ISO 22379:2022
Security and resilience — Guidelines for hosting and organizing citywide or regional events
- Standard No.
- ISO 22379:2022
- Release Date
- 2022
- Published By
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) IX / ISO
- Latest
- ISO 22379:2022
- Introduction
Standard Background and Positioning
ISO 22379:2022 "Safety and Resilience — Guidelines for Hosting and Organizing Large Events in Cities or Regions" was developed by ISO/TC 292 (Technical Committee on Safety and Resilience) and published in September 2022. This standard aims to provide a systematic framework for cities, regions, and nations to host and organize large-scale public events in cities or regions in a safe, resilient, and sustainable manner. The standard proposes a set of common collaborative processes applicable to any type of event — from sports competitions and cultural festivals to international conferences and exhibitions. Its core value lies in balancing the socio-economic benefits brought by events with potential risks, emphasizing multi-dimensional resilience management throughout the entire lifecycle of the event.
The standard categorizes events into "city-level events" and "regional-level events," referring to events affecting a single jurisdiction or spanning multiple jurisdictions. Regardless of scale, event organizers and hosts must work closely with the host entity to jointly identify, assess, and respond to risks while ensuring the normal operation of infrastructure, public services, and community life. ISO 22379 does not replace existing event management standards (such as ISO 20121) but provides higher-level strategic guidance, particularly focusing on public safety, emergency response, legacy development, and long-term sustainable development.
Key Terminology Analysis
The standard clearly defines two core roles: Host (host) and Organizer (organizer). The host is typically a public entity bearing ultimate responsibility (such as a municipal government), while the organizer can be a public or private entity responsible for the specific execution of the event. The two roles must not be conflated by the same entity; even within the same city, their functions must be separated. The standard also introduces key concepts such as Event Rights Holder, Impact, and Added Value. Notably, "Impact" is limited to negative changes, while positive effects are termed "Added Value." This distinction helps more precisely quantify the net benefits of events. Additionally, Contingency is defined as preparation and handling of unexpected situations, emphasizing its scope beyond routine operational follow-up.
Comparison of Responsibilities Across 13 Key Areas
The standard divides responsibilities related to events into 13 key areas and clearly distinguishes the duties of hosts and organizers. The following table compares the requirements for core areas:
Key Area Host Responsibilities (Examples) Organizer Responsibilities (Examples) Administrative Management Establish a competent temporary organization, ensure stakeholder participation Establish a temporary organizer organization, manage internal affairs Facilities and Venues Provide or renovate existing facilities and administrative offices Construct or lease venues, public areas, and accommodation facilities Critical Infrastructure and Communication Ensure continuous operation of infrastructure such as power, water supply, transportation, and networks Use and enhance infrastructure as needed (e.g., temporary power) Safety and Security Provide public safety services such as police, emergency medical services, and fire services Provide crowd management, emergency medical services, and security services Information Security and Privacy Protect communication confidentiality and manage personal information Protect internal systems, ticketing, payment, and other information security Business and Service Continuity Maintain stability of public services such as commerce, justice, and healthcare Ensure uninterrupted administration, ticketing, and technical services Transportation and Supply Organize transportation for citizens and visitors, manage waste Arrange transportation and accommodation for participants, media, and audiences Information and Support Release official information and support solutions to citizens and visitors Provide information and support to participants, media, etc. Marketing and Promotion Develop city marketing plans to attract tourists Forecast audience numbers, plan sponsorship and ticket revenue Environment and Heritage Sites Manage impacts on natural environments and heritage sites, control carbon footprint Adopt environmental protection measures to reduce carbon footprint Event Legacy Development Develop tangible and intangible legacy plans, align with long-term development Integrate legacy requirements during the design phase, hand over facilities after the event Reconstruction and Normalization Dismantle temporary facilities, restore normal operations, and produce assessment reports Dismantle organizer facilities, withdraw temporary organizations Cost and Funding Provide reliable cost and revenue estimates, ensure insurance coverage Provide cost and revenue estimates, develop financing plans The above division of responsibilities reflects that hosts focus on public safety and infrastructure assurance, while organizers focus on event operations and commercial success. Both parties must collaborate across all stages to ensure measure continuity.
Detailed Explanation of the Six-Stage Full Process
The standard defines a six-stage process: Identification, Preliminary Study, Decision, Planning, Execution, and Evaluation. The entire process is divided into "Preparation Phase" (Identification to Decision) and "Implementation Phase" (after Decision), with both phases being equally important.
Identification Phase
After a city or region identifies an event initiative, it must preliminarily clarify the host and organizer, event content and scope, existing requirements, lessons learned from past experiences, permit applications, responsibility division, stakeholders, and decision criteria. The output of this phase is an initial agreement specifying schedules and cost sharing. If the timeline is unrealistic, the host should withdraw support.
Preliminary Study Phase
After identification is completed, the host and organizer must conduct a detailed preliminary study to provide a basis for decision-making. This includes: refining the event description, developing a formal event agreement, preparing a temporary management plan, assessing needs for critical infrastructure and services, conducting capability assessments (social impact), performing preliminary risk assessments (covering accidents, intentional acts, health threats, severe weather, etc.), evaluating information activities, event dissolution, added value, and financial impacts. All assessments must include cost estimates. Recognition by stakeholders must be recorded in writing.
Decision Phase
Based on preliminary study documents, the relevant authority (national, regional, or local) decides whether to host and organize the event. The decision must clearly record the rationale; if rejected, support is formally withdrawn. Simultaneously, funding and insurance must be approved, responsibilities allocated, necessary applications submitted, and stakeholders notified.
Planning Phase
After the decision, detailed planning begins. The host and organizer separately establish temporary organizations with appropriate capabilities (the host must cover governance, finance, legal, audit, business continuity, public safety, communication, and legacy management; the organizer must cover governance, finance, legal, event operations, human resources, health safety security environmental quality, communication, and business). Detailed management plans, detailed assessments (needs, continuity, risk, contingency capability, security, information security, etc.), and detailed plans (execution, development, prevention, contingency, reconstruction) are formulated. Special emphasis is placed on establishing cross-departmental collaboration plans, including joint command centers or digital platforms, to achieve situational awareness, early warning, and coordinated response.
Execution Phase
After planning is completed, execution begins. The host and organizer must execute according to detailed plans and agreements within their respective responsibilities until all reconstruction and normalization work is completed and accepted by both parties. The execution phase includes not only the event itself but also pre-event preparation and post-event dismantling.
Evaluation Phase
This phase begins immediately after the event officially ends. Both parties must systematically collect information, conduct assessments, identify lessons learned, and ultimately produce an evaluation report. Independent research participation is encouraged to facilitate knowledge transfer.
Risk Management and Business Continuity
The standard integrates risk management across all phases. In the preliminary study phase, the host must assess risks related to the event's impact on society, while the organizer must assess specific risks related to the event itself. Risk assessments follow ISO 31000 and IEC 31010 methods, and contingency capability assessments reference ISO 22325. Business Continuity Management (BCM) refers to ISO 22301 to ensure that critical public services (healthcare, law enforcement, transportation) do not interrupt during the event. Notably, the standard requires the host to define an "acceptable level of social impact," meaning citizens and visitors must still effectively access critical infrastructure and services before and after the event. The organizer must define an "acceptable risk level" corresponding to their capacity.
Case Study: When a city hosted an international sports event, the host pre-assessed additional medical resource needs, established temporary emergency wards, and coordinated cross-regional ambulance dispatch; the organizer developed crowd evacuation and temporary shelter plans for extreme weather. Both parties achieved information sharing through a joint command center and successfully handled a heavy rain event on the opening day.
Event Legacy Development Strategies
Legacy development begins early in the preparation phase. The standard distinguishes between tangible legacy (e.g., new venues, transportation facilities, green spaces) and intangible legacy (social, economic, political, environmental, cultural, and sports benefits). The host must establish a legacy governance framework, develop business and management plans, and ensure funding; the organizer must integrate legacy requirements into design and operations and properly hand over facilities after the event. Regarding intangible legacy, the host should develop an overall plan and set an assessment framework, while the organizer must develop a public engagement plan to expand benefits. For example, Olympic venues can be converted into community sports centers after the event, or the event can be used to enhance the local tourism brand.
Implementation Recommendations and Best Practices
To effectively apply ISO 22379, cities or regions are advised to:
(1) Establish cross-departmental coordination mechanisms early, including disaster prevention, emergency, planning, and transportation departments in working groups;
(2) Use past event assessment reports as inputs to avoid repeating mistakes;
(3) Allocate sufficient resources during the preliminary study phase for risk assessment and financial modeling to ensure scientific decision-making;
(4) Supplement the framework with project management standards (e.g., ISO 21502) and sustainability standards (e.g., ISO 20121);
(5) When developing legacy plans, ensure alignment with long-term urban development plans (e.g., housing, transportation, tourism);
(6) Establish a transparent fund supervision system to prevent overspending and corruption;
(7) Conduct regular joint drills, especially cross-departmental emergency response exercises.In summary, ISO 22379 provides a comprehensive resilience guideline for large events from concept to implementation. Incorporating it into local regulations and policies can significantly improve event success rates and reduce social costs. In the future, with the emergence of new risks such as climate change and cyber threats, the continuous updating and localization adaptation of this framework will be even more critical.
ISO 22379:2022 Referenced Document
- ISO 22300 Security and resilience — Vocabulary*， 2025-11-06 Update
- ISO 31000 ISO 31000:2018 Risk management A Practical guide
ISO 22379:2022 history
- 2022 ISO 22379:2022 Security and resilience — Guidelines for hosting and organizing citywide or regional events
