Updated 2022 EIC Sustainable Event Standards
As part of EIC’s long-standing commitment to leading and accelerating our industry’s transformation, we have released an enhanced version of the EIC Sustainable Event Standards in 2022. The journey towards certification provides organisations and event professionals with a framework and transparent process to set and implement targets as well as a way to set and achieve community wide goals, drive ambition, and accelerate change.
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards have been written through a global collaborative process with participation from subject matter experts in all sectors. They provide a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals, at all stages of their sustainability journey, will have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices. To date, more than 300 professionals have participated in the review of the standards.
Frequently asked questions: Sustainable Event Standards
What are the EIC Sustainable Event Standards?
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards are a collection of eight (8) specific standards that assess events and industry suppliers on a wide range of sustainability criteria in support of environmental and social responsibility. Transparency and accountability are provided by third-party verification of compliance with these standards. The EIC Sustainable Event Standards replaced the former APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards in 2019, with an updated version released in 2022. There are four levels for the new standards – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
The standards are a framework for collaboration, and they provide a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals, at all stages of their sustainability journey, will have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices.
In order to reach a certification level, applicants will be required to demonstrate their achievement of the criteria. Based on the percentage of completion, and on the maximum number of points for each specific sector, certification will be awarded as follows:
What are the individual standards in the 2022 version?
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards are a collection of eight standards for events and events industry suppliers:
Assessment Areas:
Each standard includes criteria in the following areas:
- Organisational Management
- Marketing, Communication, and Engagement
- Climate Action
- Water Management
- Materials and Circularity
- Supply Chain Management
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Accessibility
- Social Impact
How were the 2019 standards developed?
- More than 100 of the industry’s leading practitioners contributed to the revision of the standards, which have been purposefully designed to increase sustainability and social impact practices across the events industry.
- Throughout the revision process, EIC focused on making them globally relevant. In addition to having volunteer reviewers from 15 different countries, EIC designed the requirements to focus on environmental and social outcomes, rather than country-specific regulations and programmes.
- The standards revision process included a 60-day public commentary phase to engage a greater number of stakeholders in ensuring the standards are globally and materially relevant.
What was the consultation process for the 2022 standards?
An extensive consultation process was undertaken to review the 2019 Provisional EIC Sustainable Event Standards. These consultations included participation from the EIC Sustainability and Social Impact Committee, past contributors in the development of the standards, EIC members, organisations that had previously certified to the standards, subject matter experts, and a survey and webinar for the broader EIC database of stakeholders. In total, over 300 individuals provided comments, including members of more than 20 industry associations. Feedback was received from participants from more than 20 countries. These consultations resulted in the key changes summarised in the following section.
Key Changes in 2022 Version
Following an extensive global consultation process, the following changes have been included in the 2022 Standards:
- Foundations Level: A new Foundations Level replaces the former "Industry Wide Criteria" and have a greater emphasis on education, tools and resources to support adoption.
- Improved Ease of Use and Expanded Criteria: Criteria, Assessment and Guidance have been updated for greater flexibility for regional adaptation, and have been expanded inareas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Accessibility and Climate Action. Points values were also adjusted to reflect materiality and investment.
- Integrated Property Standard: A new integrated property standard was introduced to incorporate elements of the accommodation, venue and food and beverage standards for properties that offer all three services.
- New Certification Cadence: A new certification model that now includes a comprehensive audit in the first and fourth years and surveillance audits for a smaller number of criteria for the second and third years was introduced for suppliers. A streamlined process for events using the same suppliers was alsoadded.
- Clearly Defined Roles: The Event Standard now clearly indicates the responsibilities for the event organiser and for their suppliers in meeting the standard's criteria.
What are the fees for obtaining the certification?
- Fees are based on the complexity of the auditing requirements and size of the organisation or event. For more detailed pricing information, please contact sustainability@eventscouncil.org