Beyond Being "Green": Why Your Events Need Sustainable Management (Part 2)

ISO 20121 and ISO 14067 ?

If an organizer is researching event sustainability, they will most often encounter ISO 20121, although some may also see ISO 14067 and assume that both are directly related to event sustainability management. In fact, their uses are quite different.

If an event organizer is researching event sustainability, they will most often encounter ISO 20121. However, some people may also see ISO 14067 and assume that both are directly related to event sustainability management. In fact, their uses are quite different. If you are managing the "overall sustainability of meetings and events," the focus should be on ISO 20121; if you are quantifying the "carbon footprint of a particular product or material," then ISO 14067 is more relevant.

Therefore, if you are managing "meetings and events", you should focus on ISO 20121.

ISO 20121 is an international standard specifically designed for the sustainable management of events. It focuses on how organizers can incorporate sustainability principles into the planning, execution, review, and improvement processes of events.

It doesn't just focus on environmental protection, but considers three things simultaneously:

• Environmental impacts, such as energy, waste, transportation, and carbon emissions.
• Social impacts, such as accessibility, working conditions, community relations, and fairness of participation.
• Economic impacts, such as resource efficiency, procurement methods, and the long-term value of activities.

Simply put, ISO 20121 teaches organizers how to run an event more responsibly, not through impromptu ideas, but through a management system.

ISO 14067 is an international standard for product carbon footprint, focusing on quantifying and reporting a product's greenhouse gas emissions throughout its life cycle. It is more commonly used to answer questions like:

• Is the carbon footprint of a certain promotional gift high?
• Does the manufacturing and transportation of a certain material generate a lot of emissions?
• Which of the two different product options has a smaller impact on climate change?

Therefore, ISO 14067 is a tool for calculating and comparing carbon emissions, not a framework for directly managing a conference or event.

For the organizers, what they really need to understand and apply first is the logic of ISO 20121; while ISO 14067 can serve as a reference tool for further selection of low-carbon products, low-carbon materials, or low-carbon procurement.

5 things organizers can start doing now

Many people think that sustainability involves a complete carbon inventory, the implementation of complex systems, and the preparation of numerous reports. But in reality, what organizers need most is not to achieve everything at once, but to "get started."

Here are five things that most meetings and events can immediately address:

1. Impact Assessment: Don't rush into slogans; first, list the areas where the event is most likely to cause waste or disruption, such as transportation, catering, printing, venue setup, promotional items, electricity, and waste. Only when you see the problems can you truly manage them.

2. Precise reduction: Not everything needs to be done at the same time. First, identify the most noticeable and easily improved items, such as replacing large amounts of printing with electronic agendas, accurately estimating meals to reduce food waste , and reusing backdrops and name tag sleeves. You'll usually see the difference immediately.

3. Supply chain collaboration: If the organizers work hard but the suppliers remain unchanged, it will be difficult to truly change anything. Therefore, sustainability requirements can be gradually incorporated into everything from venues, catering, output, setup to gift suppliers, such as reducing disposable materials, providing reusable equipment, and prioritizing local sourcing.

4. Participant interaction: Sustainability isn't something the organizers do alone; it requires getting attendees to understand and participate. For example, reminding participants to bring their own water bottles on the registration page, clearly labeling waste sorting on-site, providing public transportation information, and explaining the event's sustainability goals are usually more effective than simply implementing them silently.

5. Post-meeting review: The most important aspect of sustainable management is not doing something perfectly once, but learning something from each event. Was there too much leftover food this time? How can we improve next time? Was the printed material actually ignored? Should we go completely digital next time? With continuous review, each event will improve upon the last.

Sustainability is key to enhancing the host's capabilities

Many organizers worry that sustainability might make events more complicated, time-consuming, and difficult to execute. This concern is valid, but truly mature sustainability management improves management quality. It prompts us to consider: Is this material truly necessary? Is there a more effective approach with fewer resources? When organizers begin planning events from this perspective, they'll discover that sustainability isn't extra work, but a smarter way of working. If you are an organizer, the most worthwhile first step isn't rushing to ask, "Should we get ISO certification?", but rather asking yourself:

Is it possible for our next event to be less wasteful, more systematic, and more responsible to people and the environment than the last one?

Sustainability doesn't require a one-step solution, but rather "continuous optimization." Starting with the next meeting, taking small steps is already the beginning of change. If you're hesitant about planning sustainable events, or wish to incorporate more professional circular economy strategies into your meeting design, feel free to talk to us. Let's start with the next meeting and work together to implement responsible social and environmental change.

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