New look for the responsible events standard

In France, it was used to certify the G7 in 2019 and the cultural activities of the city of Saint-Raphaël in the Var region. The voluntary ISO 20121 standard provides guidelines for organizing a responsible event, reviewing the three pillars of sustainable development: economy, environment, and society. It covers water, waste, energy, transportation, the use of the solidarity economy, and many other issues. There are some limitations, which are due to its pioneering nature: in 2012, when the standard was created by the British Standards Institute (BSI, the British equivalent of AFNOR) with the London Olympics that year in mind, we were still a long way from the current awareness of environmental and climate challenges.

From London to Paris

While the standard was somewhat ahead of its time in 2012, it was time to review it in 2024, particularly to avoid the pitfall of greenwashing. Indeed, certain events—both local and global—were able to claim compliance with this CSR tutorial, but only superficially. "In the space of twelve years, citizens' expectations have increased so much that a revision was essential," summarizes Pauline Teyssedre, chair of the AFNOR standardization commission that coordinated the French work and director of strategy at the Galis agency, which has itself been certified on the basis of the standard for eight years. Expectations, but also practices: "This standard had to be updated so that the events industry as a whole could organize itself properly," adds Romain Riboud, head of impact and legacy for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, in this video. And to ensure that the text reflects the progress made by professionals, by sharing it with as many people as possible," particularly on the concept of legacy [the local footprint that the event will leave once it is over, editor's note].

Interested in the global dimension of the project and encouraged by the International Olympic Committee, Romain Riboud led a working group on behalf of Paris 2024, bringing together 16 countries and a dozen international liaison organizations under the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The aim was to implement the document during the major summer event. "We have succeeded in making this standard both more ambitious in substance and more flexible in form," adds Romain Riboud. Working alongside him on the AFNOR commission are service providers, trade show organizers, venue operators, consultants, and others. In total, there are 180 professionals, including those grouped together in the French Union of Event Professionals (Unimev).

Responsible purchasing, children's rights, and SDGs

So how does the 2024 version remedy the weaknesses of the previous version? "The text now requires organizations to draft a sustainable development policy and implement an action plan, with objectives and indicators set in advance," says Pauline Teyssedre, who also chairs the Unimev CSR commission. "We have worked extensively on the concept of legacy: how to optimize what already exists, what remains of an event once it is over."

Other important new features include Chapter 8, which discusses responsible purchasing (a topic covered in greater depth in the voluntary ISO 20400 standard), and Annex D, which is devoted to children's rights. "We chose to work on four areas," Pauline Teyssedre explains. "The first is to align the standard with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Next, we strengthened the requirements for impact assessment. Twelve years ago, the concept of impact was less tangible. Carbon impact, financial impact, human impact, impact on the territory... Today, the standard explicitly requires these exercises to be carried out."

A more robust foundation for certification

Third focus: clarifying certification processes for organizations that audit event organizers claiming to comply with the standard, such as AFNOR Certification in this case. "We found that requirements varied from one organization to another, and from one person to another. So we reworked the definitions and produced a new appendix dedicated entirely to assessment," says Pauline Teyssedre. The implication is that events that do not spontaneously evoke CSR should no longer be certified, such as the hyper-air-conditioned World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

The standard sets a common set of requirements, but everyone is free to aim higher! "Some people believe that the standard should set common goals for everyone; I don't agree," says Pauline Teyssedre. "Otherwise, it would become elitist. But this standard isn't just for the best performers. In 2024, the important thing is to get going and bring as many people as possible on board, young and old alike. In France, there are many microbusinesses and SMEs in the events industry. It's important that those that don't have a full-time CSR officer can get on board and win tenders."

The 2024 version of the standard features a bibliography that has tripled in size, as many new texts have appeared in the meantime and provide valuable support. "Our professions have changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to present them properly to young people and attract talent. With this in mind, this standardization work is a valuable aid to us," concludes the chair of the AFNOR commission.

A recognized standard in the field

As of December 31, 2022, 247 ISO 20121 certificates had been issued worldwide, including 124 for French organizations, covering 216 sites.

Source: ISO Survey 2023