BS 8901:2009Sustainability in the Events Industry

Ana Inacio, Sustainability Consultant

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?

• Sustainability...the degree of sustainable development in the context of the of the organisation or event.

Environmental

responsibilityEconomic

activity

Social

progress

SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• BS 8901:2009 – Specification for a sustainability management system for events

– Part of BS 89xx series on Sustainability

• ISO / DIS 20121 - Event sustainability management systems - Requirements with guidance for use

– Similar to BS 8901;– Due to be published in the 1st semester of 2012.

BS 8901:2009 PDCA CYCLE

BS8901 STRUCTURE

• The standard contains useful terms and definitions in section 2.

• Annex A provides a useful guidance section with examples.

• Annex B provides further information on the principles of the standard and how to apply to the supply chain.

• Please read Annex A and B if you are considering working towards the standard as these will help you with implementation.

WHO IS BS 8901 FOR?

• The standard can be applied to a single event or multiple events.

• A single venue or multiple venues.

• The standard can be applied to design stages, implementation stages and final review for the event(s).

WHO IS BS 8901 FOR?

• Venues – hotels, conferences, festivals...

• Suppliers – of event equipment, marquee’s, stage gear

• Marketing & Design Companies – communications

• Tourist destinations – museums, gardens, historical sites

• Local Authorities – that run annual public events

• Private companies – that wish to demonstrate ethics to 8901 by third party certification

plan

do

check

MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Plan

do

check

MANAGEMENT CYCLE

SCOPE AND BOUNDARIES

• Which activities?

• Which sites?

• Which events?

• The scope and boundaries should be defined in a clear way so that all stakeholders will understand it.

PURPOSE, PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

• Principles and values guide the organisation through its activities.

• They provide a framework for its policies, objectives and targets.

UNDERSTAND YOUR CONTEXT

OPPORTUNITIES

• Some examples:

– Improve staff qualification

– Increase employability of community members

– Create opportunities for new suppliers

– Create an energy efficient product or service

– Re-use of materials

– Improve your organisation efficiency and staff motivation

RISKS

• Some examples:

– Increasing price of raw materials

– Energy scarcity

– Lack of qualified staff

– Poor quality of supplied goods or services

– Reputation risk

– Legal risk

– Inefficient and heavy organisation

– High staff turnover rate

EVENT LIFE CYCLE

STAKEHOLDERS SCREENING

• Shareholders • Event participants• Clients• Suppliers• Workers• Subcontractors• Unions• Non governmental

organisations• Charities• …

STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT

There is nothing more unequal, than the equal treatment of unequal people.

Thomas Jefferson3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY

Strategy

Sustainability Risks

Sustainability Opportunities

Business drivers

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY DEPLOYMENT

Objectives

Targets

Action plans

BS 8901

• If you’re interested in seeing the full presentation, access the following link Sustainability in the Event Industry: a driver for competitiveness