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The IMF has achieved the ISO 20121 certificate for sustainable events for the Spring and Annual Meetings held in Washington DC. The IMF is the only IFI to hold this prestigious certification.

ISO 20121 is an international standard which sets out the requirements to establish, maintain and continually improve an event sustainability management system. It requires event organizers to demonstrate consideration to all key economic, social, and environmental factors related to planning and operations of events.

Organizations adopting ISO 20121 are required to demonstrate that they are minimizing potential negative impacts on the environment, communities, and local economy - maximizing the positive impacts and leaving a legacy to be proud of.

What is the ISO 20121?

ISO 20121 is an international standard designed to help organizations make their events more sustainable. ISO 20121 is a voluntary international standard for sustainable event management, created by the International Organization for Standardization. The standard aims to help organizations improve sustainability throughout the entire event management cycle.

Every event, no matter how small or how large, will have economic, social, and environmental impacts. Water and energy resources are put under pressure, significant amounts of waste and carbon emissions can be generated. Sometimes, events can put a strain on local communities. In addition to promoting more responsible consumption, ISO 20121 has been developed to relieve the strain on local infrastructure and utilities, and to provide guidelines and best practices for managing the social, economic, and environmental impacts of events. It addresses all stages of an event supply chain and includes monitoring and measuring guidelines. The standard was pioneered by the 2012 London Olympics Game Organization Committee.

Why did the IMF choose to seek the ISO 20121 certification?

Climate change presents a major threat to long-term growth and prosperity. The IMF is committed to increasingly embedding environmental sustainability considerations into its business operations including the Annual and Spring Meetings. In line with its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, and to reduce negative impact on the environment, sustainability efforts have been integral part of the Meetings’ organization since 2012. Achieving ISO 20121 was the next logical step in this sustainable journey. Coming out of the pandemic and recognizing our memberships’ desire to return to in-person meetings we also recognized that we needed to scale-up our ambition when it comes to sustainability of the Meetings. The ISO 20121 provided the Fund with a framework and guidance that was flexible and rigorous in measurement and monitoring, enabling the institution to track positive and negative impacts over time and take necessary steps to address them.

How did the IMF obtain ISO 20121 certification?

To achieve ISO 20121 certification, organizations must adhere to several standard requirements and undergo a certification process conducted by an external certification body. This process entails an assessment of the organization's management system and practices against the ISO 20121 criteria. During the 2023 Spring Meetings, the IMF contracted Crowberry Consulting® to perform a gap analysis which served as the basis for the Sustainable Events Management System.

ISO 20121 requires the establishment of a management system that addresses key sustainability issues throughout the event lifecycle. This includes setting sustainability objectives, identifying and mitigating potential impacts, engaging stakeholders, and monitoring and measuring performance. The IMF implemented the Sustainable Events Management System for the Spring and Annual Meetings operations. The ISO 20121 certification was achieved in 2024 and covers the IMF Spring and Annual Meetings held in Washington, D.C. The certification audit was conducted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in February 2024, and is valid for three years, with annual validation audits and regular assessments to maintain compliance.

How does ISO 20121 benefit the Fund?

The staff involved in the events operations have been trained on the standard and they are now better equipped to keep sustainability front and center in their interactions and will be part of the “AM/SM Sustainable Events Network”, as sustainability champions. The process of earning the certification has forced the IMF to examine the processes and procedures of executing the Meetings with more critical and disciplined perspective. It allows the Fund to identify key initiatives in a continuum to further green our Meetings and to track our progress while further equipping our staff to think about the impact of our events and make better decisions when planning them.

What sustainable programs has IMF implemented during the Meetings?

Among IMF sustainable programs since 2012:

• Carbon offsetting: The IMF offsets emissions that cannot be reduced by purchasing carbon offsets. Offsets are certified by the UNFCCC and purchased through UNOPS and cover emission from energy to delegate travel.
• Food and beverage: The IMF encourages the use of local and seasonal menus, fair trade ingredients. Single-use plastic in our cafes, bistros, and catering operations have been replaced with compostable options. Efforts to reduce food waste are promoted through production management and donation to Food rescue. Recycling and compost are encouraged with dedicated bins throughout the venues.
• Event venues and materials: The IMF uses existing furniture or rental whenever possible, limiting the use of single-use materials and décor, and the reduction of printed handouts. Sustainability considerations are also part of design processes for evergreen options.
• Inclusion: The IMF implemented services to attend the demand for accessibility to people with disabilities upon request during the meetings.
• Transportation: Participants are encouraged to use sustainable forms of transportation in Washington, D.C., such as public transportation or walking, whenever possible.
• Supply Chain: The IMF added evaluation score to vendors with sustainable program into the RFP process for the Meetings décor services.
• Access to the Meetings: All public events are livestreamed on the IMF websites.

The IMF’s objectives to deliver sustainable Annual and Spring meetings include:

• 100% carbon offsetting
• 50% of waste diversion from landfill
• 50% invested in renewable energy
• Develop sustainable procurement framework encouraging sustainable sourcing of goods and services.

As part of the ISO 20121, the IMF will conduct regular assessments (at least yearly) of the objectives to ensure that KPIs are achieved and implement corrective actions if necessary.