Events
Events Certification
Event planning and operations assessed against defined requirements for management, venues, suppliers, transport, catering and communication.
About the certification
Friend of the Earth Events is a service certification for organisations managing events. It can cover one event or a range of events within an agreed scope.
An event application brings the proposed scope and supporting evidence together for assessment. Certification claims should identify the event or programme covered, so that participants, clients and suppliers can understand what the certificate refers to.
What can be certified
Organisers of music festivals, sports competitions, conferences and other events can apply. Agencies should identify the events concerned and their role in organising them.
Certification is voluntary. Completing the Preliminary Information Form does not commit you to an audit, and the information submitted is treated confidentially.
What the standard covers
The following areas summarise selected requirements in Events Standard version 1, dated 15 February 2023. Read the full standard for all criteria and applicability conditions.
Written commitments, risk assessment, resources and performance measures establish how the event’s objectives will be managed. Section 1.
A designated leader, team roles, budgets, meetings and reporting support implementation and legal requirements. Section 2.
Requirements address venue choice, access, water, energy and habitat impacts; conferences and similar events must allow online participation. Section 3.
Operational plans cover energy, waste prevention and separation, noise, air quality and reduced paper use. Section 4.
Purchasing policies, supplier selection and employment conditions address how the organiser engages businesses, workers and the local community. Section 5.
Requirements cover accessible transport, accommodation selection, parking arrangements and information for participants. Section 6.
Sourcing, menus, food waste, packaging and unused-food donations are addressed through catering requirements. Section 7.
Requirements address unnecessary printed materials, staff training and internal communication. Section 8.
Preparing for assessment
Begin with the full standard and map each applicable criterion to the documents available for your event. Identify the person who can provide each record and any information that still needs to be collected.
For example, when submitting a supplier list, explain which event it relates to. When providing a policy, include the records showing how it is used. Present the event’s arrangements clearly so that the auditor can review the evidence against the criteria.
Independent certification
A qualified third-party auditor from a certification body accredited for Friend of the Earth standards reviews documentary evidence. The body issues certification when there are no non-conformities or required corrective actions have been accepted.
A non-conformity is a finding that a requirement has not been met. The organiser must address the finding through the corrective-action arrangements confirmed by the certification body. An enquiry, application or quotation is not a certification decision.
How certification works
1. Apply
Complete the Preliminary Information Form with the event and organiser details.
2. Confirm scope and costs
Confirm the events covered, evidence needed, agreement, fees and assessment arrangements.
3. Independent assessment
Submit the information requested for review against the applicable requirements.
4. Address findings
Complete any required corrections or corrective actions and provide the requested evidence.
5. Certification decision
The certification body reviews the results and determines whether the requirements for issuing the certificate have been met.
6. Communicate and maintain the scope
Follow the certificate dates, scope and authorised logo-use rules. Confirm any follow-up or arrangements for later event editions.
Certification fees
The single-event price list uses attendance bands. The agency price list uses the organisation’s total revenue from the previous year to determine the annual royalty band.
Both published lists apply to new contracts and state that audit costs are included. Prices exclude VAT, which is added where due. Request a quotation confirming which list applies and what is included.
Standards and supporting documents
Check certification scope and status
Check that the certificate identifies the event or programme concerned, the covered activities and the relevant dates. Contact the team if you need help confirming whether a particular event or edition is covered.
Frequently asked questions
The certificate’s stated scope determines what is covered. Do not extend a claim about a named event to other events, venues or services that are outside that scope.
A supplier’s certificate identifies what that supplier has had certified. It does not establish certification of the event itself. Check the scope of each certificate and the assessment route for the event.
Use the logo only after certification and the required authorisation are in place. Follow the applicable licence and logo-use rules, and clearly identify the event or activities covered.
Contact the team with your proposed dates before making certification claims or printing materials. Ask which evidence is needed and when it must be available for assessment.
Check the certificate dates and agreed scope. Confirm any renewal, follow-up assessment or changes needed for a later edition of the event with the team; do not assume a previous certificate covers future editions.
No. The Preliminary Information Form starts the enquiry and quotation process without committing you to proceed. Review the scope and arrangements before accepting the agreement.
Apply for certification
Tell us the event name, location and dates, expected attendance, organising team and activities you would like assessed. If you manage several events, explain which ones you want to include.
Send your initial enquiry to the team to discuss the application form, proposed scope and assessment arrangements before proceeding.
