The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has joined the ranks of sustainable event leaders after attaining the internationally recognised ISO 20121 Standard from the British Standards Institution.
The BS ISO 20121 was developed ahead of the London 2012
Olympics to address sustainability throughout the entire event management
cycle. It encompasses environmental, social, and economic considerations,
including resource utilisation, emissions reduction, accessibility, and supply
chain management.
Auditors from the British Standards Institution conducted a three-stage
review of the IMF's plans to ensure compliance with the standard. This process
covered pre-event activities and event management, confirming the IMF's
commitment to sustainability across environmental, social, and economic
dimensions.
As a global institution representing 190 countries, the
IMF's certification marks the culmination of a decade-long commitment to
improving its economic, social, and environmental impact. Initiatives for
events such as the Spring and Annual Meetings include carbon offsetting, energy
consumption reduction, and waste management strategies.
Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director said, “Sustainability
is at the core of our operations, and I am immensely proud that we have
achieved the ISO 20121 standard for the Spring and Annual Meetings, an
important step in the right direction. Coming out of the pandemic, recognising
our membership’s desire to return to in-person meetings, we also recognised
that we needed to scale-up our ambition when it comes to our own footprint.”
