Since 2019, the Bagotville International Air Show (SAIB) has been upholding its status as a global trailblazer in eco-responsible air events. The event received the Platinum Pinnacle Award for its global leadership in event eco-responsibility at the annual International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) convention and presented its structured approach to eco-responsibility at the European Airshow Council in February 2020 in Belgium.
In 2018, the event adopted a structured eco-responsibility approach in accordance with the ISO 20121 international standard to improve its environmental, economic and social impacts. The 2019 and 2021 SAIB events were certified as level 2 eco-responsible events by the Bureau de normalisation du Quebec and as carbon neutral.
SAIB 2024, with the collaboration of the Environmental Compliance and Greening Officer (ECGO) at CFB Bagotville, is continuing those efforts to maintain its certifications. The two organizations are working together in a continuous improvement process aimed at enhancing the responsible management system. This work will mainly make it possible to improve practices for all activities that are essential for organizing and holding this major event.
SAIB 2024 will be carbon neutral and eco-responsible under BNQ standards. The event is being evaluated to determine the targeted classification level. The organization is extremely proud of its structured approach to eco-responsibility, as very few events of comparable scale to the SAIB are certified according to the requirements of this standard. By maintaining its certifications and management system in compliance with the ISO 20121 international standard, SAIB 2024 will remain the most eco-responsible air show in the world.
Certifications
BNQ 9700-253/2010 standard – Sustainable Development – Responsible Event Management
Through the ECGO, CFB Bagotville is accredited with the BNQ for its responsible event management system, as it meets the requirements of the BNQ 9700-253/2010.
The BNQ 9700-253/2010 standard sets requirements for responsible event management practices that an organizer must meet to demonstrate its ability to host an event that delivers on its commitments and takes sustainable development principles into account.
The BNQ is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada as a standards development organization. It is a world-class organization the only body representing Quebec’s interested in this field with the capacity to follow these rules and develop standards on this basis.
Carbon neutrality
A carbon neutral event is one that is organized and carried out to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and offer non-reducible emissions by purchasing recognized carbon credits that neutralize its impact on the climate. For SAIB 2024, GHGs produced during the event will be offset through carbon credits, and measures will be put in place to reduce GHG emissions.
International Standard ISO 20121:2012 – Event sustainability management systems
The ECGO, under the authority of the CFB Bagotville Commander, is the organization responsible for developing, implementing and updating the responsible event management system. Its mandate is to provide guidance for any event or part of an event held on the base that could be subject to the standard.
This international standard specifies the requirements for responsible event management systems. The goal is to increase the integration of sustainable development principles in event management. Applying this standard requires taking on challenges designed to optimizing the planning and operation processes and considering how to constantly improve event sustainability management performance.
The ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization whose member are national standards bodies.
Our partner
CFB Bagotville Environmental Compliance and Greening Office
The ECGO is leading the way in protection and responsible environmental management on CFB Bagotville’s property. It is making sustained efforts to comply with environmental laws and regulations reduce the Air Force’s ecological footprint, resolve legacy environmental issues, implement all possible measures for recovery and protection of species at risk, and support the initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as set out in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
By becoming the manager of CFB Bagotville’s responsible event management system, the EGCO is contributing to achieving Canada’s sustainable development objectives and to successfully implementing the new Defence Energy and Environment Strategy, which applies to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
The SAIB’s social involvement in the community
The SAIB promotes wider distribution of positive spinoffs in the community. To that end, approximately 85% of the SAIB’s suppliers are located within 100 km of the event site. Additionally, any unused food is redistributed for free to humanitarian organizations helping those in need.
