £ 1,646 per day . Of course , the true cost lies in the time required to map out a proper sustainability strategy .
What does ISO 20121 contain ? According to BSI , the questions you must answer to qualify for ISO 20121 are :
• Decide on scope – are you implementing ISO 20121 for one event or across the board ?
• Identify main issues : decide how to identify the most important issues ( also called a materiality assessment )
• Engage stakeholders : identify key stakeholders and ask for feedback on the identified issues ( to build credibility )
• Create a policy : with support of top management , create a policy with objectives to address identified issues
• Work with supply chain : collaborate with supply chain to understand how they can help to meet the objectives
• Create a plan of action : create a roadmap and identify who will be responsible for doing what
• Measure and communicate : measure and communicate your performance towards objectives
• Review progress : regularly review progress with the aim of identifying ways to improve
Like all ISO standards , certification is audited every year . Every three years , companies must undergo recertification ensuring they are making continued progress .
Is it worth it ? The certification has drawn some scepticism over the years . Unlike its older counterparts , ISO 20121 was launched just 12 years ago . Critics point to the lack of standardised guidelines as a limitation . We know , for example , that Excel London is certified , but we don ’ t necessarily know why , beyond what they tell us . However , in the ‘ bazaar economy ’ of events where companies interact without a central mediator , acquiring the official stamp of ISO lends a credibility that may attract clients and create net profit . EW
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