World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics, has achieved certification for its Sustainable Event Management System (SEMS) from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The certification validates the comprehensive framework provided by SEMS in addressing sustainability risks and opportunities in the sport industry.
Originally developed in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, SEMS focuses on reducing costs, carbon emissions, and waste, as well as managing venue biodiversity, promoting human rights, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. By obtaining certification, World Athletics demonstrates its commitment to considering key financial, economic, social, and environmental issues relevant to its operations, thus minimizing its environmental impact and contributing to a more equitable society.
“To achieve certification, an organisation needs to demonstrate that its management system has considered all key financial, economic, social and environmental issues relevant to its operations to reduce its impact on the environment and contribute towards a stronger and more just society,” World Athletics said.
“The certification was awarded by BSI, a global leader in ISO standard compliance, after a rigorous two-phase audit process that assessed how the sustainability management system at World Athletics integrated sustainability into key aspects of an event’s planning and delivery.
“The system must also illustrate that it can track progress to ensure full compliance with the standard’s requirements moving forward.”
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe added: “Having this robust independent review of the processes and systems we’re putting in place lends a lot of credibility to our efforts in making our events more sustainable.
“It shows that the path we’re creating for all our events is the right one.”
The SEMS offers detailed guidance across 15 key areas of event planning and delivery. Since its introduction in November 2021, World Athletics has implemented SEMS for licensed one-day meetings, tour events, label road race organizers, and Organizing Committees of upcoming World Athletics Series events. Alongside SEMS, World Athletics has also implemented the Athletics for a Better World Standard (ABW), which evaluates and scores events based on their sustainable delivery, in line with the World Athletics sustainability strategy.
The ABW Standard, currently in its second pilot year, will introduce a tiered system with platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and recognized event achievement levels. From 2024 onwards, all World Athletics-licensed events will undergo evaluation based on the ABW Standard, with cities bidding to host future World Athletics Series events required to achieve at least a gold level of sustainability. This ensures that sustainability becomes a core feature of all forthcoming World Athletics championships events.
By attaining ISO certification for SEMS and implementing the ABW Standard, World Athletics aims to lead the way in fostering sustainable practices within the sport industry. These initiatives not only demonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility but also inspire other organizations and events to adopt sustainable approaches. With sustainability now ingrained in their event planning and delivery, World Athletics sets an example for a more sustainable future in athletics and beyond.
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Photo Courtesy Inside The Games
Courtesy Inside The Games