World Athletics achieves re-certification of ISO 20121, the leading international standard for sustainable event management
by 5th June 2026
World Athletics is proud to announce that the sustainable event management system it has developed to embed sustainability into its operations across the sport has been re-certified to ISO 20121:2024, the globally-recognised standard that guides organisations to integrate sustainability into every facet of their event planning and execution.
The certification process included a rigorous two-day audit of World Athletics' sustainability policies and documentation. This involved operations and risk management analyses, coupled with on-site staff interviews, with a strong focus on how the sustainability management system has matured and continues to evolve since its initial certification in 2023.
The standard was developed in the run-in to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a framework to address limiting carbon emissions and waste, managing the biodiversity of venues and respecting human rights. It was revised in 2024 to align expectations with global sustainability frameworks adopted since 2012, including the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The revised standard includes an increased focus on climate change and legacy, and human and child rights. Those who implement the standard must now undertake a double materiality assessment that requires an organisation or event to consider their impact on people and the environment as well as the risks and opportunities for the organisation created by sustainability-related developments and events.
“This independent review recognises the progress we are making to ensure that sustainability considerations are being embedded across all of our operations,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “It shows that the path we're creating for all of our events, member federations and other stakeholders is leading to meaningful and verifiable impact.”
The re-certification audit was conducted by a team from Act Responsibly, a Swiss-based consultancy with strong expertise in the international sports federation sector. The scope of the re-certification also includes the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard, a system developed by World Athletics that evaluates, measures and scores an event’s achievement in sustainable delivery.
In January 2024, sustainability reporting through the ABW Standard became a requirement for most global elite competitions managed or awarded by World Athletics. In total, 104 events completed sustainability reporting for their 2024 editions while 121 completed their reporting for 2025. When fully adopted, the ABW Standard will be the largest sustainability evaluation system in the sport industry.
World Athletics’ third sustainability report, which will include a comprehensive review of the strategy’s first five years, will be released later this month.