DNV GL awards ISO certification for sustainable events to World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting has been recognized as a sustainable event by global certification body DNV GL. DNV GL awarded the World Economic Forum and PublicisLive, the Forum’s official provider of logistics and key services, with the ISO 20121 certification for the event planning and delivery, the company said in its press release. PublicisLive was also certified for the sustainable management of all their events and office operations. DNV GL undertook a rigorous audit of the World Economic Forum and PublicisLive’s sustainability management systems to verify that sustainability issues were systematically taken into account and managed during the event’s planning and delivery.
The World Economic Forum was considered successful in implementing its sustainability policy, with actions in six priority areas: promoting sustainable business models through programme activities; reducing the event’s environmental impact (through efforts in the fields of energy management, waste management, transport logistics, infrastructure management); upholding high standards of governance by implementing internal compliance policies; being a responsible employer and client through transparent procurement policies and fair employment practices; and stronger engagement with local communities.
PublicisLive was considered successful in implementing its sustainability policy around two pillars: combining profit and purpose through collaborative working with all stakeholders; governance in line with PublicisLive’s vision and values; creating a work environment within which talent can flourish and make the company successful; fostering sustainability among clients and suppliers; and protecting the environment by applying the principles of the circular economy and by limiting environmental impacts in operations and through the value chain.
The Forum serves as the foremost global platform for dialogue, understanding and outcome-oriented interaction and acts as a trusted partner in shaping global, regional and industry agendas. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters brings together over 2,500 leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, academia, media and the arts. The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting took place on 23-26 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
PublicisLive, part of Publicis Groupe, is the leading global event management and strategic communications firm, privileged to work with some of the world’s most important and influential leaders, nations and international organizations. Since 1995 PublicisLive has supported the World Economic Forum, create interactive platforms and experiences to share the Forum’s vision and build strong bonds with communities. The agency’s solutions act as a catalyser for each of the Forum’s initiatives, enhancing positive impact at all levels.
DNV GL is a global quality assurance and risk management company. DNV GL provide certification, supply chain and data management services to customers across a wide range of industries with a focus on sustainable practice.
ISO 20121 is a global standard which sets requirements for organisations who wish to maintain and improve the sustainability of their event. ISO 20121 creates obligations for organisations to integrate sustainability considerations at each stage of the event lifecycle, from the event planning to the delivery strategy. ISO 20121 certification is verified by independent third parties such as DNV GL.
The DNV GL Lead Auditor, Denys Pautrat, commented: “Both the World Economic Forum and PublicisLive demonstrated that their employees were actively involved in the delivery of a sustainable event. The initiatives undertaken pointed to sustainability as being a critical element of the event planning and delivery, and fully supported by top management. We look forward to seeing the sustainability performance of the Annual Meeting improve over the coming years.”
Massimo Berlin, Regional Manager, Northern Europe, DNV GL said “DNV GL is pleased to certify the World Economic Forum and PublicisLive for their work on integrating sustainability considerations in to their events planning and delivery. While improving their sustainability records, the World Economic Forum and PublicisLive could inspire participants at the Annual Meeting, and other leaders, to take similar actions themselves, and put sustainability high on the agenda.”