What ISO 20121 covers
ISO 20121 is the international standard for an event sustainability management system. It helps organisations plan and deliver events — from conferences to festivals — in a way that reduces their environmental, social and economic impact, while still meeting the event’s objectives. First published in 2012 and revised in 2024, it gives the events industry a structured, certifiable approach to sustainability rather than ad-hoc green initiatives.
It applies to anyone in the events value chain: organisers, venues, and the suppliers and contractors who support them.
What certification involves
Certification is a two-stage assessment that examines how sustainability is managed across the event lifecycle, typically including:
- Identification of the event’s significant sustainability issues and stakeholders
- Objectives and plans to manage and improve impact
- Operational controls over procurement, resources, waste and supplier engagement
- Measurement and review of performance against objectives
It sits within the ISO Certifications portfolio and shares the common management-system structure with environmental certification such as ISO 14001.
Timeline & process
For most organisations, ISO 20121 certification takes around 10–14 weeks, depending on the scale and frequency of events in scope. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
Who needs ISO 20121?
Event organisers, venues, and the suppliers that serve them — caterers, production companies, exhibition and conference organisers — particularly where clients and sponsors want assurance that an event is delivered sustainably.
Is ISO 20121 up to date?
Yes. ISO 20121 was first published in 2012 and revised in 2024, refreshing it in line with the current ISO management-system structure and contemporary sustainability expectations. Certification is against the current version.
