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BS 8901:2007

Specification for asustainable eventmanagement system with

guidance for useICS 03.100.99

NO COPYING WITHOUT BSI PERMISSION EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW

BRITISH STANDARD

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Printed on paper originating from well-managed forests

and other controlled sources

Publishing and copyright information

The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the

document was last issued.

BSI 2007

ISBN 978 0 580 56618 9

The following BSI references relate to the work on this standard:

Committee reference SDS/1

Draft for comment 07/30146790 DC

Publication history

First published November 2007

Amendments issued since publication

Amd. no. Date Text affected

BS 8901:2007

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BSI 2007 i

BS 8901:2007

ContentsForeword iii

0 Introduction 1

1 Scope 3

2 Normative references 3

3 Terms and definitions 3

4 Claiming compliance with this standard 4

5 Phase 1 5

6 Organizational commitment to sustainable development 5

7 Planning 6

8 Finalize objectives, and set key performance indicators

and targets 7

9 Phase 2 Implementation 11

10 Phase 3 13

11 Assessing performance 14

12 Review 15

13 Follow up 15

Annexes

Annex A (informative) Guidance for use of this specification 16

Annex B (informative) Principles to be applied to supply chain

management 20

Bibliography 27

List of figures

Figure 1 Road map for implementation of BS 8901 2

List of tables

Table 1 Examples of potential sustainability issues in event

management 8

Table A.1 Examples of activities in event management 16

Table A.2 Outline structure for a sustainable development maturity

matrix Guidelines for continual improvement 19

Table B.1 Sustainable procurement checklist 21

Summary of pages

This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover,

pages i to iv, pages 1 to 27 and a back cover.

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BS 8901:2007

Foreword

Publishing information

This British Standard was published by BSI and came into effect

on 30 November 2007. It was prepared by Technical Committee SDS/1,

Sustainable development. A list of organizations represented on thiscommittee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

Information about this document

This standard has been drafted to help the events industry conduct

business operations in a more sustainable manner.

Relationship with other publications

This standard is the first in a series of daughter standards of BS 8900,

Guidance for managing sustainable development.

As a derivative of BS 8900, this standard has been written in such a

way as to reflect the spirit of BS 8900. Consequently the principlesdescribed in the standard are designed to be compatible with BS 8900.

However, whereas BS 8900 has the broadest application to

organizations (and individuals) and is independent of the nature

of their activities, this standard focuses more specifically on

organizations in the event industry. This standard also shares

common management system principles and processes with

the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series.

The following table shows the commonality between BS 8900, BS 8901,

BS EN ISO 9001 and BS EN ISO 14001.

There is an important distinction between this standard and BS 8900.

BS 8900 takes the form of guidance and recommendation but is not aspecification to which compliance can be claimed (nor around which

a certification scheme can be established) whereas, compliance

to BS 8901 can be claimed by any organization that is involved in the

delivery of event(s) subject to defining the organizations role and scope

of activities in the delivery of event(s); and an evidence-based approach

demonstrating that either:

a) the requirements of the management system have been met; or

b) the requirements of the contracting organization with overall

responsibility for sustainable event management have been met.

Standard Application Topic Design element Standard type

BS 8900 General Sustainability Sustainabledevelopment

Guide

BS 8901 Events only Sustainability Sustainabledevelopment

Management systemspecification

BS EN ISO 9001 General Quality Customer satisfaction Management systemspecification

BS EN ISO 14001 General Environment Environmental impact Management system

specification

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iv BSI 2007

Presentational conventions

The provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright)

type. Its requirements are expressed in sentences in which the principal

auxiliary verb is shall.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is

presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute anormative element.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions

of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity

from legal obligations.

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0 Introduction

0.1 General

BS 8901 is a daughter standard of BS 8900, which defines sustainable

development as:an enduring, balanced approach to economic activity,

environmental responsibility and social progress.

Sustainability impacts often fall outside of the scope of existing

management systems, so this standard has been drafted to help

individuals and organizations involved in the events industry to

implement a sustainable event management system.

The key characteristics that influence the success of the sustainable

event management system are:

it should be an integral part of the event management process,

and not regarded as an add-on component; and its influence should extend throughout the entire supply chain.

0.2 Applicability

This standard applies to the events management system used by

individuals or organizations within the event industry. It is applicable to

the systems used for both one-off and regular events.

It applies to and can be used by an organization responsible for the

overall management and co-ordination of the event, or by a supplier.

The requirements of the standard that apply to any given organization

or event are a matter of informed judgement.

This standard applies to the full diversity of events, recognizing that the

issues and activities associated with events of varying nature and scale

might differ substantially. It applies to all event management

stakeholders, and isproportional;taking into account an organization

or individuals role and position in the supply chain, its size, capacity to

adopt the system and ability to implement it.

Supplier organizations can comply with this standard within their own

individual sphere of control, whether the organization responsible for

the overall management and co-ordination of the event complies or not.

0.3 Implementation

Following the steps in Clauses 5 to 13 will encourage continuous

improvement of the quality of the management system and

sustainability performance. Figure 1 provides a road map for

implementing this standard.

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2 BSI 2007

The key is to produce a flexible framework which allows for all the

dimensions of sustainability and actively encourages and recognizes

learning and continual improvement.

A maturity matrix is provided in Table A.2 to map progression in terms

of the application of sustainable development principles and to track

progress through successive event cycles. (See also Clause 13.)

Figure 1 Road map for implementation of BS 8901

Decision to

stage event

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

Define policy for sustainability (Clause 6)

Identify and engage stakeholders(including supply chain) as part of the

planning process (Clause 7)

Finalize objectives, and set key performanceindicators and targets (Clause 8)

Check: monitor and evaluateagainst KPIs (Clause 11)

Review (Clause 12) and feedforward (Clause 13)

Implement (Clause 9): provide resourcesand competencies, manage the supply chain

and maintain communications, documentthe system

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1 ScopeThis standard specifies requirements for a sustainable event

management system and guidance on meeting those requirements.

That is, the guidance provides additional practical information to

support implementation.

This standard is applicable to all event organizations (including

individuals), regardless of their role or responsibility in event(s), or

whether or not their core business is event management. This standard

is applicable to clients (responsible for commissioning an event),

organizers (the organization, or partner organizations, responsible for

event organization), and other suppliers.

The specification is designed to be capable of addressing sustainability

management of events through the entire event life cycle to include the

phases from conception and planning through to implementation and

final review, or restricted to certain phases only.

NOTE Requirements for claims of compliance with this standard aregiven in Clause4.

2 Normative referencesThe following referenced documents are indispensable for the

application of this document. For dated references, only the edition

cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the

referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

NOTE There are no normative references in this standard. Informative

references are given in the bibliography.

3 Terms and definitionsFor the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions

apply.

3.1 event clientorganization that commissions an event

3.2 event management life cycle

event cyclestages and activities of an event, from conception through planning

to implementation/event production and post-production evaluationand feedback

NOTE Different from life cycle impacts (3.6)

3.3 event organizerorganization (3.10), or group of organizations, with overall

responsibility for managing the delivery of an event (encompassing all

activities that comprise the event)

3.4 internal auditsystematic and documented process for evaluating compliance with the

management system

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3.5 key performance indicator

KPIpre-agreed measurements (quantitative or qualitative) of performance

against the objectives of an organization

3.6 life cycle impact

impact occurring throughout the life cycle, i.e. from extraction of rawmaterials to end-of-life (cradle-to-grave)

3.7 management systemsystem to establish policy and objectives and to achieve those objectives

3.8 maturity profilepictorial representation of the maturity of an organizations sustainable

development management system derived from its maturity matrix

(seeA.2)

3.9 objectiveintended outcome of a strategy

3.10 organizationcommercial or voluntary, body or individual that takes responsibility for

some or all of the management of an event and its sustainable

development

3.11 stakeholderindividual or group concerned with or affected by event(s) and/or its

sustainability

3.12 supplierorganization providing products, services or facilities

3.13 supply chainnetwork of suppliers, including subcontractors

4 Claiming compliance with thisstandard

An organization shall be deemed to have complied with this standard if

it has met all relevant requirements in Clauses 5 to 13.

Claims of partial compliance, e.g. to Phase 1 in preparation for an event,

may also be made.NOTE 1 British Standards are worded to enable compliance to be

verified by the first party (the organization), second party (stakeholders)

or an independent third party (such as a certification body).

NOTE 2 Organizations within the supply chain may claim compliance if

their involvement in the event meets the relevant requirements of this

standard.

NOTE 3 Organizations may only claim compliance for activities by the

organization that are directly related to events.

NOTE 4 Only the event client and/or event organizer(s) can claim that

an event has been managed in compliance with this standard.

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NOTE 5 Claims of compliance may take the form of:

[Insert name of event] has been planned in compliance with BS 8901,

Phase 1. (The event organizer has implemented Phase 1.)

[Insert name of event] has been planned and implemented in compliance

with BS 8901, Phase 1 and Phase 2. (The event organizer has

implemented Phase 1 and Phase 2.)

[Insert name of event] was managed in compliance with BS 8901.

(The event organizer has implemented all phases of this standard for this

particular event.)

[Insert name of recurring event] is managed in compliance

with BS 8901. (The event organizer has implemented all phases

at least once.)

[Insert name of supplier/organization] is BS 8901 compliant.

(All phases have been implemented for all events.)

5 Phase 1Phase 1 of the sustainable event management system shall include:

a) producing a sustainability policy (Clause 6);

b) identification of issues (Clause 7); and

c) using the issues to finalize the objectives, and set key performance

indicators (KPIs) and targets (Clause 8).

6 Organizational commitment tosustainable development

NOTE 1 Organizations complying with this standard will require their

suppliers to contribute to the management system. The standard is useful

in identifying the likely requirements (i.e. tender specifications and

conditions of contract).

The organization shall draft a policy, approved by top management,

describing its commitment to the principles of sustainable development

and to promote those principles for event-related activities.

Where appropriate, the policy shall draw upon the following elements

of the client or organizations corporate/event strategy:

a) leadership;

b) mission and vision;

c) event/activity purpose;

d) corporate values;

e) key sustainability issues; and

f) position on the organizations maturity matrix.

The organization shall develop its maturity matrix based on the

guidance given inAnnex A. The organization shall then determine its

current/target position on the matrix.

NOTE 2 The maturity matrix helps determine the quality of the systems

being used to identify issues and set objectives.

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This policy shall represent the foundation for all further sustainable

development management activities for the event. The statement shall

also define the scope of the commitment in terms of its application to

the event. This shall include all event-related activities over which the

organization has control for the duration of its involvement in the event

and associated with:

1) the organization and supply chain organizations (product and

service providers); and,

2) the event life cycle, from concept through planning,

implementation, and final evaluation and review.

7 PlanningCOMMENTARY ON CLAUSE 7

The preferred solution should be derived through a process of propose a

solution, evaluate, refine (by considering other options), and re-evaluate.

Where requirements of the standard are expressed as where applicable,the organization has to justify any decision as to which requirements

apply.

Stakeholder engagement is undertaken to improve the understanding

the economic, social and environmental impacts of the event activities.

This includes activities associated with the full lifecycle stages of

events, as well as indirect impacts, for example, those associated with

the supply chain.

7.1 Identifying issues

An important mechanism for identifying issues shall be stakeholder

engagement, although key issues should already have been identifiedwithin the sustainable development policy (Clause 6).

In order to successfully engage with its stakeholders, the organization

shall:

a) identify and consult with stakeholders on event sustainability

issues (including those identified within the sustainable

development policy);

b) demonstrate that issues and concerns have been considered; and

c) make ongoing stakeholder engagement an integral part of the

management process.

7.2 StakeholdersNOTE Guidelines for stakeholder identification and engagement are

given in BS 8900.

The identification of stakeholders shall,where applicable, encompass:

a) event client(s);

b) supply chain elements (event organizer(s), venue, suppliers,

contractors, etc.);

c) staff;

d) event customers, spectators and/or participants;

e) partners and sponsors;

f) sector interest organizations (e.g. trade/industry bodies);

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g) the local community (including neighbours and transport hubs

where applicable);

h) statutory bodies (e.g. local authorities);

i) emergency services;

j) security services; and

k) relevant non-governmental organizations (e.g. environmentalgroups).

The organization shall identify those stakeholders that have a legal right

to be consulted.

8 Finalize objectives, and set keyperformance indicators and targets

8.1 Establish issue significance

The organization shall assess sustainability issue significance(including risks and opportunities), using feedback from stakeholders

(see Clause 7). The results of the risk assessment shall be shared with

relevant stakeholders.

NOTE 1 Examples of information on determining issues is provided

in Table 1.

NOTE 2 From a practical point of view, the effort required to manage

sustainable development should be proportional to the nature and

significance of the issues identified.

8.2 Finalize objectives

The organization shall finalize objectives based upon:

a) the sustainability aspirations and policies of the organization

(Clause6); and

b) the key sustainability issues (8.1).

8.3 Assessing the options for improved event

sustainability

COMMENTARY ON8.3

There is often more than one approach that can be implemented to provide

the solution, and these are referred to as the alternative plans. Thepreferred solution is the approach that is adopted to deliver the event.

It might not be possible to achieve all of the performance targets;

consequently there will be trade-offs, and the preferred solution might be

represented by the optimal trade-off of performance across a range of

objectives/targets. For example, several venues may be proposed: through

consideration of venue options, Venue A might be considered more

suitable than others on the basis of facilities (e.g. disability access);

however, another venue, considered less suitable in this regard,

might have better transport links, offering opportunities to reduce

transport-related impacts.

The organization shall consider and document alternative plans to find

the preferred solution, in line with sustainability objectives.

The organization shall, where appropriate, ensure that suppliers are

involved in the process.

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Table 1 Examples of potential sustainability issues in event management

NOTE The possible objectives listed are not prescriptive and do not need to be met by every organization to

achieve compliance with this standard. However, organizations may want to consider them as a route to

compliance.

Categories Questions to determine whetheran issue exists Possible objectives

Environmental

Climate change Will the activity generate energy

demands?

Reduce energy use/demand.Promote the use of renewable supplies of energy.Offset carbon emissions associated with energy use.

Will the activity generate anincreased need for travel?

Reduce the need for transport and promote efficientmodes of travel and renewable fuels.Offset carbon emissions associated with transport use.

Air quality Will the technologies employed forthe activitys energy supply andtransport generate air emissions?

Reduce emissions to air by promoting low emissiontechnologies for energy supply and transport.

Water use Will the activity require water? Minimize water use and promote water efficiency.

Emissions to

water

Will the activity affect water quality? Maintain water quality and prevent pollution.

Will the activity affectwatercourses?

Protect watercourses and prevent pollution.

Land use Will the activity require previouslydeveloped land (rather than

greenfield sites) to be used?

Optimize the use of previously developed land when selectingthe location of an event.

Will the activity affect itssurroundings?

Design the event building/structure with consideration to itssurroundings/mitigate effects in surrounding areas.

Biodiversity Will the activity affect existingbiodiversity resources?

Protect existing biodiversity resources.Implement opportunities to enhance habitats and species.

Archaeology andcultural heritage

Will the activity affect sites ofarchaeological or cultural interest?

Protect sites of archaeological or cultural interest.

Emissions to land Will the activity give rise to risks ofground contamination at the site?

Minimize risks of ground contamination at the site.

Solid wastemanagement

Will the activity generate wastematerials?

Minimize the amount of waste materials produced.Encourage reuse, recycling and recovery of waste.

Environmental, social and economic

Procurement Productstewardship

Will recyclable or re-useable wastebe generated from the activityspurchased products?

Promote closed loop waste management by purchasingreusable products or products with a recycled content.

Will the activity give rise to ethical

or environmental issues from thesupply chain?

Promote ethical and environmental issues in the supply chain.

Are the contractual terms fair? Ensure fair contract terms with suppliers

Will those employed during theactivity have fair terms of

employment?

Promote fair terms of employment for those employed duringthe event.

Will products/services required for

the activity be produced/sourcedlocally?

Promote the use of locally produced and sourced products

and services to reduce transport impacts and support thelocal economy.

Social and economic

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Health, safety and

comfort

Could the activity impact negatively

on the health, safety and well-beingof event stakeholders?

Ensure the health, safety and well-being of the stakeholders

at or likely to be affected by the event.

Security Could the activity give rise to

security issues?

Maximize security and the sense of well-being of visitors,

exhibitors and speakers.

Equal

opportunity anddiversity

Will the activity ensure equality for

all?

Ensure equality is ensured for all in relation to the event.

Community, localemployment andskills

Will the activity give rise toinvestment in local skills andemployment?

Encourage investment in local skills and employment.

Will the activity cause nuisance tothe local community?

Avoid nuisance to the local community.

Amenity Will the activity provide suitableamenities to enhance the area/siteand visitor experience?

Provide suitable amenities to enhance the area/site and visitorexperience.

Viability Will the activity be viablefinancially?

Ensure the financial viability of the event, including securityof funding.

Managing delivery

Governance Will there be an appropriate

governance framework for theactivity in terms of sustainable

event delivery?

Implement an appropriate governance framework to manage

sustainable delivery of the event.

Communication,stakeholder

engagement andawareness raising

Will there be regularcommunication with stakeholders

throughout the activity toencourage improved sustainabilityperformance?

Communicate with stakeholders regularly to encourageimproved sustainability performance.

Supply chainmanagement

Will the costs and benefits of theevent be shared fairly throughoutthe supply chain?

Ensure that the costs and benefits of sustainable events areequitable throughout the supply chain

Will supply chain managementprocedures be put in place for the

activity to achieve a desired level of

sustainability performance?

Implement supply chain management procedures thatsuccessfully deliver the sustainability objectives of the event.

Table 1 Examples of potential sustainability issues in event management (continued)

NOTE The possible objectives listed are not prescriptive and do not need to be met by every organization to

achieve compliance with this standard. However, organizations may want to consider them as a route to

compliance.

Categories Questions to determine whether

an issue exists

Possible objectives

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8.4 Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and

targets

The organization shall identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and

targets relevant to the sustainability objectives and set challenging but

realistic targets for itself and its suppliers.

For each objective, a target(s) shall be set based on the following broad

scale (and in more detail against the maturity matrix [Table A.2]), with

the aim of achieving the highest performance level and the greatest

improvement practicably possible:

a) legal compliance;

b) best current practice; and

c) beyond best current practice.

The organization shall set higher performance targets for those

objectives that it has the greatest capacity to address.

COMMENTARY ON8.4

For example, an event client might wish to go beyond best current practice

to achieve zero carbon emissions if the theme of the event is Convention

on Climate Change.

The organization should build expertise and capacity to achieve

continuous performance improvement by setting higher targets through

successive event cycles.

EXAMPLE Examples of KPIs are as follows:

Targets represent the minimum acceptable performance level and this

should be stated for each of the key performance indicators.

It should be noted that there is no requirement to meet the same

performance level for each objective. Because of the diversity of events, it

is impossible to benchmark across all events.

8.5 Review and refinement of preferred solution,

KPIs and targets

The KPIs and targets shall be reviewed and refined throughout the

planning process to reach the preferred solution.

Objectives KPIs

Reduce energy use/demand and promote the use of

renewable supplies of energy. Offset carbon emissions

associated with energy use.

Energy consumption (kWh), carbon dioxide emissions

(tonnes), renewable energy supply (%), etc. (For many

events, organizations may have to use an estimate of

these figures.)

Ensure the health, safety and comfort of the

stakeholders at the event.

Noise levels (dB), accident rate, etc.

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9 Phase 2 Implementation

9.1 General

The organization shall, where necessary, modify its procedures for each

event to implement the preferred sustainability solution by: designating appropriate responsibilities;

providing the necessary training and resources;

communicating effectively with stakeholders;

effective supply chain management; and

appropriate documentation.

NOTE Where appropriate, sustainable event management systems

developed for one event may be modified, adapted and improved for

application in other events to avoid duplication of effort at the start of each

event cycle.

9.2 Roles and responsibilities

Top management shall take overall responsibility for implementing the

preferred solution by appointing a competent management

representative responsible for the process.

The organization shall establish, implement and maintain operating

procedures for key sustainability activities and operations.

9.3 Resources

The organization shall allocate appropriate resources to achievesustainable event management objectives and make the same

requirement of its suppliers. Resources shall include staffing, expertise,

training, infrastructure, technology and finance. Resource requirements

shall be assessed in terms of:

a) nature and scale of activities;

b) occurrence and duration;

c) cost/benefit; and,

d) financial planning (e.g. cash flow).

9.4 Competence and trainingThe organization shall ensure that relevant employees are trained or

instructed in the practical requirements, in relation to their role, of the

sustainable event management solution.

Training may include:

a) sustainability policy, procedures and requirements;

b) significant sustainability issues;

c) legal compliance issues; and,

d) consequences of non-compliance with policy, procedures and

requirements.

Training and development programmes shall be reviewed and updated

periodically to develop essential competencies.

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9.5 Supply chain management

NOTE 1 In order to achieve the objectives for a more sustainable event,

it is essential to extend the principles of the sustainable event

management system throughout the supply chain wherever possible

(seeAnnex B).

The organization shall establish the relevance of each of the issues,objectives, KPIs and targets to individual suppliers, and include

sufficient information in tender documentation to enable its suppliers to

demonstrate their capability to support the preferred solution.

Information provided by the organization shall include:

a) the requirements of suppliers that support the organizations

preferred solution;

b) the requirements of subcontractors that support the organizations

preferred solution;

c) the timeline and delivery milestones; and

d) the scope and level of detail required in the tender submission,

e.g. suppliers strategy for meeting objectives.

The organization shall assess tender submissions on the basis of their

capability to meet sustainability targets, cost-effectiveness and quality.

The sustainability performance criteria in the successful tender

submission should be reflected in the suppliers conditions of contract.

Sufficient detail shall be included to be able to determine instances of

non-compliance and to inform subsequent performance reviews.

NOTE 2 Where organizations do not go through a tender process they

should still consider sustainability issues when choosing suppliers.

9.6 Communication

The organization shall implement a communication plan to promote

sustainability management in a way that is consistent with the full scope

of the event and the sustainability performance objectives.

NOTE Guidance on environmental communications can be found

in BS ISO 14063.

The organization shall identify, with its stakeholders, the most effective

means of communication, and take into account the interests of

different stakeholder groups and whether the organization has control

or influence over those groups.Communications on sustainability may be integrated with other event

communications.

The communications shall include, where appropriate, the following:

a) aspirations for event(s);

b) the system for managing sustainability;

c) issues, objectives, KPIs and targets;

d) guidance, best practice in achieving objectives, targets, etc.;

e) relevance to organizations (roles and responsibilities);

f) key contacts; and

g) progress in relation to performance (monitoring stage).

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9.7 Documentation and record-keeping

NOTE 1 Documentation of the management system, as well as issues

arising from its implementation for an event, are essential in

demonstrating transparency and accountability, as well as enabling the

possibility of third party verification.

NOTE 2 Organizations that collect data about stakeholders are subject tothe Data Protection Act 1998 [1].

The organization shall establish, implement, maintain and continually

improve a document management system. The organization shall

ensure, where appropriate, that its suppliers contribute to the document

management system. At this stage, the document management system

shall include as a minimum:

a) the statements of policy required by Clause 6;

b) a stakeholder register and records of stakeholder engagement

(see Clause 7);

c) a description of the key issues addressed by the sustainable eventmanagement system, and the relevant objectives, KPIs and targets

(see Clause 8); and

d) data captured during monitoring and measurement activities,

including incidents of operational non-compliance.

Where applicable, the document management system shall also include:

1) a list of legislation and policy relevant to sustainability;

2) organizational roles and responsibilities (of the organization itself

and suppliers over whom the organization has control);

3) supply chain: procurement strategy, tender specifications and

conditions of contract;

4) records of communications;

5) audit reports;

6) procedures for control of documents and records, including roles

and responsibilities for document management and approval.

NOTE 3 Documentation should be proportionate to the organizations

role.

10 Phase 3Phase 3 of the sustainable event management system shall include:

a) assessing performance (Clause 11);

b) review (Clause 12); and

c) follow up/feed forward (Clause 13).

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11 Assessing performance

11.1 Monitoring and measurement

The organization shall establish, implement, maintain and continually

improve appropriate procedures for measuring performance in relationto the KPIs identified in 8.4.

11.2 Evaluating compliance and responding to

non-conformity

The organization shall evaluate compliance with this standard. The

organization shall keep records of the outcomes of the evaluation of

compliance.

The organization shall also establish, implement, maintain and

continually improve procedures for managing non-conformities

identified by the compliance evaluation system.These procedures shall define requirements for:

a) anticipating non-conformities and recommending preventative

action;

b) correcting actual incidents of non-conformity;

c) investigating the causes of actual non-conformities and making

recommendations to prevent recurrence; and,

d) recording interventions in the form of preventative or corrective

actions and recommending procedural changes to reduce future

risk of non-conformity.

The organization shall ensure, where appropriate, that suppliers

contribute to compliance evaluation and to non-conformity response.

11.3 Sustainable event management system audit

The organization shall maintain procedures for periodic sustainable

event management system audits, to ensure that:

a) the implementation and maintenance requirements of the

management system are being met; and,

b) the implementation of the management system is achieving the

desired outcomes in terms of the sustainability performance of theevent.

The organization shall establish, implement and maintain procedures

for auditing that include:

1) the frequency, scope, methodology and criteria for internal

auditing;

2) roles and responsibilities for internal audit; and,

3) communicating outcomes and recommendations from audits to

top management.

Where appropriate, the organization shall ensure that the requirements

for auditing are extended to its suppliers.

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12 ReviewThe organization shall conduct management reviews at regular intervals

appropriate to the scale and frequency of its involvement in events. The

organization shall synchronize management reviews with the event life

cycle, or where there is continuous involvement in multiple events,

conduct management reviews at intervals that maximize learningopportunities from different events. Management reviews shall assess

performance against the following issues:

a) satisfying the needs of stakeholders as identified by stakeholder

engagement;

b) meeting contractual conditions;

c) the organizations suppliers meeting their contractual conditions;

d) achieving objectives and targets;

e) effectiveness in achieving objectives and targets;

f) attention to non-conformities;

g) implementation of previous review recommendations; and

h) progress across the organizations maturity matrix (see Clause 6).

13 Follow upThe organization shall feed the lessons learned from each event to its

own events and, where practicable, make the information available to

organizers of other events.

To remain BS 8901 compliant, the organization shall implement lessons

learned and shall ensure that it progresses across its maturity matrix.

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16 BSI 2007

Annex A (informative) Guidance for use of this specification

A.1 Assessing risks and opportunity Identifying

issues and establishing significance

Issues arise in relation to activities. The organization should compile achecklist of event management activities that can be amended and

added to through successive event cycles. Table A.1 provides a list of

examples of an event activities checklist.

The precise activities listed in Table A.1 are not intended to be

exhaustive and will vary considerably depending on the role of an

organization in event management, and the precise nature of specific

events.

Table A.1 Examples of activities in event management

Activity Is this activity relevant

to the event(Yes/No)?

Risk management

Major incident/emergency planning

Fire safety, including fireworks and pyrotechnics

Health and safety

Medical, ambulance and first-aid management

Waste management, disposal and litter picking

Food, drink, water and hygiene controls

Sanitary facilities

Licensing and local consultation

Planning and management

Crowd management, including children

Information and welfare, including visitor information and VIP services

Involvement/participation for people with special needs

Staffing

Communications, including internal and external signage and banners

Merchandising and special licensing

Venue, including site selection, preparation, design, construction and management

Transport management, including site trafficAccess, including perimeter and external infrastructure, temporary roadways barriers,fencing, and facilities for special needs

Security

Power sources: installation and lighting

Sound: systems, noise and vibration

Special attractions, amusements and effects, including promotional displays

Structures: temporary and permanent

Performers, including children, animals

TV and media, AV, technology services

Accommodation, including campingAsset reinstatement, refurbishment, re-use and recycling

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BS 8901:2007

The key (or significant) issues can be identified by applying the

following criteria to the sustainability issues identified:

a) the magnitude of effects: i.e. the size and severity of the effects;

b) the time period over which the effects occur;

c) whether the effects are permanent or temporary:for example,

construction for a major event may result in loss of green

space or habitat through permanently altered land use,

whereas damage or disruption to habitat from erecting

temporary structures may not; this could also take into

account any intended (i.e. positive) legacy effects of the event;

d) whether the effects are positive or negative: although

identification of issues generally tends to identify negative

consequences of activities, it is also important to appreciate

that activities can also generate positive effects; for example,

fixtures and fittings that would otherwise contribute to the

waste stream could be donated to local charities/community

groups;

e) whether there are cumulative effects;

f) whether there are secondary or indirect effects;

g) whether there are synergistic effects: an example of a

synergistic effect is where a crowded venue has a reduced

heating requirement in winter or an increased air

conditioning requirement in summer;

h) the probability of the effects occurring; and

i) the frequency of event occurrence.

A.2 Review and follow up Creation and use of a

maturity matrix

Organizations should routinely track and review their progress in

relation to continuously improving their sustainable event management

capabilities and outcomes. BS 8900 proposed an outline development

maturity matrix framework to assist organizations to achieve this.

This tool should be implemented by event industry organizations in

order to establish their level of development in terms of sustainable

development along a scale ranging from minimum involvement

to full engagement.

The practices associated with the main principles of sustainability

management such as inclusivity, integrity, stewardship and

transparency are represented by characteristics/criteria appropriate to

an organization at different stages of its maturity with regard to

sustainable development. For example, an organization may consider

itself to have met its sustainability objectives fully (represented by full

engagement) in key management issues such as supply chain by fully

recognizing the community of interest and providing assistance to lower

tiers where necessary.

Organizations should prepare their own maturity matrix based on the

outline in Table A.2 and taking into consideration the principles andpractices that are relevant to them.

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BS 8901:2007

18 BSI 2007

Organizations should determine their current position in their maturity

matrix, by identifying the most applicable criteria. This process will

produce a maturity profile. Particular attention should then be given to

areas which the organization has identified as weaknesses or potential

growth areas.

The matrix should be kept up to date to reflect changing circumstances.The position of the organization depicted by the matrix should be used

in the review process and/or used to demonstrate their sustainability

progress to stakeholders.

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Annex B (informative) Principles to be applied to supplychain management

B.1 What is sustainable procurement and why is it

required?Successful implementation of sustainable event management depends

on the sustainability objectives being extended throughout the supply

chain. This requires engagement with a wide range of suppliers, from

specialists to non-specialists. The following section provides

information on sustainable procurement and a checklist of potential

issues is provided in Table B.1.

Sustainable procurement is the integration of sustainability

management into all aspects of the procurement cycle including:

a) defining the need for sustainable procurement;

b) evaluating possible options;

c) design and specification;

d) supplier selection;

e) tender evaluation;

f) post-contract management;

g) supplier development; and,

h) performance review.

Four key aims should be addressed when integrating sustainability

management into the procurement process:

1) minimizing the impacts of products and/or services (e.g. impacts

on health, air quality, generation of hazardous waste);

2) minimizing demand for resources (e.g. by using resource-efficient

products such as energy efficient appliances, fuel-efficient vehicles

and products incorporating recycled content);

3) minimizing the negative impacts of the supply chain itself, in

particular the social aspects (e.g. giving preference to local and/or

smaller suppliers and those that meet minimum ethical, human

rights and employment standards); and

4) ensuring that fair contract terms are applied and respected.

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BS 8901:2007

Table B.1 Sustainable procurement checklist

Categories of issues for consideration in sustainable procurement Have the issues

been considered?

(Yes/No)

Corporate commitment sustainable procurement

Is there organization-wide consensus on the approach to sustainable procurement for eventmanagement projects?

Is a senior procurement director or manager responsible for implementation of sustainableprocurement and have adequate resources been allocated?

Policy for procurement and strategic planning

Has a procurement policy been defined, documented and communicated?

Has a sustainable purchasing strategy been defined and adopted, and is it widely understood?

Is the role of the procurement function defined in terms of achieving organizational sustainability

targets?

Are policies/codes of conduct/guidelines/minimum standards used to demonstrate what the

organization will/will not buy?

Are the most important categories of procurement identified for targeted action?

Are future procurements mapped?

Is the purchase core to the business?

Are there a limited number of suppliers?

Will the company suffer negative PR in the event of supply failure?

Does the scope of the sustainable procurement strategy cover

Economic issues, social, health and safety, environmental and natural resource issues?

Do the sustainability objectives embedded within procurement

Promote positive sustainability outcomes as well as managing negative impacts?

Demonstrate concern for, and effort to maintain and build reputation?

Assist in incorporating sustainability values into supplier strategies and develop performancemeasures for mutual benefits (e.g. innovation, cost reduction, quality enhancement, increasedflexibility, compliance and proactive risk management)?

Contribute to national policies by stimulating markets for sustainable goods?

Take the form of a tender specification and, where necessary, additional guidance?

Are targets/KPIs

Linked to the overall organizational sustainability objectives?

Compliant with legislation as a minimum, or industry best practice standards?

Related to a defined outcome?Driving real improvements through the supply chain?

Transparent?

Where applicable, based on sound science?

SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timebound)?

Assessment criteria

Has a weighting/scoring system for supplier/tender evaluation been developed?

Have life cycle impacts and whole life costs issues been considered?

Has the environmental purchasing hierarchy been applied?

Is the supplier prepared to sign up to a supplier code of conduct?

Does the supplier meet industry best practice standards?

Does the supplier represent best value?

Are the contract terms fair?

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22 BSI 2007

Have best practice tools/techniques etc. been incorporated, such as

A supplier code of conduct? If so, does the scope of this code include: child labour?

forced labour?

health and safety?

freedom of association and collective bargaining?

discrimination?

disciplinary practices/harsh and inhumane treatment?

working hours?

remuneration and benefits?

personal management systems?

employment security?

community relations?

environmental issues?

Policies/codes of conduct/guidelines/minimum standards?

The environmental purchasing hierarchy: rethink, eliminate, reduce, re-use, recycle, dispose?

Checklists and specifications?

Lists of pre-approved materials?

Involvement of sustainability personnel in contract negotiations?

Supplier development programmes to set requirements, form action plans, provide support andmonitor progress through performance reviews?

Supplier audits and/or frequent supplier visits?

Integration with existing procurement tools such as total life costing, supplier performance

classification and ratings, quality procedures, terms and conditions and Total Quality

Management?

Contractual requirements providing detail on sustainability standards and contract milestones?

Pilot programmes to try out new sustainable products/services?

Work with R&D to solve sustainability problems?

Supplier training and seminars/presentations, etc.?

Inclusion of eco labels or eco label criteria in specifications?

Dialogue with suppliers

Is a combination of the command and control and partnership supplier relationship approach

used?

Do contractual terms with suppliers reflect equal capacities to contract?

Are communications with suppliers non-adversarial?

Are expectations and roles within the communication clear?

Have the suppliers been consulted regarding the communication?

Are positive communication actions rewarded?

Is dialogue between the organization and the supplier bases set up at an early stage?

Are suppliers encouraged to be innovative with sustainable product options?

Are variants to specifications considered in order to encourage performance improvementsbeyond functional specification?

Are both winning and losing suppliers constructively debriefed?

Are new bidders introduced for each invitation to tender (ITT) to facilitate competition?

Has the organization, where necessary, engaged with trade/industry bodies to assist with defining

specifications, best practice, etc.?

Table B.1 Sustainable procurement checklist (continued)

Categories of issues for consideration in sustainable procurement Have the issues

been considered?

(Yes/No)

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B.2 When should sustainable procurement issues

be considered?

Sustainability issues should be considered at the earliest stage of the

procurement process by building relevant criteria into product/service

specification. This allows options to be selected that meet the

specification but that also provide the best value for money. This

approach avoids potential conflicts between environmental, social andeconomic issues arising later in the procurement process.

B.3 What does sustainable procurement involve?

Key steps that should be undertaken are:

a) establishing a policy for sustainable procurement;

b) producing tender specifications that incorporate sustainability

performance criteria;

c) engaging in dialogue with suppliers/potential suppliers; and,

d) assessing tender submissions and evaluating sustainabilityperformance throughout the procurement cycle.

Has sustainability management been incorporated into the procurement cycle stages,

including:Defining the service need: developing the programme or project brief?

Developing the business case: appraising options and establishing value for money?

Defining the procurement approach: specifying the requirements?

Competitive procurement: inviting and evaluating bids and selecting the supplier?

Awarding and implementing the contract: prepare for delivery?

Managing the contract: maintaining performance, value for money and fairness?

Reviewing the key decision points in the procurement cycle?

Monitoring and reporting

Is the strategy implementation monitored through appropriate performance measures, KPIs and

benchmarks?

Is information collected during the monitoring process assessed, reported and acted upon?

Are the lessons learned documented and possible improvements identified for future activities?

Table B.1 Sustainable procurement checklist (continued)

Categories of issues for consideration in sustainable procurement Have the issues

been considered?

(Yes/No)

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B.4 Sustainable procurement policy and

strategic planning

A procurement policy should be established and documented that is

aligned with the sustainability policy for the event as a whole and which

elaborates on (in the context of sustainable procurement) the issues,

objectives, KPIs and targets established for the event as a whole.The sustainable procurement policy should:

a) define the scope (i.e. extent) of sustainable procurement,

e.g. economic, social, environmental and natural resources;

life cycle approach, key event themes, etc.;

b) state the desired performance level, e.g. basic legal compliance or

extend to beyond best current practice including building

environmental values into supplier strategies;

c) define the approach/criteria for assessing suppliers during tender

evaluation;

d) assess consistency and alignment of performance requirements forsuppliers with the organizations expectations for itself.

B.5 Techniques for assessing and managing

sustainability issues in procurement

The following considerations should be taken into account in defining

the approach to assessing/managing suppliers and prospective

suppliers:

a) the extent to which the suppliers products/services are critical to

the purchasing organization;

b) the level of expenditure relative to the size of the supplier, in order

to establish the degree of influence that can be exerted;

c) the key social, economic, environmental and natural resources

issues and associated risks relating to the product/service; and

d) separating suppliers by industry, service or product type in order

to develop appropriate means of communicating/engaging with

them.

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BS 8901:2007

The organization should select from appropriate approaches, tools

and techniques to assess and manage sustainable procurement.

These include:

1) weighting/scoring systems quantitative/qualitative ways of

assessing the merits of proposed solutions applied to the KPIs;

2) life cycle assessment and whole life costing: the true impacts ofproducts and/or services based on a cradle-to-grave approach

i.e. a holistic approach which assesses the environmental aspects

and potential impacts associated with the manufacture, use and

disposal of a product;

3) the environmental purchasing hierarchy rethink, eliminate,

reduce, re-use, recycle, dispose, an approach to minimizing

natural resource impacts which is similar to the waste

management hierarchy;

4) supplier code of conduct can be employed by the contracting

organization in order to ensure that their suppliers conform with

the social and ethical elements of sustainable procurement, as well

the environmental aspects;

5) industry best practice standards for sustainability management

for specific industry sectors/areas defined by the industry and

representing the industrys assessment of appropriate

performance levels; and

6) best value using the UK government definition, the optimum

combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the

customers requirement; this approach enables sustainability and

quality to be taken into account when service delivery options are

being considered.

B.6 Developing a dialogue with suppliers

There are two broad approaches that can be used to establish

sustainability goals for suppliers; the command and control approach

and the partnership approach.

Command and control approach: This approach involves close

management and regulation of suppliers and includes the use of a

contract that includes standards and checklists which organizations

may insist their suppliers must comply with. Although it can be

effective, it can also be inflexible by making suppliers react to precise

requirements rather than proactively engaging with the objectives for

sustainability. This sometimes leads to a tick box approach whereby

the supplier takes the minimum measures to meet the performance

standard required.

Partnership approach: This approach involves relationship building

with the supplier and uses influence, information and education with the

aim of ensuring that both the supplier and the organization are working

towards similar goals. In the long term, the partnership approach

tends to be more effective than command and control, however, it

requires more effort and investment. Where particular products and

services are required on a routine basis, it might be most appropriate to

invest in the partnership approach.

It is likely that organizations will adopt a combination of the above

techniques.

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26 BSI 2007

B.7 Assessment of tender submissions

Tender submissions should be evaluated using the criteria and

assessment techniques outlined previously. Once the preferred supplier

has been selected, the contracting organization should incorporate the

sustainability performance information provided in the suppliers

tender submissions into the conditions of contract. Sufficient detailshould be included to be able to determine instances of non-compliance

(i.e. where suppliers have failed to achieve expected performance) and

to inform subsequent performance reviews.

B.8 Sustainable procurement Monitoring and

reporting

Where practicable, the strategy implementation should be monitored

throughout the implementation stage using appropriate KPIs and

benchmarks. Information collected during the monitoring process

should then be assessed and reported upon. The lessons learned

should be documented and incorporated into the review process to

identify improvements for future activities.

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BS 8901:2007

Bibliography

Standards publications

BS 8900, Guidance for managing sustainable development

BS EN ISO 9001, Quality management systems Requirements

BS EN ISO 14001,Environmental management systems

Requirements with guidance for use

BS ISO 14063,Environmental management Environmental

communication Guidelines and examples

Other publications

GREAT BRITAIN. Data Protection Act 1998. The Stationery Office.

(www.tso.co.uk)

Further readingBS 8406,Event stewarding and crowd safety services

Code of practice

BS EN ISO 22000,Food safety management systems

Requirements for any organization in the food chain

BS OHSAS 18001, Occupational health and safety management

systems Requirements

GREAT BRITAIN, The event safety guide A guide to health, safety

and welfare at music and similar events. HSG195. HSE Books 1999.

Greener events, a guide to reducing the environmental impact of

conferences and seminars. Government Office for the South West.2007 (www.oursouthwest.com)

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