FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
California International Marathon Earns Gold Level Certification from the
Council for Responsible Sport for Social and Environmental Initiatives
EUGENE, February 21, 2018--The 2017 California International Marathon (CIM)
produced by the Sacramento Running Association has officially earned gold
level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport (Council), an
Oregon-based nonprofit that provides objective, independent verification of
the socially and environmentally responsible work that sports event
organizers do to make a difference in their communities.
"I am so proud of the hard work of our staff, Board, and volunteers to
comprehensively integrate sustainability into our race planning and
operations processes at CIM," said Race Director Eli Asch. "We strive to be
a leader in our events' positive impact on our community, and this
recognition by the Council as a gold-level sustainable event--one of only
two races in California to receive this distinction in 2017--is a testament
to those efforts. It's our hope that we inspire our fellow Sacramento-area
races to follow our lead and make sustainability a core value and a key
consideration while planning and operating their running events."
The event achieved 48 of the best practice standards set forth by the
Council, in each of program's five categories, including planning and
communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity and
community legacy. Highlights from the 2017 race weekend that earned credit
towards certification included:
Environmental:
- Developed a formal plan to reduce event's environmental footprint and
increase social impact
- Diverted 45 tons (77 percent) of all event waste from going to landfill
by recycling and working to procure biodegradable materials then collect
and compost them
- Promoted sustainable practices through interactive volunteer stations
- Encouraged active and public transport by offering a free bike valet at
the State Capitol for secure bicycle parking, and partnering with
Sacramento Regional Transit to handout free one day passes at the CIM Expo
& Packet Pick-up at the Sacramento Convention Center
- Identified and calculated all uses of water and energy, as well as the
resulting greenhouse gas emissions related to producing the event
- Shared intentions, sustainability plans and calls to action on social
media, at community outreach events, and in participant newsletters
Social Justice and Inclusion:
- Hosted the annual United States Association of Blind Athletes Marathon
Championships
- Partnered with Goodwill Industries to collect clothing items at the start
line, on course, and at the Expo for redistribution and reuse in the
community
- Engaged 66 schools and more than 2,400 local youth in the 'Runnin for
Rhett' fitness and healthy lifestyle program. 1,802 students finished the
MaraFUNrun 5k and Fitness Walk during the 2017 event weekend.
- Promoted partnership with the American River Parkway Foundation to raise
awareness and funds. The foundation is the sole beneficiary of the annual
'Run the Parkway 20 miler,' produced by the Sacramento Running Association.
The two-year certification was awarded based on planned activities and
programs, documentation of policies and on-site assessment of the 2017 race
weekend by a third-party evaluator from Waste Management Sustainability
Services.
"The 35th annual California International Marathon was such an impressive
display of what a sustainable sporting event can look like. From recycling
and composting to water conservation and community legacy, the level of
commitment from race organizers to ensuring that all considerations were
made was outstanding. This all-inclusive event made for such a great
experience for runners, kids, families and spectators alike and it was a
pleasure for Waste Management to assist in the race's certification
efforts" said Waste Management evaluator Eric Gray.
"The certification process is rigorous, with documentation requirements in
place to ensure transparency and create a useful baseline for tracking
performance year after year," said Council Managing Director Shelley
Villalobos. "Moreover, this certification is the result of a process of
defining and refining how event actions align with stated community and
host organization values, and that's why this achievement is something for
the running community in Sacramento to get behind and to celebrate."
About the Sacramento Running Association and California International
Marathon:
The CIM is organized by the Sacramento Running Association, a non-profit
organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and
abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running
events that appeal to a broad variety of runners. The 36th annual
California International Marathon will be held on December 2, 2018.
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.
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