SUSTAINABILITYREPO RT

2022-23

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key milestone we achieved last year, lending more credibility
to our efforts and showing that the sustainability path we’recreating for all our events is the right one.

That ambition took a big step forward with the implementation
this January of the Athletics for a Better World Standard, acertification system we’ve developed, in partnership with manyof our one day and label events, that evaluates athletics eventson their sustainable delivery. It’s an important milestone, adding
principles of sustainability to our broader event evaluation
process and making sustainability reporting by events arequirement for the first time.

It was also driven by input from dozens of event organisers
over the past two years, including the Oslo and zurich Wanda
Diamond League meetings, true pioneers and leaders in the
sport and sustainability space, and the organisers of ourWorld Championships in Budapest last year, who were the first
Local Organising Committee of our main event to pilot thestandard. I thank them for their passion, commitment, long term
legacy ambitions and input to this process. Their leadershipcontributed to the strong success of the sustainability
programme established by the organising team of the World
Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow last month. Their
platinum achievement against the ABW Standard sets thehighest high bar for our future events. I’m happy to report thatorganisers of upcoming championship events have willingly
accepted that challenge.

It’s a vast undertaking, involving over 450 events in more than
80 countries that are part of our tour and label race series. But
it’s also an exciting one. When fully adopted, our standard will
have the widest reach of any sustainability evaluation system inthe sport industry.
Development of the standard was driven by the sustainability
structures we’ve put in place, which received ISO 20121
sustainable event certification last year. That robust independent
review of the processes and systems we created was anotherworldathletics.org

Do better,be better prepared,
be better equipped,
be better informed.

When we published our first sustainability report in April 2022, I
said that our ambition is to be a leader in organising sustainable
events in the coming years.

As events’ engagement around sustainability grows, so to do the
expectations of our athletes. An overwhelming majority believethat World Athletics does have a role to play in helping to create
a better world. Their concerns are loud and clear. It’s important for
us to continue to act on those concerns and use the influence weand our athletes have to help drive meaningful change throughthe examples we set at our events.
The challenges are vast and will continue. Our response willremain the same: to continue to do better, to be better prepared,
better equipped and better informed to meet those challenges.

Message fromthe President

3When World Athletics developed its sustainability strategy and launched it
in 2020, we knew that it was critical to bring all events under our remit alongwith us to create the widest possible front from across the sport of athletics
to tackle, together, the triple planetary threat of climate change, pollution, andbiodiversity loss.

sporting event in the world, in terms of the number of athletes and countries
participating, after the Olympic Games. Cities bidding to host upcoming World
Athletics Series events, will be required contractually to commit to a highstandard of delivery, making sustainability a core feature of all future World
Athletics championships events.

We did so guided by the recognition that while our events do have an impact
on the environment and are being impacted by the changing climate, they also
wield the power to help push for some of the changes necessary to meaningfully
address the challenges we face.

Organisers of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 were the first
local organising committee to fully embrace the standard, giving it a full throttle
test run at the event last August. Organisers of the World Athletics Indoor
Championships Glasgow 24, which took place in March, announced their strong
ambitions in delivering to the standard and succeeded – without any obligation
to do so.

By making all those events re-examine how they’re staged and begin a pushtowards a delivery model where the key guiding principles include reducing theirenvironmental impacts and maximising their social benefits.
After two years of planning and a year of testing and piloting, that journey finallybegan in January 2024 with the implementation of our Athletics for a Better
World Standard, an evaluation system that’s at the heart of the World Athletics
Sustainability Strategy.
The ABW Standard measures and scores an event’s achievement in sustainable
delivery, and in delivering an event in alignment with the six pillars of theWorld Athletics Sustainability Strategy. The sustainability management systemthat provides us with the framework to manage and deliver our Sustainability
Strategy achieved ISO 20121 sustainable event certification in April 2023,
further underpinning our efforts to drive the ABW Standard forward.

Introduction

From this year, compliance with the standard will be built into World Athletics’broader competition evaluation system, making sustainability reporting arequirement for over 450 events from 85 countries on six continents that arepart of our label and tour event series.
Since it was unveiled in December 2021, organisers of more than 300 one-day
competition series events and label road races have been introduced to the
ABW Standard. Several dozen piloted key components, providing valuable input
prior to its implementation.

worldathletics.org

Meaningful change

Athletes have also welcomed efforts included in the standard – indeed, thoseefforts are expected. In a survey of more than 400 athletes who competed at
the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, 90% said that World Athletics
has a role to play to help build a sustainable future. That same survey revealed
that more than 77% of athletes are very concerned about climate change, withmore than 85% reporting that climate change has already impacted our sport.
Acting on those concerns, in 2022 World Athletics launched its Champions fora Better World, a programme designed to encourage athletes to take a more
active, visible and vocal role in addressing environmental concerns.
Much of our work in 2022 and 2023 focused on bringing the ABW Standard
to the start line. But the last two years also witnessed significant milestones inachieving gender parity at our sport’s highest level and with continued efforts toensure that our sport remains accessible and safe for all.
A 50:50 gender split was achieved on the World Athletics Council – theorganisation’s supreme decision-making body – four years ahead of schedule.
And, building on the safeguarding policy launched in 2021, we produced acertificated Safeguarding Essentials training course that’s available in sevenlanguages.
These efforts, along with several other highlights from across the six pillars of
our sustainability strategy, are detailed in this report.

The standard is also being incorporated into the delivery of all seven World
Athletics Series events, including the World Athletics Championships, the largest

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worldathletics.org

Events are vital to our sport, and the standard is essential for
ensuring that these occasions, which bring immense drama andjoy, are organised and hosted responsibly.

Setting thestandard
Highlights

Over the past two years, our main focus has centred
on implementing our Athletics for a Better World(ABW) Standard. This initiative integrates sustainability
principles into all events under World Athletics ownership,
control, licensing or influence. This includes our WorldChampionship events, as well as one-day athletics
meetings, tours andlabelled road races.

Comprising 55 action areas covering all aspects of event
delivery, the ABW Standard focuses on procurement,
waste management, energy, food and water management,
and travel planning. It also addresses diversity,
accessibility, inclusion of staff and volunteers, aswell as ensuring the health, safety and wellbeingof all participants and stakeholders. The standard
includes guidance on monitoring, reporting andcommunication of organisers’ efforts.
It offers tiered levels of achievement – platinum,
gold, silver, bronze and recognised event – to be
met as part of the broader evaluation process
for all World Athletics-licensed events startingfrom 2024. Cities bidding to host upcoming
World Athletics Championships must commit toachieving a gold level, integrating sustainability
into future championships.
Additionally, the standard is scalable, allowing
events at any level to attain the highest
sustainable achievement.

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worldathletics.org

55 action areas

Athletics
for a BetterWorld

120 total points available across six areas(20 mandatory, 100 optional):
•
•
•
•
•
•

Leadership in sustainability
Sustainable production and consumption
Climate change and carbon
Local environment and air quality
Global equality
Diversity, accessibility and wellbeing

Five event tiers• Platinum – 108 points (90%)• Gold – 96 points (80%) – minimum requirement forworld indoor and outdoor championships from 2027
• Silver – 84 points (70%)• Bronze – 72 points (60%)• Recognised event – 40 points (33%)

Getting certified
Since it was unveiled in December 2021,
organisers of more than 300 one-day competition series events and label road races
have been introduced to the standard.
Dozens integrated parts of it into theirplanning in 2023, providing valuable input
prior to its implementation from January2024.
To support its implementation, we developed a Sustainable Events Management
System (SEMS), which provides bestpractice guidance in 15 areas of planningand delivery in 16 languages. The standard’s rollout was supported by an ongoingseries of webinars, case studies, site visits
and one-on-one meetings.

Highlights

The internal sustainability management
system we’ve developed to provide theframework to manage and deliver oursustainability strategy – which includes
driving the ABW standard – underwent
a rigorous two-phase audit process toreceive ISO 20121 certification in May
2023. The system has been incorporated
into the delivery of all World Athletics Series events, including the World Athletics
Championships Budapest 23, the first LOC
to fully embrace the standard.

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worldathletics.org

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Celebrating
sustainability
in Budapest

In August 2023, against the breathtaking backdrop of
the River Danube in late summer, the world witnessednine unforgettable days of athletic excellence. A recordbreaking 2,100 athletes from 195 countries competedin the Hungarian capital, captivating over 400,000
spectators from 120 nations.
Amid the athletic achievement – marked by one world
record, one world U20 record, seven championshiprecords, 11 area records and 73 national records –we tried to make history off the track with the Local
Organising Committee (LOC). It marked our inaugural
major event aligned with the Athletics for a Better World
Standard, underscoring our commitment to sustainability
and progress beyond athletics.
The LOC had two primary legacy goals: to promote healthand wellbeing by encouraging increased physical activity
among Hungarians through incentive programmes tied to
the World Athletics Championships, and to foster tangible
urban regeneration.

Highlights

For urban regeneration, a forest restoration initiative waslaunched in two Budapest districts: the 20th district, only
nine kilometres from the main competition venue, theNational Athletics Centre, and the 9th district, situated on
the outskirts and serving thousands of city residents.

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Highlights

During the Championships, a Green Zone was set up
inside the stadium park, allowing spectators to learn
about the event’s sustainability efforts. Visitors also
had the opportunity to interact with our Champions fora Better World athlete ambassadors, who shared theirclimate change concerns and discussed their support
for World Athletics’ sustainability strategy.
Two live-streamed panel discussions hosted aroundthe Championships delved into the impacts of climatechange on sports and communities, as well as actionable
solutions for event organisers and hosts.
‘Sport on the Climate Change Front Lines’ featured
team delegation members from five Pacific Island nations
most vulnerable to climate change, while ‘Building
Collaborations for Sustainable Events’ brought together
leading practitioners, researchers and scholars in sportand sustainability.
The panel explored the Budapest LOC’s ambitions toalign with the World Athletics sustainability strategy.
Discussions also revolved around major events’ rolein exemplifying sustainable practices and fosteringcollaborations and partnerships, including partner andsponsor expectations regarding sustainability at such
events.

Celebrating
sustainability in
Budapest

worldathletics.org

Elsewhere, a robust waste management strategy was
implemented, accompanied by a campaign promoting
public transportation for spectators. The introductionof water refill stations in the stadium park, broadcast
compound and media centre helped to eliminate
342,000 single-use plastic bottles from the event.

“This is something that’s
very important to me andsomething I’m passionate
about. Sport has to makechanges. Extreme weather
is really impacting sport
and athletes, and we haveto do what we can to makea better world.”

Eliza McCartney, New Zealand polevaulter and World Athletics Champion fora Better World

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Highlights

Bislett
Games
at theforefront ofresponsible
sportHighlights“We are now in the fourthindustrial revolution. It isgoing to be digital and green.
Financially it is smart to think
and work this way, so it really
was a no-brainer.”wo rr gg
w oo rr ll dd aa tt hh ll ee tt ii cc ss .. o

The Oslo Bislett Games, one of the most historic
stops on the Wanda Diamond League, fully
embodies our sustainability ethos. Following its
shift away from a headline sponsorship with afossil fuel company in 2017, the event, guided
by meeting director Steinar Hoen, has placedsustainability at the forefront of its agenda.
The event’s dedication extends to the Bislett
Stadium itself, which has adopted ‘Ten
Commandments’ of sustainability that adorn
walls across the venue. These include using only
renewable energy, encouraging use of public
transport, cycling or walking and standing fordiversity and inclusion.
Since implementing sustainable practices, theOslo meeting has cut its carbon emissions
by nearly 40% and travel expenses by athird. Despite setbacks from the pandemic in
2020 and 2021, the organisers achieved zero
emissions for all meeting-related transport in
Oslo, using the airport train (with round-trip
tickets provided for those accredited) andelectric vehicles.
The event is aiming for a 50% reduction inemissions by 2024, especially as the Oslo andStockholm Diamond League events will occur
on the same weekend, allowing athletes to travelby train between the two, further reducing flightneeds.
Additionally, Bislett Stadium introduced an
innovative waste management system, featuringa refrigerated unit for compostable waste that
reduces odours and decreases waste collection
frequency. Powered entirely by renewableenergy, the stadium ensures the system does
not increase its carbon footprint.

Steinar Hoen, meeting director,
Bislett Games9

worldathletics.org

Empowering
our athletes
Prior to the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference in November 2023, we conducted ourthird annual survey to gather insights from our athletes regarding their perspectives on climate change andother environmental and social issues.
In a survey of nearly 400 athletes who participated in the World Athletics Championships Budapest
23 in August, three-quarters (75%) reported experiencing direct negative impacts on their health andperformance due to climate change, with 85% expressing that athletics as a sport has suffered adverse
consequences. This marks a significant increase from 2022, when 72% perceived negative effects on the
sport and 66% reported direct impacts.
The survey revealed that 77% and 83% of athletes respectively expressed extreme or high levels ofconcern about the climate crisis and air pollution, with 90% stating that World Athletics has a role to play inbuilding a more sustainable future.
Empowering athletes to be catalysts for change, we launched Champions for a Better World in 2022.
Comprising athletes from each of World Athletics’ six continental areas, this initiative enables athletes tospearhead sustainability advocacy and awareness raising about climate change.

Highlights

Entering its second year in 2023, Champions for a Better World welcomed Australian race walker Rhydian
Cowley to its roster, which includes Kelsey-Lee Barber (Australia, javelin), Ajla Del Ponte (Switzerland,
sprints), Alison Dos Santos (Brazil, hurdles), Sam Mattis (USA, discus), Eliza McCartney (New Zealand, polevault), Ernest John Obiena (Philippines, pole vault), Elena Vallortigara (Italy, high jump) and Hugues Fabrice
Zango (Burkina Faso, triple jump).
To kick off the new year and introduce Cowley, a two-time Olympian, the group collaborated on a video
showcasing their sustainable daily practices, underscoring the survey finding that 77% of athletes are open
to adjusting their lifestyles to reduce environmental impact.

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Knowing that we have an
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Sam Mattis, US discus throw
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Empowering
our othletes

worldathletics.org

75%

experiencing negative
impacts of climat
e change

I think that climate change should
be an important issue for everyone.
Climate change is really impacting
our sport right now, and that’s why
we need all hands on deck.
Rhydian Cowley, Australian racewalkerHighlights
11worldathletics.org

Collaborating onshared goals
Although we have our own sustainability strategy in place, we know we cannot do it alone.
We constantly search for and invest in strategic collaborations that can accelerate sharedsustainability targets.
Since 2022, we have been involved in the GAMES project, an Erasmus+ funded initiative
exploring decarbonisation practices for sports events and within sports governance.

Highlights

Alongside the International Biathlon Union, International Floorball Federation and the Swedish
Floorball Federation, with technical partner Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies andcommunications partner Touchline, we have created a database of best practices and been partof site visits to see where operations and policies can be improved from a carbon reduction
perspective.
One of the landmark milestones of the GAMES project thus far was the undertaking of theenvironmental footprint analysis at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023
in Innsbruck-Stubai.

The analysis covered the entire environmental impact of the event, surpassing its carbon footprint. It
used the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate environmental impacts across various
aspects, such as infrastructure, mobility, logistics, food, beverage, accommodation, equipment, materials
and waste, throughout the event’s life cycle.
Collaboration across the value chain to make events more sustainable was the topic of our panel at
Budapest 2023 at ASCIS house.
Featuring Dr. Susie Tomson (thinkBeyond), Dr Madeleine Orr (sport ecologist), Sam Mattis (US athlete),
Petra Schmitt (Budapest 2023), Mark-Ivar Magnus (World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry) and
Bob Ramsak (World Athletics), the panel examined the potential for major sports events to set strong
examples around sustainable delivery, and how effective collaboration supports those goals.
Additionally, in May 2023, World Athletics and WFSGI signed a Memorandum of Understanding toenhance collaboration for sustainable sport development, benefiting athletes, the industry and theplanet.

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worldathletics.org

Through six pillars we are aiming to make the sport ofathletics more sustainable and responsible.

1

Leadership in sustainability
Objective: Be a recognised driver in sports sustainability
2030 targets
100% of World Athletics
member federations andlicensed events taking
sustainability action

2

Highlights

Oursustainability
strategy

100% of World
Athletics Series events
deliver to ISO 20121
standard

100% of corporate
partners engaged andactivated

Sustainable production and consumption
Objective: Positively manage the impact of procurement
2030 targets
Technical and event
standards account forsocial and environmental
impacts

3

100% of owned andlicensed events commit
to World Athletics
Sustainability Policy

Baseline of impact at
World Athletics Series
events and action plan
for all events established

Climate change and carbon

Objective: Transition to carbon neutrality by 2030
2030 targets
Achieve carbon neutrality
across World Athletics
operations and World
Athletics Series events(annual 10% reduction against
2019 baseline)

100% of sanctioned
event commit to carbon
neutrality targets

100% compliance withsustainable procurement
code across World
Athletics activities

100% compliance withsustainable procurement
code at sanctioned
events2030 targets
Venue, event andequipment standards
incorporate environmental
factors

5

100% of host cities
establish low emission
zones around athletics
venues

Air quality targets areunderstood, set andmonitored

Global equality

Objective: Demonstrably share skills across the world2030 targets
100% of World Athletics
continental areas capableof hosting high quality,
sustainable events in atleast one city

6

Venue and event
standards minimise
impact on surrounding
environments

100% of World
Athletics continental
areas have recognised
opportunity pathways
for both genders in all
professions in athletics

Annual female leadershipseminars conducted in allcontinental areas

Oursustainability
strategy

Objective: Ensure environmental conditions enable individuals to participate safely

Diversity, accessibility and wellbeing
Objective: Ensure athletics is open to everyone
2030 targets

Highlights

100% of athletescompeting at international
events have standardised
basic health checks

100% awareness andimplementation of diversity
policy throughout the
sport

100% of member
federations have establishedcollaborative disability inathletics programmes

100% implementation ofstaff wellbeing policy andWorld Athletics process toaddress issues

100% implementationof an athlete and related
officials’ policy, and World
Athletics processes to tackle
harassment and safety

worldathletics.org

4

Local environment and air quality

Rusila Tekamotiata, president,
Kiribati Athletics

As one of the largest international sports federations, we proudly
demonstrate the universal accessibility of our sport. Through ourAthletics for a Better World standard, we’re promoting sustainable event
organisation across over 450 events spanning nearly 100 countries on
six continents.

worldathletics.org

Makingsustainability
attainable foreveryone

Athletes need a place to train
and as we are losing landthrough erosion it is becoming
increasingly challenging for ourathletes. We always have to think
about how the climate will affectus. It is an integral part of how weplan all our events and activities.

This includes our flagship World Athletics Series events, as well as
those we collaborate on, grant permits for, or influence, such as the
Wanda Diamond League series and prestigious road races like the World
Marathon Majors.
To support the integration of the Athletics for a Better World standard,
we developed a sustainability management system, which, in May 2023,
was certified to ISO 20121 standard.
This certification required demonstrating consideration of all pertinent
financial, economic, social and environmental factors. Conducted by
BSI, a leading authority in ISO standards, the rigorous two-phase audit
process evaluated how our sustainability management system integrated
sustainability into event planning and delivery. Furthermore, the system
was evaluated for its ability to monitor progress and ensure ongoingcompliance with standard requirements.

Pillar 1: Leadership in sustainability

Leadership in sustainability also means spotlighting global sustainability
issues affecting our sport and inspiring action among key stakeholders.
During the World Championships 2023 in Budapest, we highlighted
the threat climate change poses to vulnerable South Pacific nations,potentially leading to a decrease in membership as these nations face
the risk of completely disappearing.
Through a panel titled Sport on the Climate Change Front Lines, wesought to highlight the challenges faced by these nations and explore
how sport can contribute to solutions.
Moderated by our head of sustainability, Bob Ramsak, the panel
comprised athletics leaders from Tuvalu, Kiribati, Samoa, Vanuatu andthe Cook Islands. They shared the stark futures their nations face ingeneral terms, as well as barriers to participating and organising sports
events.

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Around 325,000 single-use water bottles were avoided due to theevent not selling or distributing them. To support the initiative, theorganising committee provided 8,000 reusable water bottles, created
35 temporary drinking water stations and established a ‘Bring Your
Own Water Bottle’ campaign to raise awareness.

s

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of waste diverted from landfill (80.17%)

Zerosingle-use plastic bottles distributed (avoiding 325,000)

8,000

reusable water bottles distributedmfro

One of our key strategic priorities is for our events to account for
their social and environmental impacts, and that holistic approach
helped our World Championships Oregon22 achieve the Council
for Responsible Sport’s Evergreen Certification – its highest level orachievement.

13,200kged
waste divert

Pillar 2: Sustainable production and consumption

A more responsible approach to the use and consumption of materials
and waste management is a fundamental element of our Athletics for a
Better World Standard.

World Athletics Championships
Oregon 22

reuse
con
stru
cti
on

Reducing
waste atour flagshipeventslan

3,263 metric tonnes
dfillof CO2e avoided due to use of renewable diesel

2,358kgof edible food donated to Food for Lane County

2.38 metric tonnesof construction materials salvaged for reuse
Entirelypaperless ticketing system

The Championships achieved an 80% waste diversion rate anddonated more than two tonnes of edible food to the charity Food forLane County. In addition, more than one-and-a-half tonnes of foodwaste was composted.
To reduce the event’s environmental impact further, the dedicated car
fleet was scaled back and a bike valet service was provided for anyone
travelling to the venues via bicycle.

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Recycling system

Pre-eventcoordination
Single-use plastics
avoidance
Community
clean-ups

Pillar 2: Sustainable production and consumption

A year later, at the World Championships Budapest 2023, local NGO Green Zone
(Zöldövezet Társulás) and its band of 60-plus team members rallied to make sure theevent produced as little waste as possible.
More than 328,000 single-use plastic bottles were saved as a result of providing water
stations, fountains and 19 litre water balloons. Around 813m3 of waste was still collected and sorted through by volunteers, helping to achieve a landfill diversion rate of
60%. A waste compression system was used to transport the recycled materials more
effectively.
Alongside the local organising committee, Green Zone helped to coordinate the reuseof several items that have been traditionally single-use, including signage, promotional
materials, educational leaflets, cable reels and caps.

More than 813m3
of waste wascollected, sorted
and sent to berecycled – theheight of more than
three Eiffel Towers.
Although our flagship events are great opportunities to showcase a more sustainable way of doing things for our sport, ourambition is to make sure that there is a certain level of environmental and social responsibility across all athletics events aroundthe world.
To support this vision, our competitions and events department
began a review of all World Athletics certification systems forfacilities and equipment. The purpose of the review, which began
in October 2023, was to incorporate environmental sustainability
requirements for equipment and synthetic surfaces.
In line with our sustainability strategy, synthetic surfaces inparticular will be assessed against our four environmental pillars:leadership in sustainability, sustainable production and consumption, climate and carbon, and local environment and air quality.
During 2024, we will strengthen our approach to sustainableproduction and consumption with the implementation of asustainable procurement policy and the continued rollout of ourAthletics for a Better World standard.

Reducingwaste at
our flagship events

Awarenessraising
Educational briefings

worldathletics.org

Budapest 2023 waste management strategy

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At the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, a banner at theGreen Zone vividly depicted the threat of climate change to our sport.

worldathletics.org

We recognise the bidirectional relationship between our sport and theenvironment. While our events have an impact on climate change, they also
have the ability to promote the positive changes needed to address thechallenges we face.

Featuring three images, it showcased the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg,
Sweden, host venue of the 1995 World Athletics Championships, in different
scenarios: present day, in a 1.5°C above pre-industrial temperatures world,
and, finally, in a 3°C world. Only in the present-day image was the stadium
not completely flooded because of sea-level rise.
To position our organisation and athletics as part of the solution to mitigate
and adapt to our changing climate, we have the objective of achievingcarbon neutrality by 2030 through two main goals: minimising carbon
emissions across our activities and investing in credible offsets to balance
our unavoidable emissions.

Pillar 3: Climate change and carbon

Addressing ourcarbon footprint
As signatories to the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework, wehave been working to reduce our climate impact against a carbon footprint
baseline we calculated for the year 2019.
Like many other sports, a significant proportion of our carbon emissions
comes from travel. We are addressing this through the development of asustainable travel policy, which will be fully implemented in 2024, and therestructuring of our competition calendar to concentrate events to makemore sense geographically.
A carbon emissions calculation tool has been developed for member
federations and athletics event organisers to help them understand theirown carbon footprints, and where the opportunities to reduce are. To help
them make the most of the tool, we have organised an introductory webinar,created tutorial videos and provide ongoing support.

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As an international federation, more than 90% of ourcarbon emissions are generated by travel. To balance ourunavoidable emissions, we have invested in three Gold
Standard carbon offsetting projects that help to achieve
a number of other sustainability goals as well as climate
action.

Pillar 3: Climate change and carbon

In Madhya Pradesh, India, we have invested in a wind power
project that generates 110 GWh of clean electricity every
year, which could power 25,500 households. The project
also has a number of social objectives, with the distributionof educational materials, organisation of health camps and theemployment of 61 people.
An anti-deforestation project in Brazil, dubbed the Ceará initiative, hastransitioned five factories from using illegal firewood to agricultural residues for
power. This prevents the deforestation of 1,750 hectares over a 10-year period,
avoiding 50,536 tonnes of CO2e.
And the Lango Safe Water Project in Uganda has provided clean drinking water
to 40,000 people and reduced emissions by 50,000 tonnes. Additionally, it
has saved local households nearly four hours per week and reduced domestic
violence related to water collection.
Similar investments will be made in 2024 to offset our travel-related emissions
from 2023.

A focus on active mobility

Addressing ourcarbonfootprint

worldathletics.org

Renewable energy, conservationand gender equality

One of the key focuses of theAthletics for a Better World Standard
is finding creative ways to reduce
travel emissions related to our events.
At both Oregon 2022 and Budapest
2023, we launched active mobility
pilot projects.
Jointly coordinated by the World
Athletics health and science teamand sustainability team, the pilots
measured the environmental benefitsof event staff cycling or walking atlarge sports events over using othermore carbon intensive methods oftravel.

19

Clean air is essential for athletes at every level, from elites to enthusiasts.
Poor air quality disproportionately affects active individuals, especiallyendurance athletes, and that’s why addressing this issue is integral to oursustainability strategy and Athletics for a Better World standard.

It is deeply unjust that athletes inmany parts of the world are hinderedby poor air quality and face serious
health implications in their pursuit ofsporting achievement.
Kajsa Bergqvist

The World Athletics Championships Oregon22 initiated a research
project to identify essential information and resources for protecting
athletes, spectators and event staff from poor air quality impacts.
This effort, part of a broader research collaboration between World
Athletics and the University of Oregon, involved monitoring air quality
around Hayward Field using sensors to gain insights into the impact of air
quality on event preparation.

worldathletics.org

Safeguarding oursport from air
pollution

Through collaboration with the university’s Institute for a
Sustainable Environment, monitors scanned for pollutants andgases, enabling real-time data collection and sharing before,
during and after events.
Global athletics events are increasingly affected by poor air
quality. The year before the Championships, an unprecedented
heat wave severely disrupted the USA Olympic Trials in Eugene,
Oregon. Several wildfires in the region over the last few years
have created major problems around smoke and air quality.
Our health and science team has been at the forefront of air
quality research since the launch of our Air Quality Project in2018. This project has involved every local organising committee
ever since as the issue was highlighted as a strategic priority ata very early point of our sustainability journey. Research showsthat more than half of people globally (53%) are scared of air
pollution levels affecting their ability to run or exercise outside.

Pillar 4: Local environment and air quality

The team has supported event organisers by creating tools that
help with messaging around air quality impacts, such as live
screen updates at some events and a widget with live info on
the event website.
In June 2022, we launched the Every Breath Counts campaign,urging people globally to sign the Declaration for Clean Air. Thisinitiative calls on governments and businesses to adopt stricter
air pollution targets and enhanced monitoring aligned with World
Health Organization (WHO) standards.
To coincide with the campaign, we co-hosted a panel discussion
with the Swedish Athletic Association at the Stockholm Olympic
Stadium to explore how sport could instigate advocacy andaction in tackling air pollution.
Kajsa Bergqvist, the Swedish athletics team manager and2005 world high jump champion, was joined on the panel
by Amina Mohamed (Kenya’s Minister of Sport, Culture andHeritage), Johan Storakers (president of the Swedish Athletics
Association), Antti Pihlakoski (World Athletics Council member)and Mans Nilsson (executive director of the Stockholm
Environment Institute).

20

worldathletics.org

Sustainability in sports necessitatesequal opportunities for all,from athletes to volunteers toadministrators. Our Athletics for a
Better World standard emphasises
creating and maximising suchopportunities, vital for fostering
inclusive participation and maximisinglocal community benefits during
events.

At our 2023 Congress, we achieved a significant
milestone for the future of our sport and the way it isgoverned, electing 13 members of each gender to theWorld Athletics Council, achieving 50/50 gender parity
four years ahead of schedule.
Again, we used our two flagship events – Oregon 2022
and Budapest 2023 – to highlight the importance ofgender diverse leadership in sport and to outline how weare working to make every level of track and field more
inclusive.

Pillar 5: Global Equality

In Budapest, we hosted the Moving Mountains: One Stepat a Time seminar in partnership with ASICS to review the
work and progress of our Gender Leadership Task Force,
which was instrumental in helping us achieve gender parity
on our Council so early.

Promotingrepresentation

Stephanie Hightower, the chair of the Task Force, outlined
the group’s milestones in the company of over 200
leading figures from the world of athletics. Together
with our president, Seb Coe, Hightower emphasised theimportance of diverse perspectives in decision-making toadvance the sport.

Further panels explored the need to change thenarrative around gender leadership and how to provide
opportunities to skilled women, as well as the key
motivations driving women to exercise.
Just over 12 months earlier in Oregon, four prominent
women leaders in athletics – Sanya Richards-Ross, Ximena
Restrepo, Fatma Awale and Claudia Schneck – shared theirjourneys and discussed the importance of gender equity insport at the Out of the Blocks leadership conference.
In an interview led by Hightower, the quartet shared theirexperiences transitioning from athletes to leaders, andstressed the importance to male allyship, self-promotion
and risk taking to advance gender diversity in athletics.
However, equality and inclusivity are not limited to therealm of gender. To make sure that our organisation
provides opportunities and support to everyone involvedin our sport, our Athletics for a Better World standard isgiving us the chance to work directly with event organisers
across wider geographies to build local technical, event
management and performance capabilities.

21

Protecting
ourpeopleSport must prioritise inclusivity and safety
for all participants. Our Athletics for a Better
World standard underscores the importanceof promoting both physical and mental
well-being, ensuring a safe and supportive
environment for everyone involved.

Pillar 6: Diversity, accessibility and wellbeing

To ensure that everyone associated with oursport feels respected, valued and protected,
we introduced our Safeguarding Essentials
training course in severn languages – English,
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese(Mandarin), Arabic and Russian – towards theend of 2023.
The 90-minute course builds on the World
Athletics Safeguarding Policy, established in
2021, and the approval of Safeguarding Rules
by the World Athletics Council. Its aim is toraise awareness of safeguarding responsibilities
in athletics and how to respond to specificconcerns. The target audience for the course
ranges from elite athletes to grassroots clubmembers, from coaches to administrators.
Produced in partnership with UNICEF, thecourse allows participants to learn at their own
pace.

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258

abusive posts
identified

35%

racist abuse

Understanding
how to report
safeguarding
concerns

Safeguarding
courselearning
outcomes

Recognisingsafeguarding
risks inathletics

worldathletics.org

Describing what
safeguarding inathletics means

Making plans
for taking thenext steps insafeguarding

16%

sexual or sexist
abuse

90%
Knowing how
to reduce therisks

detected abusemade on X(formerly Twitter)

46%

Pillar 6: Diversity, accessibility and wellbeingof abuse
athletes fromUSA

UNICEF also supported us and otherinternational federations to develop
advanced safeguarding training modules,
while we helped our own member federations
with the development of their own policies
with a Starter Pack, which included essential
documents like codes of conduct, reporting
flowcharts and safeguarding rules.
Our safeguarding challenge was laid bare by
a study we conducted in December 2023,
which revealed that athletes had received
more than 200 abusive posts over thecalendar year, with 35% representing racist
abuse – up from 14% in 2022.
Of the 1,344 athlete social media accounts
we tracked during the study, 47 received
targeted abuse, with 16% sexual or sexist
in nature. Levels of abuse during Budapest

2023 were
noticeably higher
than during Oregon
2022.
This study, the third of its kind in athletics, ispart of a four-year research project we areconducting to comprehend the extent of
online abuse athletes encounter during major
sporting events. The initiative utilised Threat
Matrix, developed by Signify Group andsupported by Quest, to analyse data.
With a fourth study scheduled for the Paris2024 Games, the research will cover datafrom two Olympic Games and two World
Athletics Championships held across Asia,
Europe and North America.

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worldathletics.org

Lookingahead
to 2024
and
2025
Continue to provide
support to drive
implementation of theAthletics for a Better
World Standard

Provide guidance andsupport to organisersof the World Athletics
Indoor Championships
Nanjing 25 andWorld Athletics
Championships Tokyo
25

Develop andimplement a Climate
Transition Plan

1 2 3Develop curriculum to build
Athletics for a Better World
champions across the entire
sport including athletes,
coaches, event organisers,
technical officials andadministrators

Develop materials forcoaches and teachers to
use athletics as a platformfor DEI and environmental
sustainability training

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www.worldathletics.org@WorldAthletics

This document can be found in the publications section of the Athletics for a Better World section of worldathletics.org
This document is correct as of 31 January 2024
©World Athletics 2024
All rights reserved