• Home
• /
• UAE
• /
• Expo 2020

Expo 2020 Dubai gets ISO certification for site-wide sustainability

Dubai - Certification is specifically designed for events and aims to optimise sustainability opportunities.

Expo 2020 Dubai has received the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certification for its site-wide sustainable event management processes.

Listen to this story and more on the 8@8 with David Light podcast

Dina Storey, director, Sustainability Operations, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Attaining ISO 20121 certification to host one of the most sustainable World Expos in history is a testament to the hard work, dedication and excellence of our site-wide team. It fulfils the UAE’s commitment, which was made to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) during the bid phase, and continues to honour the UAE’s visionary leadership in positioning the UAE as a pioneer in the green economy and sustainable development.”

“Sustainability is an area we see as fundamental to the future of humanity. As such, it is one of our key subthemes, and our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all aspects of our journey to create a meaningful impact that reaches beyond the Expo 2020 Dubai site and beyond the six months of the event.

Attainment of the ‘ISO 20121:2012 Event Sustainability Management Systems’ is proof that the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), has embedded sustainability across its lifecycle.

The certification is specifically designed for events and aims to optimise sustainability opportunities, and minimise impacts across the environment, communities and the local economy.

Whether it’s the environmental optimisation of its site-wide infrastructure, or the sourcing of sustainable products, Expo 2020 Dubai is pushing the boundaries of sustainability at a local, regional and global level — placing sustainability issues such as water, energy, waste, ecology, materials and carbon at the centre of its operations and visitor experiences.

World-leading third-party testing, inspection and certification services provider Bureau Veritas completed the audit, the final crucial step in achieving certification.

Marcel Hochar, senior vice-president, Bureau Veritas Middle East Region, said: “We salute Expo 2020 Dubai for attaining ISO 20121 certification. With this certification, the event organisers have made a strong statement about the importance of sustainability in their event management approach. This collaboration with Expo 2020 Dubai illustrates how sustainability plays a critical role in every aspect of the mega-event, benefiting its partners, guests and society as a whole.”

This milestone comes soon after numerous infrastructure projects across Expo 2020 Dubai were awarded the highest possible sustainability ratings from civil engineering assessment giant CEEQUAL, including Al Wasl Plaza, the beating heart of the Expo site, and its 130-metre x 67.5-metre dome — home to the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface.