Certification Europe is the only certification body that can offer accredited certification for the emerging field of sustainable events
Dublin, 13th October, 2014 – Certification Europe celebrates this year’s World Standards Day on 14th October with a new and outstanding primacy.
Certification Europe Italia, the Italian branch of Certification Europe, an international group with headquarters in Dublin, is the first certification body in the world to achieve accreditation for ISO 20121, Event Sustainability Management Systems.
Since its publication in 2012, on the occasion of London Olympic Games, ISO 20121 represents best practice for the events industry and enables organisations to certify their ability to organise a sustainable event.
Sustainability is not limited to the environmental and energy aspects in events organisation. Organisers are also required to look after social and economic aspects of events (H&S, impact on local communities, etc.).
Michael Brophy, CEO of Certification Europe, explains just what this new achievement for the international certification body means: “At Certification Europe we have worked as a group since the publication of ISO 20121 standard to develop awareness on event sustainability. We certified the Irish EU Presidency headquarters in Dublin Castle in December 2012 and we are currently developing our Irish client base around this scheme. Today we are proud of the worldwide excellence Accredia, the Italian National Accreditation Board, recognised to our Italian operations.”
Sustainability stands as the new frontier for event planners, service providers and patrons. Being sustainable means realising, taking into account and, above all, giving account of the objectives achieved in their events. The ISO 20121 accredited assurance that Certification Europe can now provide is the framework to true sustainability.
Certification Europe’s objective is now twofold. On the one hand, the group intends to consolidate its position as the world’s first certification body accredited for Sustainability Events with the certification of large venues: contacts are already underway with major European stadiums. On the other hand, Certification Europe aims to spread awareness that sustainability can be applied to events of any scale and content. A training programme that will target event patrons, planners and producers at international level is currently under development.