Ourea Events releases the 2021 sustainability report

The Ourea Events team have returned to the office from our two autumn events; the Dragons Back Race and Skyline Scotland. Both events attract a global audience, with over 60 countries represented. It is exciting to welcome our international participants back but we must also pause to reflect on the environmental credentials of the events, having published our 2021 Sustainability Report in the last few days.

Last month, we were captivated by much of the UTMB media coverage and struck by the ecological impact of the event, particularly the global travel footprint associated with all those international participants and their friends and family. The UTMB is an easy target and, to be fair, they do have a substantial programme of environmental, sustainability and CSR actions. We’d rather look at our business and ask difficult questions.

First, it is clear to everyone involved in trail running that the sport is growing rapidly. Some industry predictions forecast exponential growth in the years ahead. The big questions are whether this gigantic level of growth and increasing commercialisation can be managed sustainably and with integrity for the ethos of the sport. These are questions for brands, organisers and every individual trail runner. We all play our part. I strongly believe that there is a fundamental onus on industry leaders and elite athletes to lead by example.

The fundamental question is simple. Should events like the Dragon Back Race® be encouraging runners to travel internationally whilst there is a climate and ecological crisis?

Many events generate significant quantities of waste from single-use items (such as plastic). It might be branded scrim, disposable serve wear, water bottles, signs or waymarking. The list is long. Is this level of waste acceptable during the climate and ecological crisis?

These are questions we have grappled with, and with a growing business, every year they are bigger problems to resolve.

Where to start. In 2020 we committed the business to a sustainability journey and published our first annual report. However, it was COVID times and, as a business, we were essentially hibernating. In 2021, we measured EVERYTHING across the full spectrum of events and office operations, and developed a comprehensive carbon accounting framework. Much of this we are publishing in our 2021 Sustainability Report, which we are delighted to share here.

The headlines are clear. Participant travel to our events represents 67% of our CO2e emissions. We have therefore committed to offsetting 100% of our total CO2e emissions on behalf of our participants so that our company is carbon neutral. We understand that offsetting is a temporary measure, so please take a moment to read our 2021 Sustainability Report for the full picture of our current but evolving response to the climate emergency.

How do you play your part as an individual? Ask race organisers what their sustainability policy is, ask if they have done an ecological risk assessment, and ask how they have committed to ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ operations. Ask whether they are carbon neutral, ask if they measure (minimum) or offset (better) scope three emissions such as participant travel. Finally, choose event organisers who do these things.

This year Jasmin Paris travelled entirely by public transport to take part in the UTMB. An eighteen-hour journey by bus and train from Scotland to Chamonix. What sort of commitments and changes could you make?