Retaining our ISO 20121 certification

Following an external two-day audit in March, we are pleased to announce that we have successfully recertified to ISO 20121.

This certification recognises and awards our approach to successfully contributing towards sustainable events and meetings.

Recipients of the ISO 20121 certification must demonstrate that they are minimising potential negative impacts on the environment, communities and local economy.

We have now transitioned to an updated version, which was released in 2024. This updated ISO standard has an increased focus on human rights and the impacts of climate change.

Key Updates to ISO 20121:2024

The 2024 revision of ISO 20121 tackles the ongoing and evolving sustainability challenges in event management. The new ISO standard features new key areas:

Emphasis on Climate Change

• Organisations must assess climate change as a relevant issue, considering its impact on events and stakeholders.

• Evaluation of carbon emissions and implementation of strategies to adapt to climate-related disruptions is required.

• The updated standard emphasises building resilience against environmental challenges to ensure events can withstand and adapt to ecological changes.

In alignment with this, we are working with Carbon+Alt+Delete, a certified B Corporation specialising in carbon accounting software for sustainability consultants.

Their platform supports the full carbon accounting process, from data collection to auditing, enabling us to gather accurate Travel Places historical data and set future reduction targets effectively.

This partnership will improve our ability to measure and manage our carbon footprint in line with the updated ISO 20121 standards.

Strengthened Human and Child Rights Considerations

• A dedicated annexe provides guidance on respecting and promoting human and child rights within event management processes.

• The standard also addresses broader social issues such as:

  • Mental health

  • Diversity

  • Economic inclusion

What This Means for Us and Our Customers

Travel Places first received approval to ISO 20121 back in 2022, so achieving and retaining the certification year-on-year is something we are incredibly proud of.

It demonstrates just how committed we are towards a sustainable future and providing our clients with the utmost confidence that we can support them to manage their events and meetings using the most sustainable practices.

Our clients can be assured that we are using internationally recognised processes and practices to support them in designing and managing group movements in the most sustainable way.

Matt Warren, Joint Managing Director, shared that the Travel Places team is thrilled with this year’s audit results and the feedback from the auditor.

“It is becoming increasingly important for our clients to have sustainability embedded into their events and the travel associated with them. Alongside our B Corp certification and other accreditations, ISO 20121 supports our efforts to take the lead and set a benchmark for sustainable practices that we hope will drive positive change within our industry.

“Our ISO certification underscores our commitment to sustainability and responsible event management and reflects our ongoing commitment to deliver seamless travel for our clients, while minimising the potential environmental and social impacts.

“A lot of work goes into achieving and maintaining this standard. Transitioning to the new version has helped us to structure and strengthen our processes around a wide range of areas, with increased emphasis on climate change, human and child rights considerations, and diversity. The audit enabled us to showcase our developments in these areas – we are really pleased with the result and feedback from the auditor, which is testament to the commitment of all at Travel Places to make our business a force for good.”

Our B Corp Certification

In addition to our ISO 20121 certification, Travel Places is proud to be a certified B Corporation. This designation reflects our commitment to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Being a B Corp reinforces our dedication to continuous improvement and our mission to use business as a force for good.

Can We Help Your Business?

If you’re looking to improve the sustainability of your events and travel programmes, we’re here to help.

Our expertise in sustainable event management, backed by our ISO 20121 and B Corp certifications, ensures that we can support you in achieving your sustainability goals.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can collaborate to make your events more sustainable and impactful.