FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2013 Milano City Marathon Awarded Silver Certification
from the Council For Responsible Sport
Collaboration between the council and IMQ in Milan results in RCS Sport's
Milano City marathon becoming the first sports event in Italy and the first
marathon in Europe to be recognized for it's socially and environmentally
responsible production practices.
Milan, Italy, June 6, 2013 - Today, at the National Museum of Science and
Technology Leonardo da Vinci, the official ceremony to award Silver
Certification from theCouncil for Responsible Sport to Milano City
Marathonwas held.
The goal was achieved after ninemonths work with RCS Sport, the Milanese
marathon organizational machine. Their efforts addressed nine different
categories of sustainability: waste, climate and energy, community impact,
healthy lifestyle, community involvement, inclusion, indoor expos and
innovation.All in all, the RCS Sport workgroup implemented over 40
different initiatives, resulting in certification from the Council.
Environmental and social initiatives, implemented under IMQ's guidance and
support included paperless (online only) registration and the prohibition
of polystyrene use by suppliers; reuse of competition "props" (inflatable
arches, banners) from previous competitions as well as reduction of
packaging materials; the ecological day, made possible thanks to the
support of the Municipality, involveda traffic block and the delivery of
free public transport tickets to all athletes; the collection of clothes for
distribution to social cooperatives and the donation of unused food
products were organized. In addition to the above, a waste separation
system (paper, plastic, organic, undifferentiated) was enforced throughout
the Village and along the race path. Emission reduction for the competition
bags transportation was implemented, for instance, through the innovative
"deposit or exchange" systemand the use of environmentally-friendly
road-cleaning vehicles after the race, possible thanks to the cooperation
with AMSA. Pollutioncutback was implemented through the installation of
mobile lavatories equipped with "green" characteristics, essential for
maximum wastewater toxicity reduction.
Many educational events involving the community on the most diverse
topics-health, food, sports, dance-as well as specific training programs for
athletes and the mapping of the Milanese parkswere organized at the Marathon
Village. The Village was set up at the Regional Assembly Building, one of the
most "environmentally friendly" buildings in Europe. The measuring of the water
and the carbon footprint, needed to start emission and consumption-reduction
projects in future events, achieved the goal of compensating the most
substantial emissions (1,088 tons produced by the transportof athletes and
organizers to the event) with a water-efficiency project. Even more than that,
thecharity and community events, promoted with the cooperation of
non-profit organizations(141 this year), were offered hospitality at the
Marathon Village,and fundraising, thanks to the contributions of over 2.100
relay runners, lead to over 660,000 euros in donations.
All this with a view to a result appreciated and shared by the many
stakeholders involved in the certification process.
"I am pleased to recognize the efforts of RCS Sport to make the 2013 Milano
City Marathon asenvironmentally and socially responsibleaspossible" said
Keith Peters, Executive Director of the Council for Responsible Sport.
"Producing a sustainable sporting event requires thorough planning, a high
level of execution and on ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
Wehaveawardedour silver level ofc ertification to the 2013 Milano City
Marathon to commemorate RCS Sport'saccomplishments. Congratulations are in
order."
"Sustainability was a challenge we could not fail to meet" was the
commentof Andrea Trabuio, Director of the Milano City Marathon 2013. "It
was important for us, for the athletes, for the community, the territory,
the sponsors and for all those who cooperated to the success of this event.
I would also like to emphasize the essential role played by IMQ in guiding
us through the certification protocol interpretation and application,
identifying the appropriate initiatives to earn the creditsrequired for
certification andactivating the necessary contacts to foster involvement
and enhance the network of relations essential for the effectiveness of
environmental and social sustainability projects. IMQ was also responsible
for the carbon and the water footprint calculations for the event. All this
in a spirit of collaboration leading us to be the first sport event in
Italy and the first Marathon in Europe, to reach this great result."
"We are proud to be pioneers in Europe for this certification." said
Lorenzo De Salvo, Business Development Manager for RCS Sport"But we shall
certainly not rest on this result. We shall continue working to improve the
Milano City Marathon, and shall try to have other events certified."
"We are proud to be exclusive partnersof the Council for Responsible Sport
in Italy, just as we are gratified to have worked together with the huge
organizational machine which is RCS Sport," concluded Piercarlo
Pirovano, IMQ Marketing Manager. "The 'Silver level' award and the
appreciation of all those who participated in the Marathon, as organizers
and athletes further confirmthe important and ambitious results obtainable
through synergy and cooperation.We hope these results will be extended to
many other sport disciplines."
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