We are proud to announce that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has achieved Silver Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. The Council’s certification program is for social and environmental responsibility at sporting events. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon joins the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K as the only two events in Canada to currently achieve this recognition. We are also honoured to join a select group of major international marathons including Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Austin, and Mexico City who are also certified “green” by the Council for Responsible Sport. For full details, see the official press release below.
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon becomes first event in Toronto to earn Silver Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport.
Eugene, OR—March 19, 2015—The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM), held October 19th, 2014 and hosted by Canada Running Series, has achieved Silver Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. Organizers earned credit on 38 of the best practice standards offered in the Council’s certification program for social and environmental responsibility at sporting events. The marathon, which hosted over 26,000 participants in 2014, is now the first-ever event in Toronto to be certified by the Council for Responsible Sport.
Certification is achieved by complying with standards across five categories: planning and communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity and community legacy.
In an effort to be greener, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Running, Health & Fitness Expo was held at the Allstream Centre, a building that features a 30-storey wind turbine and a geothermal plant that replaces conventional heating and cooling systems to save electricity and natural gas. It was the first conference center in Canada to achieve LEED silver status from the Canada Green Building Council.
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon also scored points through its waste prevention efforts. The entire event utilizes paperless registration both online and in person at their Expo. Of the trash produced by the event, nearly half (47 percent) was diverted from the landfill through recycling efforts. Additionally, 120 pairs of lightly used running shoes were collected for redistribution to those in need, and organizers sent 2,900 pounds of food to Second Harvest, a local food bank who diverted the food to those in need. Also, in an effort to reduce vehicle carbon emissions, a free bike valet service was offered to participants and spectators in partnership with Cycle Toronto.
“This is a huge accomplishment for our event and within the sporting event industry as a whole,” said Senior Manager of Operations and Certification Director David Gilchrist. “With the help of our entire crew, suppliers, partners, and participants, Silver Certification acknowledges the hard work, dedication and values we apply year over year, in order to leave a positive lasting impression on our planet. It’s an honor to be at the forefront of the movement where Canadian events are becoming more environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.”
The Scotiabank Charity Challenge helps to make runner’s participation meaningful by fundraising for causes important to them. Scotiabank adds an additional total of $33,000 in cash awards to the participating charities who recruit the most runners, fundraise the most dollars and who raise the most on average per fundraiser. In 2014 the Scotiabank Charity Challenge hosted 173 charities who raised over $3.6 million for their causes through the event platform.
Overall the total economic activity of STWM and The Running, Health and Fitness Expo is estimated at $33.5M for the city of Toronto.
“We are hugely grateful to The Council for Responsible Sport for their help, encouragement, and wonderful recognition,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. Canada Running Series is passionately committed to ‘building community through running’ – and that means the cities we live in as well as the sport we love. Sustainable communities; green, healthy cities for people, and the organizing of environmentally responsible runs are core values for us. Thanks for moving us forward along the right road. We’re proud of this achievement for our city, and the certification will inspire us to do more.”
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. www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org
About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon:
An IAAF Gold Label race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier, big-city running event, and the Grand Finale of the 8-race Canada Running Series. In 2014 it attracted more than 26,000 participants from 60 countries, raised $3.67 million for 173 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. In 2014 it also became the first marathon to be livestreamed globally on YouTube, attracting viewers from 115 countries. In 2015 it will host the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships and the international Bridge The Gap movement. www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com
