The Olympic Games are the world’s largest sporting event and the Paralympic Games the world’s second largest. This gives particular emphasis to the challenge for London 2012 to meet its promise to host “truly sustainable Games”.
British Standard: BS 8901
In order to help with making the Games sustainable, London 2012 has worked with the British Standards Institute to develop BS8901: (2009), a specification for a Sustainability Management System for Events, which is now being developed into an International Standard ISO 20121. BS 8901 is being taken up by many UK event management companies and event locations, such as Earls Court, to help them put on more sustainable events. LOCOG and ODA Transport have been successful in receiving its certification under BS 8901 and the Greater London Authority is currently seeking certification.
Zero waste to landfill
London 2012 has committed to send no waste direct to landfill at Games-time. It has also committed to reuse, recycling or composting of 70% of Games-time waste. A study into how this could be delivered was published by LOCOG as part of their waste and resource management opportunity on CompeteFor. The Commission published a Review of waste and resource management in March 2010.
Sustainable food
London 2012 has published a Food Vision For Starters. This sets out their plans for delivering healthy, sustainable food at Games-time. The Commission published a Review of Food across the London 2012 programme in April 2010.
Sustainable event guidelines
It’s not just the Olympic and Paralympic Games themselves that need to be sustainable for London 2012 to have hosted “a truly sustainable Games”. There will also be a series of events in the run up to 2012 that are part of the Cultural Olympiad, Inspired by London 2012, put on by sponsors or part of the London 2012 Open Weekends. To help these events be more sustainable and adopt some or all of London 2012’s principles, Sustainable Event Guidelines have been produced. These set out simple measures that any event can put in place to make it more sustainable.
