About Us
As of February 2025, 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.
For almost 20 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.
In 2023 we began to focus on bringing needed innovation to life by supporting two projects:
Technology to make it easier for your event to have a positive Impact
Positive Impact is 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.
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.
Sharing progress towards our sustainability goals
In 2019, the United Nations asked for commitments to action to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals. This was an opportunity to demonstrate the role of events in accelerating action to achieving the SDGs and not for profit Positive Impact continues to take action on this, sharing our progress through our 2023 Acceleration Action report.
Speaking at the ISO Annual General Meeting
Fiona Pelham, CEO of Positive Impact and Chair of ISO 20121, spoke during the ISO AGM on the subject of one size does not fit all: making standards that work for everyone.
Creating opportunities to Unite to Act for the Global week to #ACT4SDGs
As a mobiliser for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Action campaign, Positive Impact invited the global event sector to unite and #ACT4SDGs with opportunities for engagement between 18th - 24th September 2023.
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).
Contributing to Race to Zero’s “The 5th P” Handbook
Race to Zero’s handbook, “The 5th P” highlights the importance of persuasion, including the role of events. The Positive Impact team contributed to the handbook along with Dr James Musgrave from U.K. Centre Events Management Leeds Beckett.
Learning how to contribute to ISO 20121 and advance human rights considerations in events
On 17th May 2023 at 1pm CET, Positive Impact hosted a 90 minute webinar about how to get involved with the ISO 20121 revision and learn about advancing human rights considerations in events.
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.
Celebrating Earth Day 2023 by sharing best practice
On 22nd April, the Positive Impact community was invited to celebrate Earth Day and share best practice by accessing our Share a Positive Impact toolkit.
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.
Exploring what ISO 20121 means for the future of events and how human engagement happens
On 9th February 2023, Positive Impact hosted a 90 minute webinar with ISO, IOC, IPC, UNICEF UK and more about what ISO 20121 means for the future of events and how human engagement happens.
Creating a Global Ambassador Leaders Initiative
In 2022 to 2023, Positive Impact ran monthly online meetings with global event industry professionals around the world including Spain, USA, UK and Oman.
Discussing how corporate event strategies can advance sustainability commitments and the UN SDGs
In 2022, Positive Impact ran monthly open and confidential conversations to explore different areas of sustainability for corporate event strategies, each aligned with UN approaches.
Offering the chance to create a legacy for future generations
In 2022, Positive Impact offered people the chance to become a patron of our online museum which tells the story of the creation of a sustainable event sector.
Supporting the event sector to join the UNFCCC Race to Zero at COP27
Discover how Positive Impact have supported the sector to have a net zero carbon commitment and join The Race to Zero.
Contributing to Race to Zero progress reports
On 21st September, the Pivot Point Report was launched alongside the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience Progress Report.
Collaborating with Unicef UK to create guidance on the consideration of Human and Child rights and Safeguarding when planning an event
Positive Impact collaborated with The UK Committee for UNICEF (Unicef UK) to produce resources and guidance to support an event to be planned with the consideration of Human Rights and Child Rights.
Sharing progress towards our sustainability goals
In 2019, the United Nations asked for commitments to action to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals. This was an opportunity to demonstrate the role of events in accelerating action to achieving the SDGs and not for profit Positive Impact continues to take action on this.
Mobilising critical action on the Sustainable Development Goals
Positive Impact and the UN SDG Action Campaign are joining forces to mobilise millions to take critical action on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Outlining 10 essentials for corporate sustainable event strategies
This 1 hour webinar to celebrate World Environment Day delivered fast-paced content which outlined actions and resources for delivering a credible sustainable event strategy
Supporting events management students and graduates around the world
In response to growing awareness for credible sustainable action, the Event Grads Community and Positive Impact, have launched a pledge which will support events management students and graduates around the world to advance the creation of a sustainable event sector.
