What You Don’t Know About Accreditations Could Cost You.

Accreditations don’t create responsible businesses. They reveal whether you’re becoming one.

As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, accreditations are rapidly shifting from a competitive advantage to a business necessity.

Clients are asking tougher questions. Procurement processes are becoming more rigorous. Reporting requirements continue to grow. In an increasingly complex landscape, accreditations provide organisations with a framework to measure progress, identify gaps and demonstrate credibility.

But accreditation is rarely the end of the journey. If anything, it’s where the most challenging conversations begin. 

During discussions at our recent B Corp FAM Trip, sustainability leaders, event professionals and accredited organisations shared their experiences of navigating that reality. While the frameworks themselves varied, the challenges they uncovered were remarkably similar.

The hardest sustainability conversation isn’t with your clients. It’s with your suppliers.

One of the biggest challenges organisations face after achieving an accreditation is that sustainability stops being an internal practice.

Sustainability frameworks such as B Corp, ISO and EcoVadis increasingly require businesses to understand the impact of their wider ecosystem, from suppliers and venues to agency partners and contractors. However, this often uncovers issues they weren’t expecting.

Because what happens when a long-standing supplier no longer meets the standards you’re working towards?

Increasingly, businesses are looking for guidance on how to approach conversations with suppliers whose policies, reporting or sustainability commitments no longer align with the standards they’re being measured against. The issue isn’t always a lack of willingness to improve, but a lack of clarity around how to start the conversation in a way that encourages progress rather than creates friction.

This was a recurring theme throughout our FAM trip discussion. Rather than viewing accreditation as a tool for replacing suppliers, attendees spoke about using it as a catalyst for improvement. The goal isn’t to change your partners overnight. It’s to create greater transparency, set clearer expectations and encourage progress across the supply chain.

As Annie Rowney from Exclusive Collection explained, the conversation is often about asking suppliers: “Are you willing to come with us on that journey? And it’s a journey. Nobody’s perfect.“

There’s an important shift in how organisations are approaching sustainability. Responsible supply chains aren’t built by cutting ties at the first sign of a gap.They’re built through the accountability and a shared commitment of both parties to take the journey of improvement.

That’s why networks and communities are becoming increasingly important. As organisations raise their own standards, they also need access to suppliers, venues and partners who are committed to evolving alongside them. 

Check out the From Now network for access to suppliers, venues and partners that could fit your accreditation standards.

Investing in accreditations that actually move your business forward.

One of the biggest misconceptions around accreditation is that it’s a one size fits all framework.

In reality, different accreditations solve different challenges. 

And these are only the beginning of a long list. 

As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, businesses are facing an increasingly complex landscape of frameworks, standards and reporting requirements. So, for many organisations, the challenge isn’t deciding whether accreditation matters, but understanding which accreditation aligns best with their goals.

As Gabriella Weekes from Sleek Events explained, “We went down the ISO route. ISO 20121’s great because it’s specific to event sustainability, so that really works for us.“

Rather than going down every route possible, organisations are becoming more strategic about the frameworks they pursue, selecting the ones that best support their clients, operations and long-term objectives.

Whether that’s B Corp, EcoVadis, ISO or another recognised accreditation, the value lies not in the certification itself but in what it enables. Accreditation is just the beginning of your journey. 

With new laws and legislations as well as the general care for sustainability on the rapid rise in the events industry, it can be daunting. Here’s some accreditations and resources we recommend to give you a kickstart:

Responsible business is about more than carbon.

Accreditations provide businesses with a framework for measuring progress and identifying areas for improvement.

One of the most thought-provoking discussions that came from our FAM trip centred on something that is often harder to measure: people.

Matilda Riley captured one of the most prevalent topics in today’s sustainability conversations by saying, “When I joined the industry four years ago, everyone was talking about carbon emissions. Now, a lot of the conversations I am having with my clients are around accessibility and DEI.“

For many years, discussions around responsible business were heavily focused on environmental impact. Carbon emissions, waste reduction and resource efficiency dominated strategies, reporting frameworks and industry conversations.

While those issues remain critically important, expectations are evolving. And organisations are being challenged to think not only about their environmental impact, but about who their events, workplaces and supply chains are designed for.

Unlike carbon emissions or waste reduction, there is rarely a simple metric that can fully capture progress in these areas. They involve lived experiences, personal perspectives and, at times, uncomfortable conversations.

In a world where AI is trying to dominate, we’re focusing on people and IRL experiences

As Jen Cohen from Broadsword noted, ““It can be confronting for people to hear that they are privileged, but it’s important to be open to hearing that, to changing your behaviour and being aware of other people’s different experiences in the events world”.”

That challenge surfaced repeatedly throughout discussions around responsible business. While organisations are increasingly comfortable measuring environmental impact, conversations around equity, accessibility and inclusion can feel harder to quantify and, therefore, harder to address.

The key lesson was that meaningful progress requires organisations to balance measurable outcomes with human experiences and to remain open to conversations that don’t always have straightforward answers.

Looking Ahead

Expectations are changing faster than many organisations can keep up with.

Clients are asking tougher questions. Procurement requirements are evolving. Definitions of responsible business continue to expand. And increasingly, organisations are being expected to demonstrate progress rather than simply talk about it.

Accreditations alone won’t future-proof a business. But they can provide the structure, accountability and direction needed to keep pace with a rapidly changing landscape.

The challenge for many organisations isn’t recognising that standards are changing. It’s understanding which frameworks are right for them, how to navigate the conversations that follow and what meaningful progress looks like in practice.

Those who will thrive won’t necessarily be the ones with the most accreditations. They’ll be the ones using them to drive meaningful progress, strengthen partnerships and adapt to changing expectations.

And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s exactly what we’re here to help with.