Bsi bip 2176 2011

Making Events More Su sta inab le

Making Events More Susta inab le

A Gu id e to BS 8901

Ph i l Cumm ing and F ion a Pe lh am

F i rst pu b l i sh ed i n th e U K i n 2 0 1 1

by

BS I

3 89 Ch i swi ck H i g h Roa d

Lon d on W4 4AL

© B ri t i sh S ta n d a rd s I n st i tu t i on 2 0 1 1

Al l ri g h ts reserved . E xcep t a s perm i tted u n d er th e Copyrigh t, Design s and

Pa ten ts Act 1 988, n o pa rt o f th i s pu b l i ca t i on m a y be rep rod u ced , sto red i n a

retri eva l system o r tra n sm i tted i n a n y fo rm o r by a n y m ea n s – e l ectron i c ,

pho tocopyi n g , reco rd i n g o r o th erwi se – wi th ou t pri or perm i ss ion i n wri t i n g

from th e pu b l i sh er.

Wh i l st every ca re h a s been ta ken i n d eve l op i n g a n d comp i l i n g th i s pu b l i ca t i on ,

BS I a ccep ts n o l i ab i l i ty fo r a n y l oss o r d am a g e ca u sed , a ri s i n g d i rect l y or

i n d i rect l y i n con n ect i on wi th re l i a n ce on i ts con ten ts excep t to th e exten t th a t

su ch l i ab i l i ty m a y n o t be exc l u d ed i n l aw.

Th e ri g h t o f Ph i l Cumm i n g a n d F i on a Pe l h am to be i d en t i fi ed a s th e a u th o rs o f th i s Wo rk

h a s been a sserted by th em i n a cco rd a n ce wi th sect i on s 7 7 a n d 7 8 o f th e Copyrigh t,

Design s a nd Pa ten ts Act 1 988.

Typeset i n Fru t i g er by H e l i u s – www. h e l i u s . b i z

Pri n ted i n G rea t B ri ta i n by Berfo rts G rou p . www. berfo rts . com

Th e FSC l og o i d en t i fi es p rod u cts wh i ch con ta i n wood from we l l -m a n a g ed fo rests

cert i fi ed i n a cco rd a n ce wi th th e ru l es o f th e Fo rest S tewa rd sh i p Cou n c i l . Text p ri n ted on

FSC cert i fi ed paper. Cover p ri n ted on recyc l ed boa rd .

British L ib ra ry Ca ta logu ing in Pub lica tion Da ta

A ca ta l og u e reco rd fo r th i s book i s a va i l a b l e from th e B ri t i sh Li b ra ry

I SBN 97 8 0 580 67 5 1 3 3

Conten ts

Acknowledgemen ts vi i

Fo rewo rd i x

About the autho rs xi i i

1 . In trodu ct ion 1

Th e sto ry of BS 890 1 1

Abou t th i s book 2

2 . F i rst steps 9

G ett i n g sta rted 9

Ob ta i n comm i tm en t from top m a n a g em en t 1 1

E stab l i sh a n imp l em en ta t i on team 1 2

I n i t i a l revi ew 1 3

Deve l op a d ra ft Su sta i n ab i l i ty Po l i cy 1 4

Deve l op a n imp l em en ta t i on p l a n 1 5

Sm a l l steps 1 6

3 . Tran s l a ting BS 8901 1 9

3 . 1 I n trod u ct ion 1 9

3 . 2 Su sta i n ab i l i ty m a n a g em en t system scope 1 9

3 . 3 S ta tem en t o f pu rpose a n d va l u es 2 3

3 . 4 Su sta i n ab i l i ty po l i cy 2 7

3 . 5 P l a n n i n g 3 1

3 . 6 Perfo rm a n ce a g a i n st p ri n c i p l es of su sta i n ab l e d eve l opm en t 50

3 . 7 Imp l em en ta t ion 52

3 . 8 Ch ecki n g a n d co rrect i ve a ct i on 7 2

3 . 9 M a n a g em en t revi ew 82

4. Cl a im ing comp l iance 87

Se l f-d ec l a ra t ion 88

Secon d pa rty i n spect ion 89

Th i rd pa rty cert i fi ca t i on 89

M a ki n g E ven ts M ore Su sta i n ab l e v

5 . Beyond BS 8901 95

Pu b l i c su sta i n ab i l i ty report i n g 95

I n d epen d en t extern a l a ssu ra n ce 96

Leg a cy po ten t i a l 97

Con c l u s i on 98

Append ix A. Fu rther resou rces 99

Ad vi ce a n d kn owl ed g e 1 00

O th er sta n d a rd s , g u i d es a n d too l s 1 02

Prop ri eta ry on l i n e too l s 1 05

O th er sch em es 1 06

Append ix B . Su sta inab i l i ty i ssues in even t managemen t 1 09

Append ix C . Su sta inab le developmen t ma tu ri ty ma trix 1 1 3

E va l u a t i n g su sta i n ab l e d eve l opm en t 1 1 3

Deve l opm en t o r ‘m a tu ri ty’ m a tri x 1 1 3

M eth od o f eva l u a t i on 1 1 4

B ib l iog raphy 1 1 7

vi M a ki n g E ven ts M o re Su sta i n ab l e

Con ten ts

Acknowledgements

We wou l d l i ke to th a n k everyon e who h a s con tribu ted to th i s book i n so m a n y

d i fferen t wa ys . G i ven th a t m ost of i t wa s wri tten i n wh a t l i tt l e p rec iou s spa re

t im e we h a d , th e pa t i en ce a n d su pport o f fam i l y a n d fri en d s i s very mu ch

apprec i a ted . We a re a l so very g ra tefu l to th e team a t BS I , wh o showed g rea t

pa t i en ce a n d p rovi d ed u s wi th a l o t o f su ppo rt th rou g h ou t th e p rocess .

Spec i a l th a n ks g o to Ph i l ’ s pa rtn er J a cq u i wh o wa s perh a ps fa r too a ccep t i n g a t

t im es!

We wou l d l i ke to th a n k M a n d a Ki e l y of th e LOCOG Su sta i n ab i l i ty team , Ch a rl i e

Ba n ks o f O rg a n i se Th i s , a n d Rebecca Sa u n d ers a n d Al ex H a l l of Su sta i n a b l e

E ven ts Ltd fo r revi ewi n g th e work a t va ri ou s sta g es a n d p rovi d i n g th e i r mu ch

n eed ed th ou g h ts a n d comm en ts . I n a d d i t i on we wou l d l i ke th a n k Lu cy H u tch i n s

a n d Pa tri ck M i l l s o f th e LOCOG Leg a l team fo r h e l p i n g u s n a vi g a te th rou g h a l l

th e l eg a l stu ff to en ab l e u s to g et th e book sta rted i n th e fi rst p l a ce . Th a n ks a l so

to Da vi d J a ckm a n of th e E th i cs Fou n d a t ion who provi d ed u s wi th som e rea l l y

h e l p fu l g u i d a n ce on h ow to a pp roa ch pu l l i n g th e book tog eth er.

We wou l d l i ke to th a n k th e fo l l owi n g ( i n n o pa rt i cu l a r o rd er) fo r p rovi d i n g th e i r

m u ch va l u ed con tri bu t i on s wi th ou t wh i ch th e book’ s va l u e wou l d be g rea t l y

red u ced : P i ers Ke l l y of Reed E xh i b i t i on s ; Emm a We l lm a n o f E a rl s Cou rt a n d

O l ymp i a ; Soph i e Wi l l s o f i n n ovi s ion ; Tim Su n d erl a n d o f Su sta i n ab l e E ven t

Cert i fi ca t ion ; Beth N i cho l l s of th e En g l a n d 2 0 1 8 B i d team ; Rog er S imon s of

M eet i n g Profess i on a l s I n tern a t i on a l ; Lee Dobson o f th e Ba rb i ca n ; H e l en S tra d l i n g

o f ENWORKS ; Kee l y M cM a h on o f Qu ad ran t; Amy Spa tri sano of M eetG reen ®

;

M i ch el l e Dau ra t of H a rtl epoo l Borou gh Cou n c i l ; J en n i fer C l ea ry o f M a n ch ester

I n tern a t i on a l Fest i va l ; J a cq u i M a tth ews-Da vi es of Zu ri ch ; Ra ch e l H owe l l s o f

Ca rbon Tru st Wa l es ; Ke i th M c I n tosh o f M a n ch ester U n i ted ; a n d S teve F l etcher of

LRQA.

G i ven i t wa s h i s ch a n ce con versa t i on th a t m a d e BS 890 1 a rea l i ty, i t seem ed

on l y fi tt i n g th a t Da vi d S tu bbs o f LOCOG shou l d wri te th e forewo rd .

We h ope we h a ve a ckn owl ed g ed everyon e th a t n eed ed th a n ki n g by n am e bu t i f

we’ ve fo rg o tten a n yon e i t’ s n o t i n ten t ion a l !

M a ki n g E ven ts M ore Su sta i n ab l e vi i

We h ope you fi n d th i s book u sefu l a n d i t h e l ps you to a d op t m ore su sta i n ab l e

wa ys o f d o i n g bu s i n ess a n d p l a n n i n g you r even t. We wi sh you a l l th e very best

i n you r BS 890 1 j ou rn ey.

Th a n ks a l l !

Ph il and Fion a

vi i i M a ki n g E ven ts M o re Su sta i n a b l e

Foreword

I t a l l sta rted wi th a ch a n ce en cou n ter over a g l a ss of red wi n e . Th e occa s i on wa s

a Lon d on 2 0 1 2 b i d p romo t ion to bu s i n ess l ea d ers i n th e C i ty o f Lon d on a t th e

M an s ion H ou se one d a y in 2 004. Seb Coe and M a yor of Lond on , Ken Li ving stone,

were u p fron t m a ki n g th e p i tch . O th er b i d team co l l ea g u es a n d I were wo rki n g

th e rest o f th e room .

An d so I cam e a cross Arn o l d P i n d er o f th e BS I . We l l wh a t d o you sa y to a

sta n d a rd s m a n abou t b i d d i n g for th e O l ymp i c a n d Pa ra l ymp i c G am es? I f i t h a d

been a n y o f m y o th er co l l ea g u es , proba b l y n o t a g rea t d ea l . H owever, I h a d a

bee i n m y bon n et abou t m a ki n g even ts mo re su sta i n ab l e, bu t I wa s stym i ed by

th e th en l a ck of a n y fo rm a l system s o r sta n d a rd s th a t app l i ed i n th i s fi e l d .

Th e con cep t of su sta i n ab i l i ty a pp l i ed to th e G am es wa s re l a t i ve l y n ew. Th e

Lon d on b i d team fe l t th i s wa s a po ten t i a l a rea o f d i fferen t i a t ion , g o i n g beyon d

th e ba s i c no t i on o f ‘G reen G am es ’ . We were d eterm i n ed to fi n d i n nova t i ve wa ys

to m a ke th e d i st i n ct i on a g a i n st ri va l b i d s . Bu t compet i t ion a s i d e , th e essen t i a l

po i n t a t th e t im e wa s th a t th ere wa s n o offi c i a l fram ewo rk fo r a d d ress i n g

su sta i n ab i l i ty i n i ts fu l l sen se fo r even ts .

Yet i t wa s p retty obvi ou s th a t even ts – espec i a l l y m eg a even ts su ch a s th e

O l ymp i c G am es – en g en d er s i g n i fi ca n t en vi ronm en ta l , soc i a l a n d econ om i c

impa cts . Th ey req u i re bespoke , a ccess i b l e ven u es ; peop l e h a ve to tra ve l to th em ;

th ey n eed en terta i n i n g , a ccommod a t i on , food a n d secu ri ty; th a t req u i res en erg y

a n d o th er resou rces ; wa ste i s p rod u ced a n d l oca l commu n i t i es a re a ffected . At

th e sam e t im e even ts a ttra ct a tten t ion – from th e m ed i a , from spon sors a n d th e

vi s i t i n g pu b l i c .

So , on th e on e h a n d we h a ve som e pretty h efty po ten t i a l impa cts , wh i l e on th e

other we h a ve a spec i a l p l a tform from wh i ch to commu n i ca te abou t su sta in ab i l i ty

to new au d iences. Tha t i s an importan t opportu n i ty to be sei zed . Most conven tiona l

su sta i n ab i l i ty campa i g n s d o n o t h a ve su ch rea ch .

H owever, i t i s n o t j u st a n i ssu e for b i g even ts . Wh en you th i n k abou t i t , th e

d i fferen ce between l a rg e a n d sm a l l even ts i s s imp l y a m a tter o f sca l e . Th ey a l l

b roa d l y i n vo l ve th e sam e a ct i vi t i es a n d p rocesses a n d th erefore h a ve s im i l a r

types o f i ssu es a n d impa cts a s we l l a s opportu n i t i es for p romo t i n g su sta i n a b i l i ty

a n d crea t i n g pos i t i ve l eg a c i es a t th e i r respect i ve sca l es .

M a ki n g E ven ts M o re Su sta i n ab l e ix

Co l l ect i ve l y, th e even t i n d u stry i s h u g e. I t i s a mu l t i -b i l l ion d o l l a r i n d u stry wo rl d -

wi d e . An d wh i l e h i g h -p ro fi l e even ts (spo rt i n g o r cu l tu ra l ) m a y be h u g e l y

popu l a r, wi th l a rg e crowd s a n d TV a n d p ress covera g e d i ssem i n a t i n g to a wi d er

fa n ba se , i t d oes n o t ab so l ve o rg a n i zers from d e l i veri n g th e even ts i n a

respon s i b l e wa y. I n d eed , th e l a rg er even ts h a ve a rg u ab l y a n even g rea ter

respon s ib i l i ty i n th i s respect .

Th ere i s a l so a stron g bu s i n ess ca se fo r m a n a g i n g even ts su sta i n a b l y. Th e

effi c i en c i es a n d cost sa vi n g s d eri ved from a su sta i n ab l e app roa ch a re s i g n i fi ca n t .

In add i tion , most even ts seek spon sorsh ip and the commercia l world i s increa sing ly

sen s i t i ve to b ra n d repu ta t ion i ssu es a ssoc i a ted wi th spon sorsh ip . I f d on e we l l ,

a n even t ca n secu re im po rta n t a d d i t i on a l reven u e th rou g h su sta i n ab i l i ty

pa rtn ersh ips .

Th e su pp l y ch a i n i s a vi ta l pa rt o f th i s . We a re a l rea d y see i n g amp l e evi d en ce of

even t i n d u stry compa n i es a d opt i n g su sta i n a b i l i ty a s pa rt of th e i r bu s i n ess

mod e l . Th i s i s m a ki n g th em more compet i t i ve a n d ab l e to wi n bu s i n ess i n

d i ffi cu l t m a rket con d i t i on s .

O f cou rse th i s d oes n o t h appen by i tse l f. To a ch i eve p roper recog n i t i on for

genu ine su sta inab le in i tia tives, you need to have a cred ib le ba si s for demon stra ting

you r performance in th i s a rea . Th i s i s where a good managemen t system comes in .

Th e cyc l i ca l n a tu re of even ts presen ts a pa rt i cu l a r ch a l l en g e. U n l i ke a stea d y￾sta te opera t i on (for wh i ch most con ven t ion a l m a n a g em en t system s h a ve been

d eve l oped ) , th e wo rl d o f even ts i s a l l pea ks a n d trou g h s . An o rg a n i z i n g

comm i ttee wi l l g en era l l y sta rt from scra tch . I t wi l l bu i l d u p s l owl y a t fi rst a n d

th en g row rap i d l y over a sh ort t im e befo re th e even t . Decomm i ss ion i n g i s

b ru ta l l y q u i ck. Th ere i s n o scope i n th i s l i fe cyc l e for con t i n u a l im provem en t –

no t u n t i l th e n ext even t , i f th ere i s on e . N or i s th ere mu ch ch a n ce of knowl ed g e

tra n sfer a n d sp rea d i n g best p ra ct i ces .

M y m u s i n g s abou t su sta i n ab l e even ts th a t n i g h t a t th e M a n s ion H ou se obvi ou s l y

stru ck a ch o rd wi th Arn o l d a n d th e BS I . After we won th e b i d to host th e 2 0 1 2

G am es , m y d i a l og u e wi th th e BS I con t i n u ed a n d I wa s obvi ou s l y d e l i g h ted wi th

th e i r i n terest i n th i s fi e l d , wh i ch l ed to th e su b seq u en t d eve l opm en t a n d l a u n ch

of BS 890 1 , i n N ovember 2 007 .

I am even mo re p l ea sed th a t Ph i l Cumm i n g , a p i vo ta l m ember o f m y team a t

Lon d on 2 0 1 2 , a n d F ion a Pe l h am , Ch a i r o f BS 890 1 , h a ve com e tog eth er to wri te

th ese su ppo rt i n g g u i d e l i n es to th e 2 009 revi sed vers i on o f BS 890 1 . Th ey a re a

x M a ki n g E ven ts M ore Su sta i n ab l e

Foreword

fo rm i d a b l e team , two experts i n th i s em erg i n g fi e l d , a n d i n th i s d ocum en t th ey

h a ve cap tu red th e essen ce o f th e sta n d a rd a n d p resen ted a th orou g h a n d

a ccess ib l e step -by-step g u i d e to i ts imp l em en ta t i on .

Th e c l ea r g u i d a n ce a n d su ppo rt i n g ca se stu d i es offer a fi rst-c l a ss i n s i g h t i n to

how to comp l y wi th th e sta n d a rd a n d h ow to m a ke pos i t i ve su sta i n ab l e cho i ces .

At Lon d on 2 0 1 2 we a re p rou d to h a ve i n sp i red BS 890 1 . We a l so l ook forwa rd

to i ts i n tern a t i on a l su ccesso r, I SO 2 0 1 2 1 . Bu t sta n d a rd s a l on e a re on e th i n g .

Peop l e imp l em en t i n g th em a n d m a ki n g a pos i t i ve d i fferen ce i s th e rea l g oa l .

Th ese g u i d e l i n es a re pa rt o f m a ki n g th a t a rea l i ty.

Da vid Stubb s

Head of Susta in ab ility, London Organ ising Comm ittee of th e O lymp ic Games

and Pa ra lymp ic Games (LOCOG )

Ju ly 201 0

M a ki n g E ven ts M o re Su sta i n ab l e xi

Foreword