The standard specifies the requirements for an event sustainability management system, which is aimed at improving the sustainability of competitions.

It attempts to offer guidance that can enable organisations to continue to be financially successful, become more socially responsible and reduce their environmental footprint.

"Creating a management system is the first logical step for World Sailing to take to ensure its operations are delivered in a more sustainable way," said Dan Reading, World Sailing's sustainability programme manager.

"We wanted to receive third party certification to assure our stakeholders that we have a robust system in place.

"The whole process is based on continual improvement and World Sailing will be independently assessed by the British Standards Institute every six months to ensure that improvements are made.

"Part of the process is to involve stakeholders in the creation of targets and we are still collecting feedback for our ambitious strategy which we will deliver over the next 12 years through our Sustainability Agenda 2030 consultation."

World Sailing say that the Sustainability Agenda 2030 initiative was launched in November 2017, with the scheme aimed at introducing challenging targets for the sport.

This includes areas such as technical standards, events, training, venues and facilities, members and participation.

World Sailing say their targets range from gender equality in the sport, accessible sustainability training, elimination of single use plastics, reduction in carbon emissions, research and participation.

The targets are expected to be unveiled in May 2018.

World Sailing also referenced the United Nations' recognition of sport as being a "key enabler of sustainable development", with the governing body claiming they can influence numerous events which it owns and sanctions to be more sustainable on a global scale.

They also state their partners and sponsors have also pledged to help support their Sustainability Agenda 2030.