Nuun & Council for Responsible Sport Launch a Sustainable Event Guide for Endurance Event Organizers

Nuun has partnered with the Council for Responsible Sport on a 10-Point Guide to be released at Running USA Industry Conference

Las Vegas, NV – February 9, 2020 – Nuun and the Council for Responsible Sport today announced their partnership on A Practical Guide to Hosting Radically Responsible Events, a 10-Point Guide to support organizers in planning more sustainable sports events. The launch of the Guide coincides with the race industry’s largest gathering of running sector influencers and professionals in the world, Running USA’s annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Guide has been designed for race organizers, to support their efforts to host more sustainable events and provide guidance for decision-making that is defensible socially, environmentally and financially. A responsible event is one that undertakes a holistic assessment of the ways the event affects people, generates economic activity, and uses raw materials and energy that affect local ecosystems and Earth’s broader ecology. The Guide provides an onramp opportunity to help make the path to sustainability more accessible for events of all sizes.

Shelley Villalobos, the managing director of the Council for Responsible Sport said, “This Guide prompts organizers to consider—what’s left when the event is over? What resources have been used? What has been created or otherwise has changed, where, and for whom? Leading responsible events will answer those questions with ever-greater precision in ways their communities embrace. This Guide supports that journey regardless of the size, scale and budget of the event or its host entity.”

“At Nuun we prioritize Clean Product, Clean Sport and Clean Planet as pillars of our brand. We always seek to perform better across the board, and our team is hard at work to double down on our sustainability initiatives,” said Kevin Rutherford, Nuun President and CEO. “The path is challenging, and we are still learning, but we must push forward no matter the difficulties. Partnering with the Council for Responsible Sport on this Guide is one way that we can share our learnings with the industry and help scale the efforts that are needed to work towards our goal of a Clean Planet.”

The Practical Guide to Hosting Radically Responsible Events can be downloaded at https://www.councilforresponsiblesport.org/runrad 

About Council for Responsible Sport

Since 2007, the Council for Responsible Sport has been helping people measure and manage the social and environmental impacts of their events. Certified events are some of the world’s leading examples of responsible sport in action. The Council’s vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm and its 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 Responsible Sport Standards (v.4.2) 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 Nuun & Company

Nuun is a hydration company with the mission of inspiring more movement for happier, healthier lives. Nuun electrolyte tablets and powders provide functional hydration products optimized for exercise, daily health, travel and immune support. Clean and Non-GMO Project verified ingredients, a refreshing taste and low sugar make Nuun a favorite amongst active consumers. Nuun products, like their tablets in their distinctive, colorful tubes, are convenient to carry and add to water, and are better for the environment than traditional bottled sports drinks. Consumers adding Nuun tablets to their reusable water bottles helped save the shipping of over 100 million pounds of water in 2018 alone. 15-year-old Nuun is the #1 selling sports drink supplement brand in running, cycling, outdoor and natural foods stores. The Seattle based company's culture and mission have been recognized by Outside Magazine, who named Nuun to its' 2017 and 2018 ‘Best Places to Work’ lists. To learn more, visit  www.nuunlife.com or follow them at @nuunhydration and #nuunlife.

Endurance Events Commit to United Nations “Sports for Climate Action Initiative,” Council for Responsible Sport Encourages All to Join

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon, one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, is among the first mass participation events to sign declaration of commitment alongside the Council for Responsible Sport campaign, dubbed #getoffthesidelines.

EUGENE (June 19, 2019) – The Council for Responsible Sport announced today that the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Sacramento Running Association, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon, Rhode Races, and Grandma’s Marathon have become early signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “Sports for Climate Action Initiative.”

The “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” invites sport event hosts to declare their recognition of “the critical need for cities, regions, companies and investors from around the globe to help implement the Paris Climate Agreement and accelerate the transformative change needed to reach greenhouse gas (GHG) emission neutrality in the second half of the twenty-first century.” It offers five principles to guide forward action that leverages the global popularity of sport to help make a real difference in the battle against climate change, as well as help minimize the environmental footprint of sporting events.

The commitments announced today represent events that host over 100,000 participants and more than a million onlookers annually, with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon being one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors and one of the largest participatory sport gatherings in the U.S.-- with over 40,000 participants during an October weekend in Chicago each year.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has utilized the standards set forth by the Council for Responsible Sport to develop and improve performance on social and environmental impacts over the past decade, beginning with its first certification in 2010 and culminating with it becoming the first marathon to earn the highest level, Evergreen certification in 2016, a status it maintains today.

“Best practices in sustainability have been a part of our operational culture for the last decade, and we are proud to be one of the first mass participatory sporting events to support the Sports for Climate Action initiative,” said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. “The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has been at the forefront of the industry when it comes to environmental stewardship, social responsibility and community engagement. We are proud of the legacy we continue to build, and we are thrilled to join a global movement that deepens our commitment to sustainability. We strongly believe that the power of sport can create positive changes beyond the finish line.”  

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile run, held each spring in Washington, D.C., first earned responsible sport certification at the silver level in 2011. It leveled up to gold in 2015, and has maintained that high level of performance. Event director Phil Stewart commented, "the organizers of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile have been committed to creating a more sustainable event for the last five years. The logical next step in ensuring the future of our planet is to support and join the United National Sports for Climate Action initiative."

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run. Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: George Banker)

Sacramento Running Association, host of the California International Marathon, which earned gold level certification in 2017 and will seek renewal in 2019, signed the declaration. “The Sacramento Running Association is proud to be a signatory of the Sports for Climate Action Framework. California leads the nation on environmental issues, and as one of its capital city's signature sport organizations we believe it's important for us to lead the way on sustainability in sporting events. We believe in sports' promise to be a force for good in the world, and by signing onto this framework the SRA is committing to help fulfill that promise.” said Eli Asch, Race Director of the California International Marathon.

This year, the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia will seek to renew its certification first gained in 2010 and is committed to the declaration. “The Marine Corps Marathon Organization is proud to encourage athletes for a healthier lifestyle and a healthier world. An approach to climate change is similar to training for a marathon, the actions and will to change inside of us positively affects the outcome of many. As runners we take care of our bodies, and as people we take care of each other and the world. Running connects us to nature and every step is one towards a better future.” said Angela Anderson, Deputy Race Director.

Rhode Races hosts more than a dozen events in Rhode Island annually, including the Newport and Providence Marathons. Co-owner Susan Rancourt said of becoming a signatory, “As more than just race directors--as mothers, sisters, aunts and friends-- it is our compelling duty to leave this planet in a better place for our children and their children. We can take small steps in our own business practices and communication to help advocate change on a greater scale.”

"Living directly adjacent to the largest body of fresh water in the world (Lake Superior), we at Grandma's Marathon see it as imperative to become better stewards of our natural resources.” Said Shane Bauer, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, of why the organization is opting to make the declaration and adhere to its principles. “Regardless of where people live, everyone should be doing everything they can, wherever they are. When awareness that drives action becomes normal, I think we’ll see great signs of progress towards a safer, more sustainable world.” 

All Sport Event Hosting Organizations Encouraged to Sign On

The Council for Responsible Sport is collaborating with the United Nations Global Climate Action program to collect signatories and facilitate collaboration amongst those organizations committed to the principles of the declaration.

Manager of the United Nations Global Climate Action Program, Niclas Svenningsen, said “Climate change is a defining issue of our time. We are no longer talking about leaving the world a better place for our children, and are already experiencing initial climate effects such as extreme weather events, year-on-year record heat waves and an increasing number of climate refugees. The endurance events sector is one of many that is already being impacted to varying degrees. I am therefore very happy to see that there is now a movement spearheaded by the Council for Responsible Sport to harness the power of the more than 17,000 endurance events taking place annually in the USA alone, to take action and encourage a more responsible and participatory approach to meeting the climate crisis.”

“The Council is thrilled that this work is advancing to the highest levels of international governance,” said chairperson of the Council, Michele Grossman. "Since 2014, when it became mandatory for events pursuing Council certification to track their carbon footprint, we have analyzed greenhouse gas reports from over 50 events," said chairperson of the Council, Michele Grossman.

"The vast majority of emissions from endurance events are from participants' travel. We’re excited to recognize events that find ways to decrease and mitigate their emissions, such as how the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run makes it easy for participants to offset their carbon footprint during the registration process.”

The “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” was launched in Bonn, Germany in December 2018. Other signatories to join since the program launched in December 2018 include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the World Surf League (WSL) and the New York Yankees.

The most recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warns that globally, humanity has about 12 years to act decisively to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions causing the overall warming trend and destabilizing Earth’s climate system, and that failure to do so will result in ecological and societal effects becoming more and more dire.

About the Council for Responsible Sport

The Council’s vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm and its 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.4.2) 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. In 2019, the Council is working to help sport hosting organizations #getoffthesidelines and take climate action, starting by signing onto the “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” declaration of commitment. www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org

Council for Responsible Sport Welcomes New Members to its Board of Directors

Two individuals recently accepted invitations from the Council for Responsible Sport (Council) to join the non-profit’s volunteer board of directors. The two newest members to join the working board are Bridget Franek, a U.S. Olympian and civic development professional based in Eugene, Oregon and Rico Tesio of Ft. Meyers, Florida, who co-founded Blue Strike Environmental, a community engagement and sustainability consultancy.

“I was excited to be invited to the Board of Directors for the Council for Responsible Sport. Our world faces significant challenges and we all have to work together if we want to see things change for the positive. I have lived my whole life through the lens of sport and I believe very strongly in its influence in society. I am honored to get this opportunity to help move the needle towards a more responsible, sustainable world” said Franek.

Franek grew up on a small farm in rural Ohio and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at Penn State University where she was a 10-time NCAA Division 1 All-American in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track. After graduation she placed in the top 3 spots at the US National Championship in the women’s steeplechase event, she represented USA in the IAAF World Championships in 2009 and 2011. In 2012, she qualified for the London Olympic Games where she made it into the finals and placed 14th. 

Franek then earned an MBA from the University of Oregon in Sports Marketing. Her last major race was the US Olympic Trials in 2016, where she placed 6th. Following her own athletic career, she moved back to Northeast Ohio to coach women’s Cross Country and Track at the University of Akron. She now works in a community development role with the Eugene Civic Alliance in Eugene, Oregon.

Rico Tesio has over 15 years of experience working in event operations and has led sustainability programs at multiple PGA TOUR events and marathons. This experience provides an intimate knowledge of high-level organizational commitment and budget restrictions placed on sustainability programs. Most recently, Rico served as a Sustainability Consultant for the Sacramento Running Association and assisted them in being recognized by the Green Sports Alliance as a 2018 Innovator of the Year. A native of Oklahoma, Rico holds a degree from Oklahoma State University.

“I joined the board for the opportunity to work alongside respected leaders in the responsible sport movement.  I believe that sports are the perfect platform to inspire positive change in our environment and our communities. I'm looking forward to championing the Council during my term” said Tesio in a statement.

Franek and Tesio were formally confirmed to the board at its September directors meeting, expanding the group from seven to nine members that span the sports and sustainability fields in the private and public sectors. They participated at the Council’s annual leadership retreat in November.