A few weeks ago, at the EUREF event, we took an important step toward ISO 20121 certification: We successfully passed our Level 1 audit for sustainable event management!
A path we’ve been following for months
For several months now, we have been working intensively to align our event management with the requirements of ISO 20121 – the internationally recognized standard for sustainable event management.
For us, this is the logical next step: At the EUREF-Campus Berlin, sustainability is second nature – it’s a place where energy, mobility, and urban development have been considered together from the very beginning. We want to reflect this commitment in our own event management as well, based on clear, verifiable standards.
What is ISO 20121 – and why do we need it?
ISO 20121 is an internationally recognized standard for sustainable event management. It defines requirements for a management system that enables organizations to systematically plan, implement, monitor, and continuously improve the environmental, social, and economic aspects of events. The focus is not on individual measures, but on responsible decision-making processes throughout the entire value chain of an event.
In our view, good intentions and a label alone are not enough. Sustainable events require clear structures, processes, and lines of responsibility – and that is exactly what we are systematically establishing through this certification.
As an international ISO standard, ISO 20121 also promotes comparability, transparency, and credibility across national borders, markets, and industries. For companies, agencies, and event organizers operating internationally, it provides a common language for sustainability, facilitates ESG reporting, and ensures that sustainable events do not depend on location or individual interpretations, but are based on clear, globally recognized criteria.
The Audit in detail
External Audit: Two auditors from GUTcert GmbH interviewed our Sustainability & Quality team, led by Ella Henn and Anke Langhardt, during a meeting that lasted several hours
Topics: Our sustainability issues, processes, and goals were put to the test
Purpose of the Audit: to determine whether we have established a robust system for organizing events in the future according to standardized processes and for continuously improving our practices
The Result
With just a few adjustments, we’re ready for the next step: Our Level 2 audit is scheduled for September. During this audit, a site inspection will be conducted to verify whether our theoretical plans can be effectively implemented in practice.
For me, sustainable event management means, above all, bringing together the different perspectives of all stakeholders. A successful event is the result of considering environmental, social, and economic aspects in tandem. With ISO 20121, we are laying the foundation for exactly that: so that our clients can increasingly rely on the fact that sustainability does not depend on individual measures, but is systematically embedded in our processes step by step.
Ella Henn
Lead Sustainability