Azerbaijan Adopts International Standard for Sustainable Event Management in Lead-Up to WUF13

On 18 March, a presentation of the AZS ISO 20121:2026 state standard on Event Sustainability Management Systems was held in Baku, aimed at advancing modern environmental and management approaches in event delivery.

The event was attended by Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and National Coordinator of WUF13; Elnur Baghirov, Chairman of the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Adil Mammadov, Executive Director of the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, alongside representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan Republic, the Azerbaijan Institute of Standardisation (AZSTAND) and other relevant institutions.

In his opening remarks, Anar Guliyev noted that Azerbaijan has, in recent years, been actively hosting major international events, making the application of international sustainability standards in their planning and delivery increasingly important. Against this backdrop, the introduction of the AZS ISO 20121 standard comes at a timely moment ahead of the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), due to take place in Baku this May, where the application of sustainability principles in event organisation is among the Forum’s core requirements. “International experience shows that events delivered in line with sustainable development principles can significantly reduce their environmental impact. This can cut carbon emissions by around 42%, reduce overall waste by 44%, lower paper waste by up to 90%, and bring energy consumption down by between 60 and 70%,” Anar Guliyev said.

Speaking at the event, Elnur Baghirov, Chairman of the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, highlighted the progress made in recent years in strengthening the country’s standardisation system, which underpins its quality infrastructure. He noted the importance of standards, particularly in ensuring the effective application of relevant principles in the organisation of major international events.

Adil Mammadov, Executive Director of the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, said the document had been developed by the Company as part of preparations for the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), drawing on the international ISO 20121:2024 Event Sustainability ManagementSystems standard, and had for the first time been aligned with Azerbaijan’s national standardisation framework. He added that the adoption and implementation of the standard would help support the delivery of future large-scale international events in Azerbaijan and foster a more consistent approach across local professionals.

It was noted that the AZS ISO 20121 standard establishes a clear framework for embedding sustainable event management principles across Azerbaijan. It is also expected to strengthen the country’s capacity to host major international events and reaffirm its commitment to sustainable development.