FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2014 Akron Marathon Becomes First Ohio Event to Earn Gold Certification
from the Council for Responsible Sport
Akron Marathon had Previously Earned Basic Level Certification in 2012.
Just Three of the One Hundred-Plus Total Events
Certified by the Council Have Taken Place in Ohio.
Eugene, OR-November 25, 2014-The Akron Marathon has achieved Gold Level
Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, making it the first
ever Ohio-based event to do so.
The marathon has objectives around deliberate planning, measurement and
continuous improvement. This year, organizers elaborated on sustainability
plans earning credit in five categories spanning procurement and resource
management to access, equity and community legacy.
Held September 27, 2014 the marathon saw several dozen social and
environmental efforts, including the update of a comprehensive
sustainability plan, implementing 'green' purchasing guidelines for event
vendors, eliminating bottled water from the race course, donating leftover
food and clothing to local non-profit partners, calculating a complete
event greenhouse gas emissions report and diverting over 80 percent of
waste generated by the event from the landfill.
"We at the Akron Marathon pride ourselves in providing a world-class
experience for our runners and our community. We take our environment and
sustainable efforts very seriously and are thrilled to be the first race in
the state of Ohio and one of 16 in the country to achieve Gold Level
certification by the Council for Responsible Sport. We share this
achievement with our many partners including the City of Akron, ReWorks,
and Keep Akron Beautiful as well as with all of our runners and volunteers
that assisted us in our efforts." said Akron Marathon Executive Director,
Anne Bitong.
The Council for Responsible Sport works with third-party evaluators to
assess event efforts- Akron evaluator Joanne Gorksi said of the effort,
"The Akron Marathon demonstrated that an event can do it all – provide a
technically flawless race that wows athletes and gives all their
stakeholders multiple reasons to love the event. They minimized the impact
on the environment and diverted over 80% of event waste from being land
filled, showcased and helped multiple local non-profits, responsibly
sourced food locally, and chose event premiums that had sustainable
components. All these factors, and more, combined to generate over $6.3
million in increased economic activity and draw 14,675 race participants.
Akron is a success story in how to produce and deliver a responsible
sporting event that benefits everyone including the local economy."
About the Council for Responsible Sport:
Our vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the
norm. Our mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the
socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing,
and to actively support event organizers who strive to make a difference in
their communities. The current version of the Council's Certification
standards (v.4.1) was developed by an outside working group of both
sustainability and sport industry experts, reviewed by a wide range of
stakeholders throughout 2013 and implemented in January 2014.
www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org
About the Akron Marathon:
The Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation was founded in 2002 to provide a
world-class marathon and other events that promote health and fitness,
stimulate the local economy, galvanize the community and benefit charitable
organizations. The Akron Marathon, which consists of four events including
the full and half marathon, the five-person team relay and the Kids Fun
Run, has grown by more than 10,000 participants since the inaugural event
in 2003. New for 2015, September's marquee event will mark the culmination
of the Rubber City Race Series. The series will feature new race dates in
June (1-mile & 8k) and August (half marathon & 10k), providing greater
opportunity for participation on all levels in the sport of running.
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