The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure for the identification of and engagement with interested parties on the identified and emerging sustainable development issues relating to its role in the value chain of events. The organization shall document the outputs from its engagement with interested parties.

REQUIREMENTS:

To meet the requirements of ISO 20121 the organization must have a procedure for identifying and engaging those who have an interest in your event sustainability management system and to include their needs and expectations into planning and delivery of your event.

EDUCATION:

There will be many people, entities, and organizations which will be either interested in or have an impact on, the sustainability performance of the organization and its event activities. This could include supply chain, audience, participants, regulatory authorities, clients, sponsors, media, talent, local community, staff, contractors, and NGOs.

These interested parties are integral to the identification of event sustainability issues - the issues identified through the engagement process will inform aspects of your objective setting, policy, actions and operational control.

Commitment to sustainable development principles, and implementing sustainable practices, along with how the stakeholders maybe involved should be communicated.

These stakeholders or 'interested parties' would have access to:

• the sustainability policy;
• information on their contribution to the effectiveness of the event sustainability management system, sustainability performance and its benefits; and
• the implications of not engaging with sustainability practices.

In order to do all of this, a procedure should be prepared, which identifies the steps taken in firstly identifying and secondly engaging with interested parties. The reason for this, remember, is to help to uncover issues for management. Realise also that the 'needs and requirements' of interested parties may be based on opinion, rather than the reality. This leads to relevance of issues, and away from significance or size. If an interested party believes something is a big issue, then it is! This will then lead into the evaluation or prioritising of issues. (6.1.2)

Note cross over with Clause 7.4 Communication.

RELEVANT SEMS QUESTION:

COMMUNICATIONS/Stakeholder Identification and Awareness: The organization has procedures and processes to identify all interested parties/stakeholders in the event sustainability management system and communicates sustainability commitment and/or requirements to them.

SAMPLE DOCS:

• Interested Parties Procedure
• Form XXX Identifying Event Sustainability Interested Parties
• Form XXX Interested Parties Communciations Matrix

EXAMPLE OF EVIDENCE:

XYZ Organization Procedure for Identifying and Engaging Interested Parties in the Event Sustainability Management System

XYZ Organization shall firstly identify Interested Parties relevant to the event sustainability management system in order to then engage with them and to understand their needs and expectations relating to the event’s sustainability performance.

Interested Party Identification Procedure:

Interested parties in the event sustainability management system are identified by:

• Filling out the checklist document: Form XXX Identifying Event Sustainability Interested Parties
• Team meetings and discussions with existing interested parties to identify further interested parties.

Responsibility: Sustainability Manager, Greening Committee Members

Engagement of Interested Parties Procedure:

After Interested Parties in the event sustainability management system are identified, the methods of communicating with each are planned.

• Planned through using the checklist: Form XXX Interested Parties Communications Matrix
• Using existing templates such as contracts, information sheets, newsletter formats.
• Bespoke communications methods relevant to the situation

Responsibility: Sustainability Manager, Greening Committee Members, All staff as relevant.

Document Outcomes of Interested Party Engagement Procedure:

Once Interested Parties are identified and engaged with, the outcomes or outputs of this communication are documented and information fed back to the relevant department within the event organisation for further action.

• Using existing feedback and reporting templates and documentation such as annual research methodology.
• Creating bespoke documentation such as meeting reports, minutes, communications logs.

Responsibility: Sustainability Manager, Greening Committee Members, All staff as relevant.

AUDITOR INSTRUCTIONS:

This clause requires the organization to have a procedure for identifying and engaging those who have an interest in the event sustainability management system and to include their needs and expectations into planning and delivery of your event.

• Document Review (of procedure and other process documentation)
• Review the list of stakeholders they have identified and assess the communications routes they used. You are looking for verbal, written, contractual, newsletters, website info, pdf info sheets, meetings, onsite signage, inductions, surveys, feedback routes, etc.
• Look for examples of outcomes of interested party engagement.
• View documents uploaded and look at links provided.
• Interview as evidence there is awareness about the procedure and process amongst those implementing the procedure and process.
• Interview with interested part as evidence that they have in fact implemented the procedure and interested parties have been identified and communicated with.

AUDIT OUTCOMES:

• The organization has a procedure for identifying interested parties and their needs and expectations
• The organization has a process to identify stakeholders
• The organization has a process to map the communications and engagement methods.
• The organization documents the outcomes of engagement and communications.