What are ISO certifications and what do they mean for sports organisations aiming to improve their sustainability?
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From fans to corporate sponsors and partners, there is a growing demand on sports organisations to demonstrate their work in sustainability and the actions being taken to minimise their negative environmental impacts.
Environmental certifications provide organisations with a recognised framework to implement and improve their sustainability. By benchmarking and implementing improvement strategies which can be measured, organisations can ensure they are making tangible steps towards improving their environmental sustainability.
Established by the International Organisation for Standards (ISO), there are two key ISO certifications available to support sports organisation in their journey to become more sustainable - the ISO 14001 and ISO 20121. These internationally recognised certifications demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and provide a framework for organisations to structure their actions around.
In this blog we’ll look at the purpose of ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 certifications and what they mean for sports organisations.
ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is an international standard that sets out the requirements for a robust and in-depth Environmental Management System (EMS).
The framework of this certification provides organisations with the ability to improve environmental performance by identifying and controlling environmental impact, complying with environmental regulations and showing a commitment to environmental sustainability.
ISO 14001 provides organisations with structured guidelines on how to manage environmental factors including pollution, conservation and waste reduction. Organisations are then required to establish objectives and KPIs alongside environmental policies and procedures to measure their performance.
This certification is widely recognised as a tool for organisations wanting to improve their environmental performance, minimize their environmental footprint and improve their sustainability.
Silverstone Circuit receive ISO 14001
Enovation Consulting were hired by Silverston Circuit to support them in achieving their ISO 14001 certification.
Under the guidance of Enovation Consulting, Silverstone Circuit implemented a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS) which focused on key areas including; reducing its carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity conservation, reducing reliance on plastic and being powered by 100% green electricity.
Silverstone Circuit achieved the ISO 14001 in December 2023. Read the full case study here.
ISO 20121
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The London 2012 Olympic games were the catalyst for the creation of ISO 20121 – an Event Sustainability Management System and became the test event for the new standard. The standard applies to all events, of which sport plays an important part, and is used to demonstrate that sustainability has been considered throughout the planning and delivery process.
The international standard provides a framework for event organizers to understand and improve the event’s sustainability and maximize its positive environmental, social, and economic impacts. Also, and just as important, the standard ensures that the governance and decision making for sustainability processes are both adequate and appropriate.
As of 2024, the ISO 20121 was updated to increase focus on aspects such as climate change, supply chain measures and human rights. The recent amendments include an extended list of issues that should be identified and measured, along with new commitments such as reporting on accomplishments, lessons learnt and, where applicable, legacy opportunities.
By applying the ISO 20121, events are ensuring their teams have the skills, knowledge and competence to operate sustainably and continually measure the impact of their sustainability efforts. Obtaining these internationally recognised certifications demonstrates a clear commitment to sustainability and desire to be part of the solution in the race to create a more sustainable global society.
Enovation Consulting provides a holistic approach to guide sports organisations through the process of obtaining both ISO 14001 and ISO 20212 certifications.
Get in touch to speak to our team of experts who will be happy to support.