ISO 20121
ISO 20121 event sustainability management consulting
ISO 20121 consulting helps event organisers, delivery teams, venues and suppliers assign responsibilities and review sustainability issues throughout an event’s life cycle. Vosurein starts with the scope, existing processes and evidence, then helps assign responsibilities, implement the system and review it internally.
Discuss ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System Consulting Needs
For Your Business
Who this service is for and when to start
This service is for event organisers, contractors, venues and related suppliers. If advertised event goals do not align with procurement, on-site and close-out records, start by identifying gaps and priority actions.
The Challenge
Common challenges faced by businesses
Collecting electricity usage, waste, and procurement data from the venue only after the event often makes it impossible to distinguish usage for this specific event. If the organizer, venue, and contractor have not agreed on data standards in advance, the final report can only list publicity measures, making it difficult to evaluate effectiveness.
Our Approach
Methods and applicable requirements
The applicable edition is ISO 20121:2024, the second edition, which replaces the 2012 edition.
This standard manages the environmental, social, and economic impacts related to events and is applicable to events of different types and sizes. The 2024 edition places more emphasis on inclusivity, social impact, and the long-term outcomes left by events, with management scope not limited to waste and energy on the event day.
The following consulting tasks can be arranged to suit your needs.
Event Scope
Identify the life cycle, participants, and control capabilities.
Issues and Supply
Review environmental, social and economic issues, and assign responsibilities to venues and suppliers.
Execution and Review
Track objectives, anomalies, and post-event improvements.
Process
Consulting scope and process
Event Life Cycle and Division of Labor
Define the management scope from preparation through the event to dismantling. Clarify what organisers, venues and contractors can decide, rather than relying on the role names in contracts.
Issue Prioritization and Procurement Conditions
Prioritise issues according to participant needs and event impacts. Assign responsibility for catering, materials and transport procurement criteria, and agree on the records suppliers must provide.
On-site Execution and Data Collection
Check whether committed measures are implemented according to event progress, record on-site changes, usage, and anomalies; when procurement conditions change, retain the basis for decisions and trade-offs.
Post-event Review and Next Event Improvements
Complete post-event review while data is still available, compare objectives and actual results, and convert feedback from venue, suppliers, and participants into corrections for the next event.
Preparation
What documents do companies need to prepare?
- Event Scope: Event date, preparation and dismantling arrangements, venue and organizer responsibilities.
- Stakeholders: Participant needs, accessibility arrangements, staff and supplier information.
- Implementation Measures: Catering, transportation, materials, and waste management plans.
- Performance Records: Usage, complaints, anomalies, and supplier delivery evidence.
For the initial discussion, you can provide a summary. Handle customer, personal and confidential business information within the necessary scope and agreed access permissions.
Project Planning
Estimating time and cost
Costs are estimated based on event scale, preparation period, and number of venues and suppliers. It should be initiated before procurement conditions are finalized, so that data collection and on-site division of labor can be incorporated into existing work.
Consulting can cover issue identification, implementation tracking and post-event reviews. Agree separately on scope and fees for any greenhouse gas inventories, testing or third-party certification.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can we discuss a single event?
A single event can be considered within the event and organisational scope. Distinguish the management system’s scope from actual event performance and public claims. System documents cannot guarantee zero waste or carbon neutrality.
Can existing systems and records be reused?
Start with existing event plans, venue and supplier records, participant needs and performance data. Check the period, scope and evidence quality, then fill the gaps. Rewriting every document is not a prerequisite.
What if the supplier doesn't have complete data?
Agree on the records available and when they will be delivered. Mark missing values or explain estimates, rather than combining data from unrelated events and presenting it as this event’s results.
How are consulting and third-party certification responsibilities divided?
Vosurein supports system implementation and preparation but does not issue third-party certificates. Confirm the applicable certification scheme, accreditation scope, fees and schedule separately. A certificate does not constitute product approval or proof of compliance with every regulation.
Is third-party certification required?
Not necessarily. Depending on the purpose, conformity may be demonstrated through self-declaration, stakeholder confirmation or third-party certification. Public statements must describe the method actually used. A self-declaration is not third-party certification.
Which version should be confirmed before implementation?
The applicable edition is ISO 20121:2024, the second edition, replacing 2012. Confirm the edition and transition arrangements required by customers and the assessment scheme. The publication date of a standard is separate from an organisation’s transition deadline.
Related
Related services and enquiries
Please provide the industry, activities, locations, main requirements, and expected completion time.Contact Vosurein
Content checked: . Applicable versions and requirements depend on the company’s circumstances.
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