March 15, 2024 Terry Chiplin

Sustainability Statement

Definition of Sustainability:

Sustainability consists of fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations, while ensuring a balance between environmental care, social well-being, and economic viability.

Definition modified from Santander original version, read more

Environmental Sustainability

Our environmental sustainability focus is on conserving and maintaining the natural environment and biodiversity that we have the privilege of enjoying for outdoor recreation

Our Focus on Environmental Sustainability 

  • We have analyzed and estimated our ecological footprint every year since 2018
  • We have worked with location partners to minimize waste and energy usage annually since 2018
  • We have reduced the amount of travel required to organize the event
  • We have minimized consumption and waste as much as possible, including no single-use plastics offered at our events
  • For 2021 and 2022 we purchased carbon offsets that were greater than the estimated carbon footprint – both events became carbon negative as a result
  • Our carbon shadow has increased through our actions to share the importance of estimating ecological footprint, educating other event organizers on reducing their ecological footprints and in addition carbon offset options. We have also encouraged other event organizers to offer education on the importance of environmental sustainability and the broader impact that all our life decisions can have on our ecological footprints and carbon shadows.

Future Steps

  • Continue to provide ongoing education for event organizers
  • Research innovative methods for improving the education opportunities within the sport
  • Work to establish a requirement for events to declare their ecological footprint and what initiatives they have introduced to grow their carbon shadow

Social Sustainability

Our social sustainability focus is on increasing diversity within the sport so that groups that are under-represented currently have a seat at the table and are included at the highest possible level of organization of this event. Groups that are under-represented include, but are not limited to, women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQIA+, youth and elders, and adaptive communities. We recognize that our natural environment functions best when diversity is allowed to flourish. There is still much progress to be made in expanding access to the sport to a broader group of people.

What we have done to improve social sustainability

  • Diversity, equity and inclusion has been a central or complementary aspect of our theme since 2019
  • We have worked to provide education for event organizers to help them to grow diversity within their events
  • We have ensured there is a seat at the table for under-represented groups and have made a space for the voices of communities of women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA, youth and elders, and adaptive athletes within the content of the event since 2019
  • We provide financial support for under-represented groups to attend the event wherever possible, and have been a leader in this area.

 

What does the future look like?

There are few models for us to look to for how a truly inclusive sport will look in the future. That doesn’t stop us dreaming, planning, and taking actions to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to make the sport as inclusive as possible.

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