Inside the AGF Certification Process
Your guide to how AGF Certification works – and why it matters for festivals, events and venues committed to sustainability.
As the festival season kicks off, it’s the perfect time to take a deeper look at the AGF Certification - our independent assessment and certification scheme helping events across the globe understand, improve and demonstrate their sustainability performance.
Every year, we work with the live sector worldwide. The certification identifies how an event, venue or organisation manages and performs within key sustainability activities including energy, waste, transport, food, water, communication and more, based on evidenced data and observable actions.
As well as conducting site visits, our assessors work with your team to review documentation, data, and actions both before, during, and after events. Applicants receive a detailed report, and a rating (Improvers, Commended, Highly Commended, or Outstanding) and clear feedback to support future improvements.
What’s the Process?
Applicant contacts AGF be assessed.
4 Options
Assessment only
Assessment + Feedback Report
Assessment + Feedback Report + Carbon Footprint
Carbon Footprint Only
Self assessment provided to festival
AGF assessors allocated to carry out assessment, introduction & kick off meeting
Site visit by AGF assessors during festival.
Supporting evidence, & documentation provided by festival to AGF Assessors.
Sustainability impacts reviewed and scored, result shared with festival
Use of dated AGF Greener Festival Logo.
If opted, results are promoted by AGF and shared on AGF social media.
If opted, Feedback Report with recommendations for improvement provided by AGF.
If opted, Carbon Footprint Analysis report completed by AGF.
Inclusion in International AGF Awards/ Automatic inclusion in AGF Membership
Our approach is collaborative: It’s not about being perfect - it’s about making progress, and we’re here to support that.
What Festivals Say
“Our ambition is to create a festival without negative environmental impact, and we already have many years of experience in creating sustainable initiatives. With the report and the Highly Commended Award from A Greener Festival we now have a collection of very useful data that can help us take our efforts to a new level’’
- Roskilde Festival, DK
“I’m delighted to hear that Godiva Festival has been awarded a sustainability certification – it’s an important milestone on our journey.”
“Not only have festival organisers focused on areas such as energy, power and water use, festival attendees played a huge part in this achievement.”
- Godiva Festival, UK
Why Certification Matters?
Getting certified is not just a badge - it’s about progress and leadership. With increasing pressure from audiences, artists, funders, and local authorities, as well as increased urgency for protecting our environment, certification shows you’re serious about sustainability.
Benefits of the AGF Certification:
Accountability
Independently Verified
Efficacy of Actions
Encourages adoption of best practice
Reporting, Monitoring & Reviewing
Learn from industry experts
Demonstrates commitment to sustainability journey
Clear positive statement to audiences, sponsors, local authorities, and stakeholders
Shared learning through AGF ecosystem (Productions / Promoters / Suppliers / Agents) for continuous improvements and refinements.
Finding solutions through collaboration and shared experience throughout sector
Join worldwide AGF community through membership scheme
In 2024, over 50 festivals and venues globally achieved AGF Certification - from small community events to some of the world’s most iconic festivals and arenas.
Who Can Be Certified?
While most people know us for festival assessments, AGF Certification is also available for:
Venues, Arenas & Stadiums
Suppliers
(of all types, including power, sanitation, waste, staging, tech production)Tours & Productions
Sports & Cultural Events
Wherever there’s an audience, there’s an opportunity to increase positive impacts and reduce harm - and we can help you make that happen.
Not Quite Ready for Certification?
Start with a Sustainability Diagnosis
If you’re not yet ready for full certification, the AGF Sustainability Diagnosis offers a practical starting point to understand and improve your current performance.
This option follows a similar process to certification but does not require an onsite assessor visit. It’s ideal for events looking to gain insight, prepare for future certification, or build a clear strategy for sustainability using the AGF Framework.
Consultants assigned and kick off meeting arranged
Self Assessment form issued to festival
AGF Support for completion
AGF review submissions and complete Carbon Footprint
Feedback report provided to festival
Indicative score and grade provided with recommendations for improvement
Wrap up meeting held to discuss feedback and next steps
Benefits
Provides basis for strategic planning and foundation for future certification
Clear independent assessment of your current sustainability performance
Interested?
Certification applications are open for 2025 and we’re already working with organisations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to push further, we’re here to support you.
Or get in touch: hello@agreenerfuture.com
