IF Sustainability Project ICF EVENTS SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

2019 | 1 NOC AND IF SUSTAINABILITY CASE STUDIES

The world faces significant challenges sustainability and should be continued. across a wide spectrum of economic, These case studies, which now also social and environmental matters. showcase National Olympic Committees’ The Olympic Movement has both (NOCs) best practices, form part of a an opportunity and a duty to actively strategic support system given to the contribute to the global sustainability Olympic Movement through the debate in line with its vision of “Building IOC Sustainability Strategy. a better world through sport”. Each case study is aligned with one or With this in mind, and in response to more of the IOC’s five sustainability focus Olympic Agenda 2020, the International areas: infrastructure & natural sites; sourcing Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the & resource management; mobility; workforce; International and climate. They are Federation (IF) also aligned with one Sustainability or more of the Project in 2016 United Nations’ to obtain an (UN) framework overview of IFs’ of 17 Sustainable sustainability Development Goals initiatives – (SDGs), which provide identifying a common framework common topics, for organisations to challenges and explain how they plan good practices while also sharing information to contribute to sustainable development and among the IFs. tackle the key global sustainability challenges. One outcome of the project was a series This framework is pivotal for the Olympic of case studies illustrating how IFs are actively Movement – in September 2015, the UN contributing towards a more sustainable world. General Assembly confirmed the important As part of the IOC’s objective to “profile the role that sport can play in supporting the “Sport is also an important enabler of sustainable development. We recognise role of the Olympic Movement in sustainability UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable the growing contribution of sport to the realisation of development and peace through the aggregation of information and Development and its SDGs. in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the collective reporting”, it was agreed that the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities identification and sharing of information The IOC provides support to NOCs and IFs in the as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.” definition, design and development of their contributes to the holistic integration of sustainability strategies. Paragraph 37, UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

2019 | 2 Each NOC/IF sustainability IOC FOCUS AREAS UN SDGs project contributes to one or more of the IOC’s sustainability focus areas and one or more of the UN’s Sustainable INFRASTRUCTURE CLIMATE Development Goals (SDGs) & NATURAL SITES

THE ICF HAS INTRODUCED AN EVENTS SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY UNDERPINNED BY ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES

n 2018, the International Federation (ICF) demonstrated its commitment Ito sustainability by signing up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations (UN) Environment’s Clean Seas campaign. Now, the ICF has introduced a sustainability strategy for events to raise environmental awareness, reduce environmental impact, protect the natural environment and demonstrate its commitment to social and economic sustainability.

OBJECTIVES By implementing a sustainability strategy for its events, the ICF aims to: • Raise awareness about the importance of sustainability at sporting events. • Embed economic, social and environmental sustainability within events. • Create an easy-to-implement toolkit for ICF event organisers. • Involve and support ICF event organisers, athletes, National Federations, clubs and recreational paddlers. • Inspire other individuals and event organisers to take similar actions.

2019 | 3 “A CLEAN AND HEALTHY As a first step, the ICF implemented a pilot stakeholders to identify key sustainability avoid food waste, plastic packaging and ENVIRONMENT IS event methodology, underpinned by key objectives. plastic plates and cutlery. CRUCIAL FOR PADDLERS sustainability objectives. The methodology, • The identification of key performance The Spanish organiser also partnered which includes a reporting template, aims indicators for all objectives. with a local waste management company, AT ALL LEVELS TO ENJOY to support the development of sustainability • A joint communication plan to promote MEU, to optimise the event’s recycling THE BEAUTIFUL SPORT guidelines and bidding requirements for the pilot events and secure stakeholder process, offering an award for the team OF , AND THE future ICF events. support. with the most impressive recycling record. ICF IS COMMITTED TO • The creation of a feedback questionnaire CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS IN The methodology for pilot events in for event spectators, staff, athletes and EVALUATION DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE 2019 included: volunteers. Having introduced a sustainability • A post-event sustainability report to strategy for canoeing events, the ICF has CANOEING EVENTS • An initial venue evaluation. ascertain which sustainability objectives set out new objectives to further boost AROUND THE WORLD.” • Workshops involving the ICF, the were met and where there was room for sustainability across the sport. The ICF JOSÉ PERURENA, ICF PRESIDENT local organising committee and local improvement. is exploring ways in which to improve its pilot event process and is developing a The first ICF pilot event was the 2018 ICF toolkit to facilitate the implementation of World Cup in Augsburg, sustainability measures. To maximise Germany. At the event, 500 reusable the programme’s efficiency, some of bottles were distributed among athletes the sustainability initiatives will be made and volunteers, while reusable glass bottles mandatory at ICF events in 2020. were made available to all volunteers and ICF staff. Working with the city authorities, the organising committee also set up a bike station at the venue, encouraging BENEFITS spectators and athletes to cycle to and • An events sustainability strategy from the event. can benefit both the environment Inspired by the pilot event’s success, and local communities. other ICF events followed suit. For instance, • The introduction of environmental the organisers of the 2019 ICF Junior & guidelines enhances collaboration U23 World Championships with stakeholders. in Romania and the 2019 ICF Canoe Slalom • A strategy can improve & Wildwater Canoeing World Championships relationships with stakeholders. in Spain served food on reusable plates to

CONTACT: Catherine Wieser, ICF Marketing Manager & Sustainability Coordinator [email protected] 2019 | 4 https://www.canoeicf.com/sustainability