AIMS launches Sustainability Commission

Left: Paco Borao, President of AIMS;
Right: George Kazantzopoulos (Picture: Elias Joidos)

The ‘Sustainability Commission’ is the next step in AIMS’ promotion of good environmental practice amongst its member races. The Sustainability Commission has been in development since the AIMS World Congress held in Tallinn, Estonia in September 2018 and follows other pioneering initiatives linking sport with the environment.

In 2013 AIMS created a detailed guide on ‘how to run an environment-friendly marathon’ which complemented the first edition of the ‘Green Award’, presented as part of the AIMS ‘Best Marathon Runner’ Awards Gala in Athens, to acknowledge environmental excellence and best environmental practices of its member races.

Since then the Green Award has attracted the interest of more than 100 AIMS member races all around the world. To date six AIMS Members have received the AIMS Green Award and the submissions are always increasing.

The Commission’s scope will be:

To review and update environmental guidelines in a systematic way
To assist in a knowledge transfer scheme to all AIMS members in order to endorse and improve their sustainability agenda
To organise seminars and training regarding environmental sustainability in the frame of race organisation
To assist the AIMS board in decision making about anything related to sustainability and race organisation
To contribute to the international dialogue about bridging sport and sustainability

The Commission will be led by Mr George Kazantzopoulos, international sustainability expert, founder of the NGO ‘Institute Team for the World’, a scientific partner of AIMS on sustainability and member for more than 15 years of the International Olympic Committee, Sport and Environment Commission.

AIMS President Paco Borao commented: “AIMS is making a significant step forward to promote environmental protection and sustainability among its member races and will continue to be at the forefront of the international dialogue regarding sustainability in sport.”

Mr George Kazantzopoulos commented: “The effort that started in 2013 with the introduction of the ‘AIMS Green Award’ and the Environmental Guidelines has gained momentum with the international running movement. The creation of the AIMS Sustainability Commission is a logical evolution of society’s need for a better environment and a sustainable future.”