ISO 20121, the standard to promote sustainable development
ISO 20121 is the reference standard concerning sustainable development in the events sector. Its major strenght lies its foundation, with the objective of continuous improvement so that the evolution is progressive. The ambition is to make events increasingly environmentally friendly and increasingly virtuous in terms of their social impact. This certification highlights the CSR commitments made by companies, particularly their social responsibility towards the community, which extends beyond their legal obligations and purely economic imperatives.
After the latest GIEC report, which was highly alarmist, event organisers must realise that they have an important role to play and that they have a duty to set an example in the management of their projects. This is what Waterlab is trying to do by sharing this responsible awareness and spreading it to as many people as possible.
Faustine Schoutteten, Quality and Environment Manager of the Enygea Group explains: “At Enygea, we are familiar with ISO standards because we are ISO 9001 and ISO 14 001 certified. Our management is structured and we are committed to the continuous improvement of our practices. So when François Wolff, Director of Waterlab, and Virignie Millet, Director of Happee Services, told us about their desire to be ISO 20 121 certified, I saw it as the logical next step for our organisation. I am proud to accompany the whole team in this new challenge!
All the teams at Waterlab and Happee Services have been motivated to take this step, accompanied by Faustine. Being ISO 20121 certified means being in line with the expectations of our stakeholders: event agencies, local authorities, event participants, suppliers, etc. It also means pursuing our quality approach, further improving the management of our organisation, and mobilising and uniting our teams around meaningful issues.
We also hope to influence and thus contribute to driving change among our partners, providers, but also our customers.
The certification process
The Enygea group began this certification process at the end of 2021. Faustine Schoutteten tells us: “We are accompanied by the company Herry Conseil, which has been approved as a “social utility company” and was born out of a conviction that cultural, sporting and professional events all have a role to play in the ecological and social transition.
This process will take place in several stages – some of which have already begun -: a strategic diagnosis, implementation and finally verification by the ISO organisation. Some of our water supply facilities will be audited this summer. The Enygea group and the Waterlab Services teams hope to obtain full certification in 2023 to validate all the CSR commitments that have been implemented.