Sustainability in Event Management: ANSI Seeks Comments on Proposal for New ISO Technical Committee

Submit comments by May 24

As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) seeks comments by May 24 on a draft proposal submitted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) for a new ISO technical committee (TC) on sustainability in event management.

Read the draft proposal.

Sustainable event practices reduce environmental impact, increase social responsibility, and reduce costs for organizations, the proposal asserts. To that end, by minimizing waste, conserving energy, and promoting responsible behavior, organizations can create an event that not only meets a client's goals but also respects the environment and the local community.

This proposal is intended to build on the current efforts of ISO Project Committee 250, Sustainability in Event Management, and transition it to a TC to continue its work.

BSI, the ISO member for the United Kingdom, has submitted to ISO the draft proposal with the scope statement that follows:

“With the aim to maintain, enhance and improve a sustainability management system for events:

This TC will create guidance that:

• will enable those involved in event management to minimize and manage items such as: climate change, legacy, human and child rights, accessibility, environmental, financial, and social impacts linked to venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, employment, communications, transport and ‘end of life’ issues linked to post event management;
• can be used by any organization or individual involved in the management of events – client, supplier, or event manager and will be applicable to any type of event;
• will enable industry to publicly demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and assist those companies who are not yet up to speed with a system to develop their capability;
• will enable self-assurance of conformity with its stated sustainability policy;
• will allow demonstration of conformity; and
• include event specific content presented in collaboration with existing standards that address the areas of focus.”

Read the proposal and submit comments to Steven Cornish, ANSI senior director of international policy and strategy ([email protected]), by close of business on Friday, May 24. Based on comments received, ANSI’s ISO Technical Management Board representative will produce a set of comments for submittal in this informal review.