Qatar Olympic Committee Receives New Certification

On Thursday, June 9, the Qatar Olympic Committee received the certificate for its Sustainable Event Management System (ISO 20121: 2012 ESMS).

The handover ceremony was attended by HE Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and Mr. Hussam Al-Rifai, CEO of Bureau Veritas (the certification body).

The Sustainable Events Management System (ISO 20121) contributes to helping all organizations, institutions, and individuals improve the sustainability of their activities associated with sporting events on an annual and periodic basis. It also supports the sustainable development goals of the country, enhances Qatar Vision 2030, reduces the environmental, social, and economic impacts resulting from the organization of events, and develops the relations of the Qatar Olympic Committee with key stakeholders.

This system works to provide a framework that helps achieve sustainable development standards in line with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations and the standards of the International Olympic Committee, which are supported by the principles of this development: inclusiveness, management, integrity, and legacy.

This system also enhances all event management processes, starting with the idea launch, planning, implementation, and review stages, then post-event activities, reducing environmental impact, promoting economic growth, and building sustainable societies.

The concept of sustainability represents a content and a reality that was implemented in managing the activities of the second edition of the Qatar Olympic Committee Beach Games 2022, which was held on the beaches of the Cultural Village (Katara) last March, as a fruit of the sustainable legacy of the first edition of the World Beach Games of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) which held in Doha in 2019.

In light of the annual beach programs and events, the Qatar Olympic Committee has enhanced sustainability standards through three axes: societal sustainability through the annual organization of the event, and environmental sustainability by educating the community to preserve the environment and economic sustainability by rationalizing consumption and reducing the cost of managing the event.

On this occasion, His Excellency Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, said: “We are proud of receiving this certificate as an integrated work system, and I extend my sincere thanks to the work team and everyone who contributed to the Qatar Olympic Committee obtaining this certificate.

Al-Buainain added: “Obtaining a sustainable event management system certificate is in line with the strategic plan of the Olympic Committee, which includes annual data that comply with approved international standards, and works to improve work mechanism and raise performance efficiency by improving work outcomes in a way that satisfies customers in accordance with our next strategy 2023-2027 This system is also linked to the committee's vision: "Let us be a pioneering nation that brings the world together through sustainable sports development."

For his part, Mr. Fahd Ibrahim Juma, Director of the Strategy and Projects Department at the Committee, said: "This certificate constitutes a qualitative addition to the Qatar Olympic Committee by developing its performance and working mechanisms as an integrated sports system."