On 19 September, PyeongChang 2018 received the first ISO 20121 certifications for sustainable practices regarding the Winter Olympics.

The certification was awarded to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) President, Hee-beom Lee, last Monday by the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS).

The 2018 Games are the third Games to be formally recognised for their sustainability practises – after London 2012 and Rio 2016.

President Lee said: "From the bidding stage of the Games, the Organizing Committee was faced with sustainability-related concerns. Nonetheless, with this sustainability management system, we are confident to leave a lasting legacy by applying sustainable practices."

ISO 20121, or the Event Sustainability Management System, is a standard aimed at helping organisations to improve the sustainability of their event cycle – including products, services and related activities.

The PyeongChang Games received the certification thanks to their high sustainability standards during the planning process, especially regarding transportation, food and beverages, waste disposal, volunteer recruitment and training.

The certificate will remain valid for three years and eleven areas will be monitored: sustainability, accessibility, people management, food and beverage, cleaning and waste, procurement, transport, Olympic torch relay, Paralympic Games Integration, legacy, and security.