Sustainable Event Management: A practioner’s guide to ISO20121February 2013

Colleen Theron, director CLT Envirolaw

Who is CLT Envirolaw?

Sustainability

• What is it? • Not just about ‘green issues’• Definition of sustainable development• What about CSR? • How do the concepts differ?

Sustainable business

• What does this mean?• Involves long-term, strategic planning – allies

business growth with positive environmental and social continuity

• Responsible business• Very different to ‘environmentally friendly’ • Includes sustainable supply chains

Scope of sustainability

Why bother?

• Environmental risk and compliance • Cost of fines, impact on business• Reputation• Investment- mainstream investors concerns• Employees engagement• Leadership• Employee engagement and retention

Thinking business

Sustainability and events

• ISO20121• Standards : what do they do? – Voluntary sustainability certifications– Been around for 20 years – Contribute to £2.5 billion each year to UK

economy– Establish shared terminology– Key role enabling innovation– Role in countries where regulations lag behind

What is ISO 20121?

• Management system for events• Global framework to encourage sustainability• Applies to ALL types of organisations involved

in design and delivery of events • Follows plan- do-check-act

Key Aspects of ISO20121

• Emphasis on strategy/ context of an organisation

• Supply chain/ procurement is key • Continued improvement• Leadership commitment• Communication and awareness • Legal register

What isn’t ISO20121?

• A checklist• A green standard • The same as ISO14001• Just applicable to event organisers/ venues

organization

Stakeholders

Legislation – currentand future

Corporate policy

Sustainability issues of activities, products (including

disposal) and services

Codes of

practice

Resource consumption

Visual impact, noise and odours

Emergencies

Nature conservation/heritage

Suppliers and contractors

Investment policies

Waste minimisation

Hazardous materials

Complaints

Some Considerations

Legal aspects ISO20121• Most standards require procedure for

identifying and having access to legal compliance

• Does not increase legal obligations• HOWEVER ISO20121 ‘beyond compliance’• Aspire to achieve best practice • Assumes understanding of a countries

minimum laws • What about enforcement?

Benefits of a SMS?

• Adds value • ISO20121 offers commercial benefits: Improves energy efficiency and costs Improves resource efficiency Improves reputation and brand Differentiates from its competitors Provides assurance to stakeholders

Examples of financial benefits• Defra 2011 Study (SMES)• Average annual saving over 2 yrs £4,875 per million turnover• Energy, raw materials and business travel delivered highest

cumulative cost• General monies saved > $30million in 6 yrs • Puma’s Environmental profit & loss account• Unilever’s integration sustainability into business models

saved 10 million dollars annually• New business sales – value of sales greater than cost savings

(1/3 SMES gained £14,961 per m. turnover) following 2 yrs from certification

What are common barriers?

• Lack of ‘buy in’• Lack of understanding• Complexity of the law• Use of language in the standard• Seen as tick boxing

How does it apply to my business?

• Operational or facilities at the heart of activities

• Decide on how it will benefit the business • Make the ‘financial case’• What about the boardroom agenda?

The Boardroom agenda

• What’s on the agenda? • Is compliance and revenue generation linked

to sustainability?• Do director’s know potential exposure? • What about revenue generation? • Director’s personal liability

What’s involved?

• Set your scope• Identify the issues ( Environmental, social and

economic) • Set achievable targets • Develop a sustainability policy• Engage with stakeholders • Legal compliance

Beyond compliance

• Tick boxing • What about leadership? Ethical codes• Integration into business strategies• Reputational gain• Shareholder engagement• Use of ISO and British standards

Further Information• We have produced some documents to help you through the sustainability

reporting process. These are available at http://clt-envirolaw.com/ in the “Resources section”. The documents include:– A User-Friendly Sustainability Reporting Template for the Events 

Sector. It includes all the requirements to get you to application level C and provides a clear explanation of the process to help you meet these requirements.  Includes consulting support for up to 4 hours

– The Event Sector Reporting - Summary Guide is available for FREE. It provides a clear overview of sustainability reporting in the events sector.

– A comparison of ISO20121 against the previous BS8901. This is available for FREE. 

– A guide on Legal Compliance for ISO20121 available for £55 

www.clt-envirolaw.com