Travel Places achieves international standard for sustainability

We have made a commitment to be a leading ambassador for sustainability within the group travel sector, having placed it at the heart of our business. Strengthening this pledge in 2022, we are proud to have achieved independent international recognition for our approach to managing sustainable events by gaining certification to ISO 20121.

What is ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management?

ISO 20121:2012 Events Sustainability Management Systems was launched in June 2012. Inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this international accreditation is aimed at reducing the negative environmental, social and economic impacts of events.

ISO 20121 was developed to help businesses put sustainability first when managing and delivering events. It provides a framework of best practice measures and considerations throughout the supply chain – from construction to travel – and puts in place measures to control and reduce or prevent negative impacts.
In summary, ISO 20121 supports organisations to:

• Continue to be financially successful.
• Become more socially responsible.
• Reduce environmental footprint.

Achieving ISO 20121 certification

With a growing level of awareness and concern of environmental issues, we appreciate the impact that travel and events programmes can have on our resources, society and the environment. We have been using the ISO standard for Sustainable Event Management as our backbone to help our clients design and manage group movements in the most sustainable way.
In line with this, we have developed a range of services that enable our customers to make better informed decisions, strive for continuous improvement and achieve ambitious sustainability goals by measuring and reporting on the impact of group travel and events.

We appointed AVISO as an independent consultant to support us through the process of implementing a sustainability management system and attaining certification to ISO 20121. Ana Inacio of AVISO explains what it means to have gained this international standard:

…By achieving certification to ISO 20121, Travel Places has demonstrated to its customers that it has a serious commitment towards a sustainable future, underpinned by excellent customer service, support to local communities, engagement with staff and the offer of information related to travel carbon emissions. Travel Places has a clear appreciation of the impacts of its business on sustainability, with a commitment across its leadership to offer alternatives to its clients and how it can use its influence going forward.”

What does ISO certification mean for our customers?

We are fully committed to doing what we can to limit the impact of events, whilst supporting our customers to do the same.
By achieving ISO 20121, we have strengthened our commitment to follow and promote good practice in sustainability. As an ISO practitioner, we can support our sports, media and touring clients who are wanting to manage and address sustainability through their supply chain.

Matt Warren, Managing Director of Travel Places, explains:

“Our clients deliver incredible events that have a positive impact on so many lives. We are fully committed to limiting any negative impacts that these events programmes, and the travel involved, can have on resources, society and the environment, whilst providing the first-class service our customers have come to expect from us.

“We are lucky to work alongside a global network of suppliers – it is by working together that we can have the greatest impact, enabling sustainability to be the driving force behind the decisions we, and our customers, make.”

Our sustainability journey continues

Achieving ISO certification is another positive step forward for us in our commitment to be a leading ambassador for sustainability, but our journey continues.
We will continue to support our clients to make better decisions, reduce emissions and to encourage partnership working with suppliers that share the same values. Whilst helping our clients to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions, we are also working hard to reduce those of our own business, encouraging sustainable behaviour from our staff, and incorporating sustainability criteria into the procurement service of goods and services.
We believe that sport, entertainment and travel are a force for good. By following and promoting good practice in sustainability and continually striving to improve our performance in this area, we can meet the travel needs of our clients without compromising the needs of future generations.

To find out more about our sustainability activity at Travel Places and how we can support your business to make better informed and sustainable travel decisions, visit our sustainability page here.