Osaka Convention Bureau Becomes Japan's first DMO to Receive ISO20121 Certification

In late January, the MICE Promotion Department of the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau (OCTB) became the first Japanese DMO to receive official ISO20121 (event sustainability management system) certification from BSI Group Japan K.K. – the Japanese arm of the British Standards Institution.

This official certificate recognising OCTB's certification was conferred at a ceremony on 10 March, attended by OCTB President Hiroshi Mizohata and a representative from BSI Group Japan.

ISO 20121 is the internationally recognised standard for best practice event sustainability management, created by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and evaluated by BSI. These management standards were first put to the test at the 2012 London Olympics and are aimed at helping organizations improve sustainability throughout the entire event management cycle.

Why Obtain ISO20121 Certification?

The MICE Promotion Department of the OCTB takes on a leadership role for MICE events held in Osaka and understands the importance of an Event Sustainable Management System (ESMS.) The OCTB worked to achieve ISO20121 certification with the goal of promoting sustainable event management across Osaka and further increasing the value of MICE events.

What is Achieved through this Certification?

ISO20121 certification is affirmation of the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle in an organisation’s projects. This certification being granted to the OCTB’s MICE Promotion Department means that greater attention will be brought to the important of engaging in sustainability within the MICE industry.

Future Endeavors

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan will open in just two years’time, and is widely seen as a crucial benchmark in measuring progress towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.) The OCTB aims to further promote the MICE industry and foster momentum for and fuel the success of Expo 2025.

Feedback from BSI Group Japan on the OCTB’s Initiatives

“What makes the ESMS at the OCTB so unique is the way that the initiatives of the MICE Promotion Department that have been established and operated in accordance with ISO20121 have been run. The contributions that the MICE Promotion Department’s work has made to sustainable event management deserves special mention.”