Sustainability Standards In Events Organizations

In November 2007 we witnessed the release of BS8901 ‘Event Management Standard’ on sustainability. This new standard was aimed at helping to improve the management systems in the events industry and thereby conduct business in a more sustainable manner. Amongst the earliest people to adopt the standard are the 2012 London Olympic Games Organizing committee. This being to oversee the tender process for the Olympic Games. BS8901 has received wide acclaim from a number of early sponsors in the events industry i.e. Live Earth, Manchester International Festival, Lords Cricket Ground and Reeds Carpets etc. “BSI British Standards provides a system for managing the overall environmental, economic and social impact of an event. BS 8901 is a new standard which sets out the requirements for planning and managing a sustainable event.” (Fulton)

The DEFRA Minister Hillary Benn has been an immediate supporter of BS 8901 and the concept of sustainability. He was quoted as saying “Lots of us love to attend music festivals and football matches but they can produce a lot of rubbish. We all have to play our part in the move to more sustainable living.” (Benn). In addition to the national standard there is also the development of ISO 20121 that is being developed and finalized for the Olympic Games in 2012. “The standard (ISO 20121) will take a management systems approach requiring identification of key sustainability issues like venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, communications, transport, and others.” (Lazarte)

The new ISO standard is expected to make a significant contribution to the entire event industry in the UK and Elizabeth Henderson the Director of Social and Corporate responsibility at media firm MPI stated “As sustainability is becoming increasingly important for the event industry, individuals, companies and countries are setting multiple and differing standards. ISO 20121 will be developed with extensive stakeholder engagement so the industry can have one internationally recognized framework to implement sustainability” (Lazarte).

DEFINITIONS

Definitions of sustainability in the event industry include:

An enduring and balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress (Sustainable Events)

There are broader definitions of sustainability as this can be applied in a number of other very different contexts. These additional contexts are explored below with definitions provided by leaders in that particular field.

Sustainable Development : Sustainability encompasses the simple principle of taking from the earth only what it can provide indefinitely, thus leaving future generations no less than we have access to ourselves.” – Friends of the Earth – http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/

Sustainable Society: Society whose long term prospect for continuing to exist are good. Such a society would be characterized by an emphasis on preserving the environment, developing strong peaceful relationships between people and nations, and an emphasis on equitable distribution of wealth.” – Coop America Quarterly, No. 37 Summer 1995.

Sustainable Production: “Sustainable Production is the creation of goods and services using processes and systems that are: non-polluting; conserving of energy and natural resources; economically efficient; safe and healthful for workers, communities, and consumers; and, socially and creatively rewarding for all working people.” – http://www.uml.edu/centers/LCSP/

Sustainable Agriculture: “farmers in sustainable agriculture are concerned about feeding their families and paying their bills, but those are not their only goals in life. They set out to protect the land, improve their quality of life, and enhance the communities in which they live. Their day-to-day decisions are not guided by a single minded search for profit, but by a delicate balancing act among many goals.” – Land Stewardship Program, White Bear Lake Minnesota. Monitoring Sustainable Agriculture with Conventional Financial Data, http://www.landstewardshipproject.org

From the above examples it can be observed that the general concept of sustainability has a wide application beyond that of event management. The Government is more concerned with sustainable environment and development matters “The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations.” (DEFRA).

Sustainability in the event industry is really all about good management and business practice. It is important to demonstrate to key stakeholders that the event being hosted is ecofriendly and is being managed in a professional and responsible way. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver Canada was a great international event but it equally left behind a lot of infrastructure and facilities that would be of benefit to the public post the games i.e. swimming pools, improved ski facilities, ice rinks, running trails etc. In essence sustainability leaves behind a lasting footprint and provides a major value added contribution to the original event. The London Olympic Games in 2012 will be no exception to this and it is already working on potential enhancements and improvements for re-generation of areas within greater London. As such it will provide a welcome boost to the local economic development of greater London.

CRITICAL REVIEW OF BS8901

BS8901 has been developed entirely for the event industry. The prime objective being to make the industry operate in a more efficient manner. The standards are based around the support and build of an effective event management system. The British Standard requires those participating organisations to re-examine the efforts and impact that this event will have on the environment, society and the economy in both micro and macro conditions. From this analysis to determine a set of counter measures that will address this and help to mitigate the negative impacts. By implementing the guidelines of BS 8901 you would expect to derive the following benefits: –

A clear direction through the implementation of a sustainability policy;

A thorough omissions check ensuring no important areas have been left out;

A reduction in complaints as a result of improved communications with the key stakeholders;

Better reputation through improved supplier relationships;

Reduction of operating costs and elimination of waste;

Improved process efficiency through streamlining and elimination of redundancies;

More robust information and better decision making;

A whole batch of cost reduction improvements i.e. lower training costs, lower staff turnover, improved productivity gains etc.;

General increased customer satisfaction and an improved stance regarding marketing.

BS8091 has changed from a specification to that of a standard focused on sustainability system for management of events “This means that events do not comply with BS 8901, but that rather it is the management system behind the events that complies. The standard clarifies that it is applicable not only to event organisers, but to all organisations in the events industry, from event clients to venues, suppliers and contractors, regardless of their role in delivering events.” (Whiteling).

Another important aspect of the standard is that it requires the organisation to clearly define the scope of how it complies with the standard. Hence organisations must prepare a report that describes both the activities and the functions which are an integral part of the sustainable management system. Another change from the old version is that this new standard is far more process oriented. This will require a lot more communications with the key stakeholders and in general terms an improved communications plan. On the implementation side there is an increased reliance upon effective planning and particular the definition of roles and responsibilities together with milestones and timelines. “”Many of the ambiguities within the original version have been cleared up, and some of the confusing clauses, such as assessing options for improved event sustainability, have been removed,” (Whiteling).

ISO 20121

The future standard of ISO 20121 will make a significant impact to the events industry when it is released in 2012 at the eve of the London Olympic Games. The standard is aimed at providing a framework where event planners and other individuals in the supply chain can implement and maintain a sustainable program. ISO 20121 will have been designed and developed in extensive consultation with stakeholders in the events industry. It is anticipated that the standard will become the benchmark for the industry in terms of both quality and performance. The standard will adopt a “management systems approach requiring identification of key sustainability issues like venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, communications, transport, and others” (Lazarte).

ISO20121 uses the BS 8091 as the starting point in order to develop a more comprehensive framework for an events sustainable management system. The global standard is intended to benefit all in the events industry and not only help in the reduction of an organizations social and environmental impact but help to streamline the operating procedures and reduce costs. An example being where energy is an identified issue, an appropriate sustainability mitigation strategy might be developing procedures that would reduce the carbon footprint.

Despite the development of IS20121, the event and tourism industry is currently less sustainable than any previous time in its history. Consider the following issues:

→ We are seeing far more emissions in absolute terms;

→ With energy and land use we are seeing a lot more resource utilization;

→ We are seeing an increased loss in the contribution to bio diversity

→ The increasing contribution of tourism to that of environmental change raises considerable concern over effective sustainable policy development in this area.

Another issue concerning sustainability is that it is mostly portrayed in terms of a one dimensional though process i.e. it is shown in economic terms. Hence using the London Olympic Games as an example it is mainly concerned with the hosting of that event and the impact to the UK inn terms of economic growth. There is not enough attention being paid to the costs of the longer term implication, this particularly at the time of a major recession in the UK. The BC Government in Canada was criticised for political grand-standing and committing a massive overspend on the hosting of the 2010 winter Olympics. Similarly in London this shows a considerable emphasis on international profiling and showcasing London in order to enhance its global marketing position and profile.

The sustainability plan for the London Olympic Games is based upon 5 central themes:

The Sustainability Plan focuses on five key themes:

1. Climate change: dealing with emissions and the impact of climate change such that there is a sustainable legacy for the future

2. Waste: The complete elimination of waste and ensuring that such a bi-product is not sent to land fill sites during the development of the games sites

3. Biodiversity: minimising the dangers on the destruction of wildlife sites and the habitats of same. Building upon the existing eco development policies leaving parks that will promote wildlife and sanctuaries.

4. Inclusion: Providing opportunities to showcase the diversity of London and market the business and commercial opportunities for the Capital

5. Healthy living: Getting people motivated towards concepts of more healthy living and taking up sports.

ACCEPTANCE OF BS8901/ISO 20121 IN WIDER TERMS

The concept of BS 8901 has a wide acceptance both in the UK and overseas. One of the important factors being that of long term sustainability in the urban planning of the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee is highly supportive of this and takes into consideration how applicant nations will incorporate this into the overall planning of the games “the IOC’s Olympic Study Commission in July, 2003 has recommended a number of controls to ensure that legacy is a priority in the staging of future Games. Legacy needs to be integrated and given equal weighting through all stages of Olympic planning.” (Chalkey). Another example of a specific success story was the hosts of the Olympic Games in Australia in 2000. Their attention to sustainability gave them the title of the ‘green games’ – “By committing the government to

environmental guidelines based on Agenda 21 and the recommendations of

the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development, the Sydney

Olympics earned the unofficial title of the Green Games” (Briese)

The impact of BS 8091 and the subsequent development of ISO 20121 have been widely observed by other countries including Australia, Brazil and Canada. Amongst the first to take action was that of Brazil in developing the standard for use in that country “Responding to wide-spread enthusiasm for BS 8901, work has now started on an international standard for event management. The proposal for the development of ISO 20121 was jointly submitted by BSI and ABNT, the Brazilian national standards body, as members of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).” (Fulton)

Examples of adoption of BS 8091 include the following:

The Barbican, London

A large conference facility in the Centre of London with 2000 seating capacity is used for hosting a wide range of events and meetings. It has recently started to implement BS8091 “The centre introduced a variety of policies to improve its environmental efficiency, and won Gold at the City of London Clean City Awards 2008. The steps to this included sourcing 55 per cent of electrical energy contracts from renewable and green contracts, sourcing heating and cooling from a highly efficient, combined heat and power system.” (Wyatt).

Sheepdrove Eco Conference Centre, Berkshire

A fully compliant BS8091 venue. A state of the art conference centre in Berkshire, greater London. Won awards for sustainability and eco considerations in its design “It won the Green Venue Event Award 2008. Initiatives include using recycled or renewable materials during construction. Electricity is from 100 per cent renewable supplies, while a solar panel pre-heats water for the boilers. Its reed bed system annually recycles seven million litres of waste water.” (Wyatt)

The Brewery London

A venue that has historical roots back to the 18th Century. Not currently BS8091 accredited but is an integral part of a larger group that has received the award. “Low-energy LED lighting is used throughout, with high-powered hand-dryers and sensor lights in the bathrooms. Local produce is sourced wherever possible. The venue operates a waste management system and provides guests with filtered water in reusable bottles.” (Wyatt)

The ACC Liverpool ( BT Convention Centre)

Not currently BS8091 certified but actively working towards certification acquisition. 1,350 seats with an adjoining area containing 11,000 seats and one of the largest UK facilities of its kind. It has 18 meeting rooms and a large area for exhibition space “The £164m venue is designed to produce half the CO2 emissions of a traditional building. The electricity supply is from a green energy provider. Five 20-metre low-noise wind turbines generate around ten per cent of the required electricity. Rainwater is collected and provides around 40 per cent of the water needed to flush toilets. The venue has won two Green Apple Awards, is about to embark on attaining IS012001 and is awaiting the outcome of a Green Business Tourism Scheme assessment.” (Wyatt)

Excel London

A BS 8091 showcase site and one of the first to gain certification. It boasts a facility that contains over 5,000 seating capacity and in May 2010 this was expanded to 26,000 “Has its own materials recycling facility, a wormery for food waste and a £14m energy centre housing three boilers, three chillers and two back-up generators.” (Wyatt)

Faversham House Group

One of the world’s largest independent media groups. They adopted certification of BS 8901 “With ever increasing pressure from stakeholders and authorities to address sustainability, independent certification to BS 8901 will undoubtedly enhance the competitive stance and environmental credibility of any organisation involved with the events industry” (BSI)

Nimlok Ltd

Nimlok are builders and constructors of custom exhibition stands and have a global presence in the supply of portable exhibition stands for conferences and exhibitions. “Having already gained certification to ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) with BSI, Nimlok recognised that BS 8901 would be an appropriate addition to its certification portfolio and would help the organisation differentiate itself from industry competitors.” (BSI)

Earls Court and Olympia

A purpose built conference centre with BS8091 certification. All of the event managers are required to undergo BS8091 training “The group won the 2008 AEO Sustainability Excellence Award and the Visit London Sustainable Tourism Award. The venue’s sustainable development policy includes engaging with customers and suppliers on sustainability issues, assessing sustainability risks and opportunities presented by hosting events and setting key performance indicators and objectives. Both venues have on-site recycling centres.” (Wyatt)

There are no significant problems reported with the implementation of BS8091 although some folk have cited minor operational issues that have caused some controversy. Overall the standard has been well received and adopted by all of those who have chosen to move forward and implement it. There is always room for ongoing enhancement and improvement and it is anticipated that this is where ISO 20121 will pick up any slack when it is formerly released in 2012. A lot of attention will be focused on the London Olympic Games and the success of these games will further enhance the credibility of these standards and the amount of work adapted from these standards in order to make the event a huge international success story.

11 Countries have signed up to ‘mirror ISO20121’ for adoption in their native country. One of the more recent entrants to the mirror committee being that of Australia “It is important to note that a working draft for the International Standard (ISO) 20121 was produced with no involvement from the Australian events community. Twenty countries are actively involved in the development process including New Zealand. The SEA recognised this and approached Standards Australia to encourage our participation level to move from ‘O’ (observer) status to ‘P’ (participating) status” (sustainable event).

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVENT ORGANIZATIONS

Many of the initiatives that support the implementation of BS8091 and that of ISO 20121 are still voluntary. There is no doubt that most event management organizations will significantly benefit from adopting these standards and taking up these initiatives. It is perhaps first useful to explain what BS8091 does relative to other environmental policies. There are three distinct advantages of BS8091.

It defines the management system that an organization must put in place for effective sustainability of its operations. It is not a checklist but a definitive guide to operational procedures;

It does not directly apply to events but more concerned with the management system that must be adopted in order to run these events. “It is the management system operated by an organisation to deliver its event related activities that is certified and not the event” (SEC)

The standard is really more about sustainability and not purely focused on environmental issues, hence “sustainability is about adopting strategies that will not only ensure long term financial success but will also drive social prosperity and progress as well as reduce environmental degradation” (SEC).

BS8091 has been criticised for containing too much jargon and not being an easy document to comprehend or navigate. Nevertheless, it contains a lot of good and useful material and many companies have succeeded in proper interpretation and use of the standard. These constraints have been notified to ISO 20121 which is expected to resolve these difficulties in the reading and interpretation of the standard.

Benefits of BS 8901

The adoption of BS8091 has to be considered from the many benefits that it provides to event management organizations. Current research has demonstrated that the standard is particularly useful for small-medium sized business operations as it provides a reliable and robust framework which facilitates the integration of new staff. It also helps the organization in gaining a clearer understanding of the overall strategic direction and helps in harmonization of the workforce. Current projects have seen an improvement in communications and planning illustrating more integrated and harmonized communications that promote better teamwork and improved decision making capabilities. Overall a concept of rationalization and streamlining those results in more lucid and efficient systems and processes. As the standard effectively integrates social and economic standards it has an impact in helping to raise employee motivation and assists in retaining people with the best skills and talents. Further, it helps in improving the relations with key stakeholders and clients and strengthens the position of the business in the local community. From the financial perspective adoption of the standard is seen to reduce costs, eliminate wastes and create savings on energy.

” BS 8901 challenges “business as usual” and drives creativity and innovation which in turn can provide organisations with a competitive edge.” (SEC)

Recent reported innovations have included:

→ Improved return on investment by introduction of new toolsets

→ Reduction in carbon emissions by catering companies

→ Venues providing improved waste diversion rates from land fill sites

→ Reduction in paper handouts by event organizers

→ More events and conferences using 100% solar energy

→ Gifts to those who support the sustainability events and objectives

There is a huge benefit to be derived in terms of marketing capability. In particular the ability of organizations to demonstrate their uniqueness and distinction from competitors. This will improve chances of winning new contracts and awards as business move towards increased concepts of sustainability and environmentally friendly projects. A good example is that of the Greater London Authority that is now seen to include mention of BS8091 in the criteria of its tender documents, as such their clients are taking the lead and making similar incorporations into their own documents. This demonstrating to the wider market the importance of sustainability options in their contractual relationship building. “Most noticeably, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) released its London 2012 Sustainable Event Guidelines in which they expect all companies and organisations that wish to be associated with the Games to be working towards BS 8901.” (SEC).

There is also the question of getting ahead of your competition. There is no doubt that BS8091 will be thoroughly adopted by the events industry. Those who do not participate will be left behind and seriously disadvantaged in the competitive market place. Eventually the voluntary situation might change and it could become a minimum entry requirement to be BS8091 certified. This is likely to be further reinforced in 2012 when the ISO 20121b becomes released as an international standard. Hence those who take strides now will benefit over those who fail to see the significance of these standards in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the initial complexity of BS 8091 it has been widely accepted and endorsed by the event management industry. The benefits of adopting the standard far outweigh the disadvantages. The progression to the international standard of ISO20121 will be far more inclusive and involve the collaboration of multiple companies on a world-wide basis. The world has come to recognize the growing importance of sustainability as a direct result of climate change and environmental changes taking place throughout the world. We need to find an enduring and balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress. Hence the concept of sustainability has far more wider reaching implications beyond that of the event industry. Major international events like the Olympic games provide the opportunity to both raise awareness and showcase the importance of sustainability and the need for international standards to a world audience. Another significant advantage of the mirroring concept being used in the deployment of ISO 20121 is that it provides a standard and uniform framework across different countries and as such gains immediate transparency in terms of understanding, interpretation and implementation.

The increase in the technological development of computers and sophisticated communications has facilitated the design and build of robust event management systems. This has enabled better planning and organization of events and eliminated the need for generating large volumes of paper reports or storage. Sustainable Events Management Solutions (SEMS) are a good example of an Australian firm that has taken the matter seriously and fully embraced BS8091 into the design of its event management system.

There is no doubt that to make BS8091 work requires a great deal of inclusivity and collaboration amongst the partners in the event management project “Incorporating sustainability into meeting and event management practices requires organisers to employ a combination of sustainable approaches including environmental stewardship, economic efficiency, and social and cultural responsibility.” (Edwards)

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