About Us
As of February 2024, Positive Impact has a community of almost 2,000 global event professionals, over 40 corporate Head of Events, over 40 Corporate Head of Sustainability, over 160 SMEs with a Race to Zero commitment, over 5 memorandums of understanding with United Nations bodies.
We are the only event sector body to be a Race to Zero Accelerator, UN SDG Action mobiliser and to have education certified by the world’s largest and leading CPD accreditation working across all sectors, so our education is accessed by heads of marketing, HR and sustainability.
For over 15 years not for profit Positive Impact have been providing engagement, collaboration and education to create a sustainable event industry. You could describe Positive Impact as the ‘critical friend’ of the global event sector.
Our funding comes from everywhere and nowhere, and every penny, cent or yen is used to advance the event sector so every time an event happens the UN Sustainable Development Goals are advanced and events are recognised as ensuring 'participation and inclusion in decision making’ (UN SDG16).
This is a timeline of Positive Impact's journey and the creation of a sustainable event industry. It reflects initiatives from:
The United Nations
Positive Impact
CEO Fiona Pelham
Key developments in the creation of a sustainable event industry.
Providing free sustainable event management education for the UN Global Week Unite to #ACT4SDGS
A free 48 hour online event during the week of 18th - 24th September to access aspects of our education, which is accredited by CPD (the world's leading and largest independent Continuing Professional Development accreditation body).
Positive Impact is a mobiliser for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Action campaign and was happy to provide this free event as an opportunity for engagement in sustainable event management education.
This was a 48 hour online event where attendees were able to access aspects of our education, which is accredited by CPD (the world's leading and largest independent Continuing Professional Development accreditation body).
The event provided an insight into the CPD courses that Positive Impact provides, which will help organisations to explore sustainable event strategies and education and further the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Content included speakers from UNICEF UK, The Race to Zero, ISO, Paris24 and the International Olympic Committee
Date and time: The event took place from 18th September 2023
This event was a must for anyone responsible for:
Implementation of sustainable event strategy in their organisation
Fulfilling CPD training courses to further their organisation’s event sustainability education
Discussing how sustainability is shaping the future of events
Fiona Pelham, Chair of ISO 20121 and CEO of Positive Impact, led this 1 hour event in Copenhagen on 16th May to learn how climate change, EU sustainability reporting regulations and international standards including ISO 20121 are shaping how events are delivered.
Fiona Pelham, Chair of ISO 20121 and CEO of Positive Impact, led this 1 hour event in Copenhagen to learn how climate change, EU sustainability reporting regulations and international standards including ISO 20121 are shaping how events are delivered.
Date: Tuesday May 16th 2023
Time: 8:30 - 9:30am CET
Location: BLOX, Bryghuspladsen 8, 3. DK-1473 Copenhagen
This was an in-person event and attendance was limited to 45 people.
This event included:
Insight into what is shaping the future of events from ISO 20121 to the Race to Zero
Inspiration in the form of an example of a side event to The World Congress of Architects being held in Copenhagen in 2023
Participation in a facilitated discussion exploring how sustainability will shape the future of events and Denmark's opportunity for strategic leadership
Exploring the event sustainability standard ISO 20121 on the future of events and gender equality
On 8th March 2023, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Positive Impact hosted a webinar with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the UN Global Compact Network UK.
On 8th March 2023, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Positive Impact hosted a webinar with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the UN Global Compact Network UK.
The webinar explored:
The role of standards in advancing gender equality
How ISO 20121 could impact the future of events and gender equality
Why is gender equality important?
Watch this animated video to understand the importance of UN SDG 5 for sustainable event strategy:
