As the first FIS Alpine World Ski Championships ever, Åre 2019 has been certified based on the international ISO 20121 standard for sustainable events. – The certification covers our planning processes and enables all our staff and stakeholders to implement sustainable practices across the Championships, says Niklas Carlsson, CEO of Åre 2019.
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019 will take place in Åre from 4-17 February 2019. From the very beginning, the Championships organizers have emphasized the importance of respecting the environment and putting sustainability at the core of all event planning and preparations.
In the course of the last 12 months, the organizers have been audited by RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden. The results are just in, and Åre 2019 has been certified based on the international standard for managing sustainable events, ISO 20121.
– Åre 2019 meets all the prerequisites to carry out a sustainable event. Indeed, we found Åre 2019 to be an event with a truly holistic approach to sustainability from start, including the social, economic and environmental perspectives, said auditor Anne Zetterqvist at RISE.
The ISO 20121 standard provides event organizers with a process that enables the implementation of sustainable working methods organization-wide through goal-setting, on-going follow-up and constant improvement. Åre 2019 has been able to leverage the working methods prescribed by the certification to incorporate environmental, environmental and social considerations into their preparations across all areas of event planning and to engage their stakeholders.
– The standard has helped us ensure that across our organization we work consequently and in structured fashion toward the sustainability goals we have set ourselves such as being the first Fossil Fuel Free World Championships ever. It also provides us handy tools to engage our suppliers, cooperation partners and other stakeholders and activate them in the work toward meeting our sustainability goals, explains Niklas Carlsson.
RISE – The Swedish Research Institute considers Åre 2019 to be an important channel for reaching out to winter sports fans and followers on questions related to sustainability and the environment.
– The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019 are expected to reach some 700 million TV viewers and attract 120 000 visitors to Åre. As such, the event is an excellent platform to increase awareness about sustainable development and to educate large numbers of people about topics such as climate change, said Anne Zetterqvist.
Other ISO 20121 certified events:
Sweden:
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Falun 2015
Vätternrundan
Göteborgsvarvet
Way Out West
International:
London 2012 Olympic Summer Games (first ever event certified)
World Economic Forum
Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016
UEFA Euro 2016
Formula E Championships
Roland Garros French Open
Bid for Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games