The Rio 2016 Organizing Committee has been awarded the ISO 20121 certification, signifying that the group is ensuring the 2016 Olympic Games leaves a positive social, economic and environmental legacy.
The accreditation, considered to be the top global certificate for the sector, means that the committee has indeed followed sustainability criteria for the upcoming event, after passing an inspection audit. The overall purpose of the international standard’s development was to promote international events that produce minimum waste, energy consumption and strain on the event’s local communities.
Says Vanda Nunes, Director of SGS, the leading inspection and certification company, “We went through a very thorough external audit which certified that we are serious about sustainability and assuming good management practices.”
“This is a public acknowledgement that Rio 2016 took care of everything and implemented what was proposed,” continued Nunes.
The certificate is being awarded ironically just days after further controversy surrounding the water quality in Olympic venues. The former World Sailing CEO, Peter Sowrey, claims he was fired after warning to change venues from Guanabara Bay to another site due to the documented viral and bacterial levels of the competitive site.
Did they get that certification because they are turning Rio’s sh1tty waste into compostable material in the ocean, lakes, rivers and streams.