The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has once again secured certification for its corporate events under the updated ISO 20121:2024 standard, reaffirming its commitment to delivering events in line with the highest international sustainability benchmarks.
The certification applies to all corporate events directly organised and financed by the IOC, including IOC Sessions, commission meetings, Olympic Day celebrations, the International Athletes’ Forum, as well as a range of conferences and institutional gatherings.
IOC Corporate Events and Services Director Panos Tzivanidis described the re-certification as recognition of the organisation’s continued progress in embedding sustainability across every stage of event planning and delivery.
“We are proud to have achieved re-certification to the ISO 20121:2024 standard,” Tzivanidis said. “It reflects the progress made in reducing emissions associated with our events, improving collaboration with suppliers, and strengthening our focus on social responsibility. The framework also supports continual improvement by ensuring sustainability remains integrated into procurement, operations, stakeholder engagement and overall event delivery.”
The renewed certification highlights advances made since the IOC first achieved ISO certification in 2023, particularly in three key areas: reducing the environmental impact of travel, logistics and operations linked to events; strengthening supplier assessment and monitoring processes; and enhancing labour and welfare standards throughout event delivery.
These efforts form part of the IOC’s wider sustainability strategy, which has already seen the organisation reduce its corporate carbon footprint by 30 per cent by the end of 2024, compared to its 2016–2019 baseline. The IOC has also committed to achieving a 50 per cent reduction by 2030.
The certification further recognises the IOC’s progress in working more closely with suppliers to promote sustainable practices, particularly in areas such as event branding, signage, technical production and temporary infrastructure.
In addition, greater emphasis has been placed on labour standards within supplier operations, including working conditions, health and safety measures, subcontractor oversight and access to grievance mechanisms.
Originally developed as part of the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games, ISO 20121 provides a globally recognised framework enabling organisations to integrate environmental and social responsibility into event management. The latest update to the standard, spearheaded by Paris 2024, expands its focus to include human rights, climate action, accessibility, long-term impact and legacy.
Beyond implementing the standard within its own operations, the IOC is also actively promoting wider adoption of ISO 20121:2024 throughout the Olympic Movement, including across the Olympic Games, International Federations, National Federations and sports event organisers worldwide.
