A new ISO Technical Committee on Events (TC 354) has been approved, marking a major milestone for the global events industry, according to UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. Through this specialized committee, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is well-known for creating international standards across industries to guarantee quality, safety, and efficiency, will now legally help the events sector.
Under the direction of UFI and overseen by AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation), TC 354 will create global standards for a wide range of events, including live entertainment, athletic competitions, academic conferences, and corporate exhibits. Key elements of event management, such as standardized language, performance indicators, crisis management procedures, safety and security measures, technology integration, and accessibility for all participants, will be the focus of the committee’s work.
A Sub-Committee on Sustainability in Event Management is one of TC 354’s noteworthy features. The foundation for ISO 20121, the international standard for sustainable event management systems, was laid by ISO’s PC 250. TC 354 highlights the industry’s dedication to ecologically conscious practices while upholding operational excellence by integrating sustainability into its fundamental structure.
This project, which now has 17 member nations, is a significant step toward acknowledging the events business as a vital worldwide industry. By guaranteeing uniformity, excellence, and industry best practices, standardized standards will help the whole event ecosystem, including host locations, organizers, venues, service providers, and attendees.
The significance of this accomplishment was emphasized by UFI President Hugh Jones, who said, “This is a landmark moment for our industry.” Global standards for events will be defined and aligned for the first time by a specialized ISO committee. TC 354 acknowledges the crucial role our industry plays on a global scale, not only as a catalyst for knowledge sharing, economic activity, and industrial expansion, but also in influencing professionalism in general.
I implore our global partners and colleagues to share their knowledge in order to help create the norms that will govern events in the future.
“AFNOR is proud to lead ISO/TC 354 after our work on event responsibility with Paris 2024,” said Franck Lebeugle, General Manager of AFNOR’s Standardization Unit. A common foundation for addressing the sector’s many issues, such as innovation, accessibility, sustainability, safety, and profitability, is provided via standardization. We invite everyone who is interested to take part and contribute to the development of future international event standards.
UFI continues to invite industry members and stakeholders to engage with their national standards bodies to ensure the events sector’s perspectives are represented at the highest international level, further reinforcing the global significance of events in driving economic and cultural growth.
