ISO 20121:2012EVENT SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

When Recognition Matters

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CONTENT____

Introduction

An overview of ISO 20121:2012 How to ensure event sustainability?

Key Clauses of ISO 20121:2012 Link of ISO 20121 with other standards

WhataretheBusinessBenefitsofanEventSustainabilityManagement?

Why is PECB a Worthy Choice?

StepsforObtainingaPECBCertification

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ISO20121:2012//EVENTSUSTAINABILITYMANAGEMENTSYSTEMS2

PRINCIPAL AUTHORSEric LACHAPELLE, PECBBardha AJVAZI, PECB

INTRODUCTION____

Eventshavebothpositiveandnegativeimpacts,whethersocial,economicorenvironmental.Forthisreason,practitionerswithintheeventsindustryarebecomingmoreawareoftheneedformoresustainablepractices.

ISO20121hasbeendraftedtohelporganizationsandindividualsimprovethesustainabilityoftheirevent- related activities.

The standard is relevant to all the members of the event industry supply chain including organizers, eventmanagers,standbuilders,caterersandlogisticssuppliers.

This International Standard specifiesthe requirements for an event sustainability management system toimprove the sustainability of events. It is applicable to all types and sizes oforganizationsinvolvedinthedesignanddelivery of events, and accommodatediverse geographical, cultural andsocial conditions. At the same time, itrequiresorganizationstorecognizetheirrelationship with and impact on society and society's expectations of events.

ISO 20121 provides the framework for identifying the potentially negativesocial, economic and environmentalimpacts of events by removing orreducingthem,andcapitalizingonmorepositive impacts.

ISO 20121 and its predecessor BS 8901 are the first standards that intend to drive sustainabilityperformanceinaholisticandstrategicmanner,includingallthreepillarsofsustainability:social,economicand environmental.

ISO20121:2012//EVENTSUSTAINABILITYMANAGEMENTSYSTEMS 3

Global SustainabilityMega-forces

• Climate change: Predictions of annual output losses fromclimatechangerangebetween1percentperyear;• Energy & Fuel:Fossilfuelmarketsarelikelytobe-comevolatile;• Market resource scarcity:Globaldemandformaterialresourceswillincreasedramatically;• Water scarcity:By2030,theglobaldemandforfreshwaterwillexceedsupplyby40%;• Population growth: Globalpopulationispredictedtobe8.4billionby2032;• Wealth: Globalmiddleclassgrow172%by2030;• Urbanization: Allpopulationgrowthoverthenext30yearswillbeincities;• Food security:Globalfoodpricesarepredictedtorise70-90% by 2030• Ecosystem decline: Naturalresourcesscarcer,moreexpensiveandlessdiverse;• Deforestation: Forestareastodeclineby13%from2005 to 2030.

Source:http://www.kpmg.com

An overview of ISO 20121:2012This InternationalStandardspecifies the requirements foraneventsustainabilitymanagementsystem,foranytypeofeventorevent-relatedactivity,andprovidesguidanceonconformingtothoserequirements.

Ithasbeendesignedtoaddressthemanagementofimproved sustainability throughout the entire eventmanagementcycle.

This standard is intended to be applied flexibly and will alloworganizationsthathavenotformallyaddressedsustainable development to start to implement an eventsustainabilitymanagementsystem.

Organizations with existing management systems will be able to integrate the requirements of thisInternational Standard into their existing systems. Every organization will benefit from the process ofcontinual improvement over time.

Event sustainability management is improved with ISO 20121 by incorporating:

• AnoperationalESMSapplicabletoanyorganizationwishingtoincreasetheeffectivenessandefficiencyofitsprocessesrelatedtoeventsustainabilitymanagement;

• Efficiencyacrossallaspectsofeventplanning;• Greatersustainablesupplychain;and• Managementcommitmentanddefinedresources,roles,responsibilitiesandauthority.

ISO 20121 applies to all types and sizes of organizations that wish to:

1. Establish,implement,maintainandimproveanESMS;2. Ensurethatitisinconformitywithitsstatedsustainabledevelopmentpolicy;3. Demonstrate voluntary conformity with this International Standard by:• Firstparty(self-determinationandself-declaration),• Secondparty(confirmationofconformancebypartieshavinganinterestintheorganization,suchas

clients,orbyotherpersonsontheirbehalf),or• Anindependentthirdparty(e.g.acertificationbody).

The ISO 20121 standard is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.

• The Planningdealswiththebeginningstageofanorganizationwishingtocomplywiththestandard.• The Do part of the cycle is the implementation and operation of the ISO 20121 standard within an

organization.• The Checkcycledealswithcheckingandcorrectingerrors.• The Actpartdealswithreviewingoftheentireprocessbytheorganization'stopmanagement.

How to ensure event sustainability?Organizations shall consider the followingguidelines included in themain clauses of this InternationalStandard to help ensure event sustainability.

What is Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationsto meet their own needs.

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Key clauses of ISO 20121:2012ISO 20121 is organized into the following main clauses:

Clause4:ContextoftheorganizationClause 5: LeadershipClause6:PlanningClause 7: SupportClause 8: OperationClause 9: Performance evaluationClause 10: Improvement

Each of these key activities is overviewed below.

|| Clause 4: Context of the organization

Externalandinternalissuesthataffecttheorganization’sabilitytoachieveintendedoutcome(s)ofitseventsustainabilitymanagementsystemshallbedetermined.Topreventtheseissues,thefollowingrequirementsshall be met:

• Theorganizationanditscontextshallbefullyunderstoodbyallemployees,• Theneedsandexpectationsofinterestedpartiesshallbeunderstoodandmet,• Thescopeoftheeventsustainabilitymanagementsystemshallbedetermined,• The event sustainability management system shall be established, implemented, maintained and

continuallyimproved,andTheorganization’sgoverningprinciplesofsustainabledevelopmentshallbeproperlydefined.

|| Clause 5: Leadership

• Top management is accountable for demonstrating leadership and commitment, establishing aSustainableDevelopmentpolicyandcommunicatingtheassignedrolesandresponsibilitieswithintheorganization.

|| Clause 6: Planning

ThemostessentialpartofISO20121andstageoftheESMSistheplanningphase,sinceitdefinestheactionstoaddressrisksandopportunitiesandstatestheESMSobjectivesforachieving.

|| Clause 7: Support

ArangeofmanagementfunctionsarerequiredinordertoeffectivelyimplementandsupportasuccessfulEventSustainabilityManagementSystem,including:

• Resources: Relevant resources and an allocation framework shall be established, implemented andmaintainedtoensurecontinualimprovementoftheESMSanditsobjectivesandtargets.

• Competence:Determiningandacquiringthenecessarycompetenceofpersonsworkingintheorganizationbasedontheireducation, trainingandexperience,andretainingappropriatedocumented informationasevidenceofcompetence,areimportantstepsforthecontinualimprovementoftheESMS.

• Awareness: Employeesoftheorganization,whohavetodowiththeESMS,shallbeawareoftheESMSpolicy,theircontributiontotheeffectivenessoftheESMSmanagementsystemandtheimplicationsofnon-conformities with the requirements of ISO 20121.

• Communication: Internalandexternalcommunicationincludingworkgroupmeetings,newsletters,anddiscussionsofadvantagesanddisadvantagesofoptionsforcontrollingspecifichazardsorpreventingunsafe behavior shall be determined.

• Documented information: Theorganizationshallcreate,updateandcontroldocumented informationrequiredbytheISO20121InternationalStandardandthosedeterminedbytheorganization,asbeingnecessaryfortheeffectivenessoftheeventsustainabilitymanagementsystem.

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Reporting

Social Environmental Economic

Performance ( checklist )

management systems (processes)

GRI - Global Reporting Initiative

APEX / ASTM

BS8901> ISO20121

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|| Clause 8: Operation

The planning and control of the organization’s operations and processes shall be determined andimplemented to address the ESMS performance, objectives and targets. The organization shall alsoestablishtherelevanceofeachoftheseobjectives,targetsandplanstoindividualsupplierstodemonstratetheircapabilitytosupporttheobjectives.

|| Clause 9: Performance evaluation

AftertheimplementationoftheESMS,ISO20121requirespermanentmonitoringofthesystemaswellasperiodic reviews to improve its operations by:

• Performingagainstgoverningprinciplesofsustainabledevelopment,• Monitoring,measurement,analysisandevaluation,• Conductinganinternalauditandmanagementreviews.

|| Clause 10: Improvement

Anorganizationisrequiredtopracticeproceduresforidentifyingnonconformitiesandtakingcorrectiveandpreventiveactions. Thesenonconformitiesshallthenbereacteduponanddealtwithbytakingrelevantactionstoeliminatetheircauses,thusassuringcontinualimprovementoftheESMS.

Link of ISO 20121 with other standards ISO20121canbeeasilylinkedwithotherISOstandards,suchasISO14001,ISO26000andISO50001.WithintheISO20121standard,thereisabalancebetweenenvironmental,socialandeconomicaspects.ISO26000isfocusedonthesocialaspect,ISO14001ontheenvironmentalimpacts,whereasISO50001onenergyefficiency.

These standards can be either individually implemented or with each other. These standards can also be integratedwithothermanagementsystemstandards,suchasISO9001.

Inaddition,otherInternationalStandardsrelatedtoeventsustainabilityare:

• APEX/ASTM – EnvironmentallySustainableMeetingStandards intendstocreateamoresustainablemeetingoreventbyprovidingmeasurable,prescriptiveperformancebasedstandards.

ThemaindifferencebetweenISO20121andAPEX/ASTMisthatthelatterprovidesnumericmetricsforevents;whileaccordingtoISO20121,eacheventwillbemeasuredaccordingtotheirspecificissues.

• GRI Event Sector Supplement - GRIaimstoaltersustainabilityreportingintoastandardpractice.Itoffersareportingframeworkforcompanieswishingtocompileasustainabilityreport.GRIeventOrganizersSupplementestablishesguidelinesforreportingqualitativeandquantitativeinformationrelatedtoanorganization’seventsustainability.

What are the Business Benefits of Event SustainabilityManagement?Aswithallthemajorundertakingswithinanorganization,itisessentialtogainthebackingandsponsorshipoftheexecutivemanagement.Byfar,thebestwaytoachievethisistoillustratethepositivegainsofhavinganeffectiveeventsustainabilitymanagementprocessinplace,ratherthanhighlightthenegativeaspectsof the contrary.

Todayaneffectiveeventsustainabilitymanagementsystemisnotaboutbeingforcedintotakingactionto address external pressures, but its importance relies on recognizing the positive value of energymanagementwhengoodpracticeisembeddedthroughoutyourorganization.

Improvement of efficiencyandeffectiveness

Integration Employee motivation Betterunderstandingoftheorganization

Cost reduction Respect of the interested parties

Protection of the reputationand brand

Reputation

Competitiveadvantage

Legalcompliance

Regulatorycompliance

Contractcompliance

Theadoptionofaneffectiveeventsustainabilitymanagementprocesswithinanorganizationwillhavebenefitsin a number of areas, examples of which include:

• Achievescostssavingswithregardtomaterialconsumption,wasteandenergy;• Greater integrated management and consolidated thinking resulting in improved efficiencies and

strongerteamwork;• Simpler,clearerandmoreeffectivesystemsandprocesses;• Betteremployeeproductivity;• Strengthensthepositionoftheorganizationwithinthecommunity;• Benchmarking,measuring,documenting,andreportingenergyintensityimprovementsandtheirimpact

ongreenhousegasemissions;• Increasesemployeemotivation,attractsbesttalentandimprovesretentions;• Boostsreputationandstrengthenrelationshipswithkeystakeholders;• Increasesvisitor’ssatisfaction;• Increasestheconfidenceofclients,businesspartnersandotherstakeholderswhenworkingwiththe

organizationthatpossessesISO20121;• Providesdifferentiationasacompetitiveadvantagefortheorganization;• Greatersatisfactionofcustomerand/orotherstakeholdersrequirements;• Consolidatesconfidenceofcustomers,suppliersandpartnersoftheorganization;and• Complieswithnational,regionalandinternationallawsandregulations.

Why is PECB a Worthy Choice?Implementation of ESMS with IMS2 methodology

ConsideringthewelldocumentedbenefitsofimplementinganEventSustainabilityManagementSystembasedonISO20121,makestheproposaleasiertodecideon.

Most companies now realize that it is not sufficient to implement a generic, “one size fits all” eventsustainability management plan. For an effective response, with respect to maintaining the eventsustainabilitymanagementsystem,suchaplanmustbecustomizedtofittoacompany.Amoredifficult

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task is the compilationof an implementationplan that balances the requirementsof the standard, thebusinessneedsandthecertificationdeadline.

There isnosingleblueprintfor implementingISO20121thatwillworkforeverycompany,buttherearesomecommonstepsthatwillallowyoutobalancethefrequentconflictingrequirementsandprepareyouforasuccessfulcertificationaudit.

PECBhasdevelopedamethodology(pleaseseeexamplebelow)forimplementingamanagementsystem;the“IntegratedImplementationMethodologyforManagementSystemsandStandards(IMS2)”,andit isbasedonapplicablebestpractices.ThismethodologyisbasedontheguidelinesofISOstandardsandalsomeets the requirements of ISO 20121.

1.1 Initiating the ESMS

1.2 Understanding the Organization

1.3 Analyze the Existing System

1.4 Leadership and Project Approval

1.5 Defining Governing Principles of SD

1.6 Scope

1.7 SD Policy

1.8 Issue Identification

1.9 Legal Requirements

1.10 Event Sustainability Objectives

2.1 Organizational Structure

2.2 Document Management

2.3 Communication

2.4 Resource Management

2.4 Resources, Competences and Awareness

2.5 Engaging the Supply Chain

3.1 Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis and Evaluation

3.2 Internal Audit

3.3 Management Review

4.1 Treatment of Non-conformities

4.2 Continuous improvement

2.6 Operations Management

1. Plan 2. Do 3. Check 4. Act

IMS2isbasedonthePDCAcyclewhichisdividedintofourphases:Plan,Do,CheckandAct.Eachphasehasbetween2and8stepsforatotalof21steps.Inturn,thesestepsaredividedinto101activitiesandtasks.This‘PracticalGuide’considersthekeyphasesoftheimplementationprojectfromthestartingpointtothefinishingpointandsuggeststheappropriate‘bestpractice’foreachone,whiledirectingyoutofurtherhelpfulresourcesasyouembarkonyourISO20121journey.

SCMS Projects

Plan

Do

Check

4 Phases

21 Steps

101 Activities

Undefined tasks

Act

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The sequence of steps can be changed (inversion, merge). For example, the implementation of themanagement procedure or documented information can be done before the understanding of theorganization.Manyprocessesareiterativebecauseoftheneedforprogressivedevelopmentthroughouttheimplementationproject;forexample,communicationandtraining.

Byfollowingastructuredandeffectivemethodology,anorganizationcanbesure itcoversallminimumrequirements for the implementation of a management system. Whatever methodology used, theorganizationmustadaptittoitsparticularcontext(requirements,sizeoftheorganization,scope,objectives,etc...)andnotapplyitlikeacookbook.

StepsforobtainingaPECBCertificationToensurethatorganizationsorindividualsachieveplannedanddesiredESMSresults,thefollowingstepswillserveasguidanceonhowtobecomePECBCertifiedonISO20121–EventSustainabilityManagementSystem.

For organizations: For individuals:

1.Implementthemanagementsystem 1.Participateinthetrainingcourse

2. Perform internal audit and reviews 2.Registerforthecertificationexam

3.Selectpreferredcertificationbody 3.Sitforthecertificationexam

4.Performapre-assessmentaudit(optional) 4.Applyforthecertificationschemeupon successful completion

5.Performthestage1audit 5.Obtaincertification

6.Performthestage2audit(on-site)

7.Performafollow-upaudit(optional)

8.Registerthecertification

9.Assurecontinualimprovementbyconducting surveillance audits

ForfurtherdetailsrelatingthetypesoftrainingsandcertificationsthatPECBoffers,pleasevisitourwebsite:www.pecb.com

ISO20121:2012//EVENTSUSTAINABILITYMANAGEMENTSYSTEMS 9

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