The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22) – the functional arm of FIFA and the Host Country for the delivery of the competition – has accomplished ISO 20121 certificate, the global standard that sets necessities for developing and carrying out a powerful management system to deliver a sustainable event.
The certificate was granted after a broad review process that was started during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ – which was held precisely a year ago to the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East and Arab world.
As indicated by Nasser Al Khater, CEO, Q22, sustainability has been at the core of Qatar 2022 all along, and the autonomous acknowledgment of the delivery of best practices mirrors their getting through obligation to it.
Among the numerous traditions of this competition, sustainability is a basic component of planning and preparation that groups across Q22, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and FIFA have been centered around, and Nasser said, he trusts future competition coordinators will seek this as a model for facilitating a super event.
Q22 are proud to become the first FIFA World Cup in history to obtain the ISO 20121 certification. This demonstrates that according to the evaluation by a third-party accredited entity, world-class management practices are being implemented to deliver an inclusive, green and legacy-oriented event. This certification is testimony to the sustainability efforts of everyone.
SGS carried out the extensive audit process. It is a world-leading testing, inspection and certification company that has a wealth of experience in certifying mega-sport event organisers against ISO 20121 requirements, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the French Open tennis tournament.
Sustainability management mechanisms assessed during the FIFA Arab Cup™ audit included:
- Accessibility infrastructure and services for disabled fans, including seating, mobility assistance and innovative features such as audio descriptive commentary
- Waste minimisation and recycling, including staff training, segregation and awareness-raising activities carried out with the support of sustainability volunteers
- Sustainable procurement of items required for the delivery of the tournament, including uniforms made from recycled plastics and the use of compostable food packaging
- Social and environmental audits to ensure supplier compliance with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Sustainable Sourcing Code
- Incident reporting and resolution during tournament time, including governance arrangements and gathering of lessons learned
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has effectively applied and demonstrated best practices under the framework of the Event Sustainability Management System (ISO 20121) to manage the event successfully. They have met the set benchmarks for global sustainability development and to control the event’s social, economic and environmental impact.
The sustainability management system is a specific management mechanism and approach through which the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ formulates sustainability policies, implements sustainability measures, achieves sustainability objectives and incorporates sustainability into the whole lifecycle of the tournament.
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The joint FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Sustainability Policy is the foundation of the tournament’s sustainability management system. A comprehensive set of mechanisms have been implemented to ensure successful delivery against the expectations of stakeholders and the strategy’s objectives.
The ISO certification covers tournament operations across all official venues and measures the effectiveness of the management system from the planning stage to tournament delivery.
The ISO 20121 achievement has allowed organisers to successfully deliver the target assigned to address the topic of transparency and accountability, which was identified as an important issue during the development of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Sustainability Strategy.
Credit: FIFA
