Educational Master Classes
| Sustainable Events: How to Complete the BS8901 Event Management Standard
BS 8901, launched in November 2007, specifies the requirements for a sustainable event management system. The new standard establishes a framework of management best practice to enable the events industry to conduct its business in a more sustainable way. Event organisers, venues and suppliers are beginning to take up the standard and large event clients such as the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) and the London Development Agency are already requiring BS 8901 in their tender documents. Indeed, there is considerable interest overseas particularly in the USA and Canada. ISES UK wants to ensure that their members are fully prepared for BS 8901 and are not disadvantaged when bidding for tenders in the future. This is particularly important for the London 2012 Games that could provide ISES members with a significant opportunity. You will learn about how to implement BS 8901 effectively and efficiently by building upon existing systems and processes and will be introduced to simple models and tools to explain the concept of sustainability as well as achieve some of the more challenging elements of the standard. BSI has begun a revision process for BS 8901 and you will be able to hear first hand as to what the changes are likely to be. You will be able to raise issues and concerns that can then be fed into the revision process and so be able to influence future changes to the standard itself. BS 8901 is here to stay. Many organisations have realised this and have begun work on adopting the standard with a view to achieving competitive advantage. We think it is crucial that our members understand what BS 8901 is all about, how it is going to change the marketplace and how best to prepare for a more sustainable future. Timings
Find Out More ISES are partnering with the Sustainable Events Group (SEG)to deliver this Masterclass. SEG was involved in writing the standard and is already working with a number of leading venues and event organisers to implement BS 8901. The arrival of the British Standard BS 8901 is set to transform the events industry. BS 8901 specifies the requirements for a sustainable event management system and was launched in November 2007. BS 8901 has been designed to help the events industry conduct its business in a more sustainable way and establishes a framework of management best practice. The standard is applicable to event clients, organisers, venues and suppliers. So why has BS 8901 come about? Environmental and social issues are becoming a major concern of governments, industry and the public alike. From climate change to social justice, resource depletion to corporate governance, industry is increasingly being challenged to carry out its business in a more sustainable manner. Today, the CEOs of some of the world’s largest companies acknowledge that the management of sustainability issues is fundamental to the long term success of their organisations. With BS 8901, the events industry now has the opportunity to step up to the sustainability challenge. By adopting this standard the events industry has the opportunity to lead the world in addressing the sustainability issues facing us all today. BS 8901 apples to an organisation’s event management system and describes the activities required to ensure that events and event related activities are being managed more sustainably. As a management system standard, BS 8901 does not specify exactly what issues to manage but prescribes the management system elements that need to be in place. The standard follows the traditional management model of “plan – do – check - act” and shares common management system processes with the ISO 9001 Quality Management standard and the ISO 14001 Environmental Management standard. The standard will enable organisations to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, cut costs and improve reputation and brand image. An important point to note is that BS 8901 is not just about “greening” events. There are numerous environmental guidelines and checklists already being used within the events industry. BS 8901 goes much further to consider the social impacts of the industry and also the critical factors that make organisations in the industry successful – in other words how organisations gear themselves up to be commercially successful as well as environmentally and socially responsible. There are 3 parts to the standard: 1. Planning: involves developing a policy for sustainability, identifying and engaging with stakeholders and identifying key sustainability issues. From this, sustainability performance objectives, preferred solutions, key performance indicators and targets need to be defined. 2. Implementation: involves the development and adoption of the key elements of the sustainable event management system including: · Designating appropriate responsibilities and providing the necessary resources and training · Managing the supply chain effectively · Implementing a communication plan with stakeholders · Maintaining and controlling the appropriate documentation Wherever possible, it is preferable to build upon existing management systems. 3. Monitoring and Control: involves the implementation of procedures to measure performance against targets and to correct any non-conformities. Sustainable event management system audits and management reviews will need to be carried out periodically and lessons learned will need to be implemented to demonstrate continual improvement. So why is BS 8901 important to ISES and its members? Major event clients such as the London 2012 Organising Committee and the Greater London Authority are already referring to BS 8901 in their tenders. Corporate clients are expected to follow as they work to ensure their own sustainability policies are being implemented throughout their organisations. In addition, event attendees and delegates are becoming increasingly aware of the need to address sustainability. Consequently, this new standard will soon become a minimum requirement to do business in the events industry. Like risk management and health and safety before, it will eventually become part of the way the event industry operates. It is important for ISES and its members to be well prepared. To this end, ISES have developed a Masterclass on BS 8901 with the help of the Sustainable Events Group (SEG). SEG were involved in writing the standard and are currently piloting its implementation with a number of major venues and event organisers. Information about SEG and the BS8901 scheme. The Masterclass will enable ISES members to understand what BS 8901 requires and to explore ways in which they can achieve certification to the new standard. You will be able to question experts on sustainability and BS 8901 and learn about what other organisations are currently doing on BS 8901 and why. With the arrival of BS 8901, the events industry is now on a challenging journey towards a more sustainable future. Implementing BS 8901 will require creative thinking coupled with new ways of working and it will be the innovators that succeed and gain the competitive advantage. Experience from other industry sectors shows that there will be those that are excited, relish the challenge and want to lead; and there will be those that will resist until the market forces them to change. The reality is that we will all have to set out on the sustainability journey; the opportunity is for ISES members to lead the way. Click Here to download a booking form The Hospital Club 24 Endell Street London WC2H 9HQ Steph@isesuk.org 0207 378 2933 |
