TS ISO/IEC TS 17021-4

TS ISO/IEC TS 17021-4 is a technical specification that complements the ISO/IEC 17021 family by focusing on the competence of personnel involved in auditing and certifying event sustainability management systems (ESMS). It addresses the additional knowledge, skills, and assessment capability needed by certification bodies working in this specialised management system area.

Competence focus for event sustainability management systems

Event sustainability management systems provide a framework for managing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of events in a more structured way. The subject can apply to concerts, sports events, trade fairs, corporate functions, and similar organised activities. This standard is not about how an ESMS is established; it is about what additional competence the people who audit and certify such systems need to demonstrate.

In general technical terms, auditing event sustainability calls for an understanding of operational planning, stakeholder management, the relationship between legal and organisational context, risks, and performance criteria. As a complement to the existing requirements of ISO/IEC 17021, this Technical Specification covers additional competence requirements for personnel involved in the certification process, rather than replacing the core rules for certification bodies.

• It complements the ISO/IEC 17021 framework.
• It covers additional competence requirements for personnel in the ESMS audit and certification process.
• Its focus is the competence of the people assessing the system, not the management system itself.
• It highlights knowledge and judgement specific to event sustainability contexts.