Sustainability

Sports organization Le Champion, organizer of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, wants to contribute to a healthy and active society and a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, by inspiring and enthusing them to sport and exercise. This objective also directly contributes to the promotion of sustainability. We organize our events as sustainable as possible and to use them for good causes. On this page you will find more information about sustainability during the TCS Amsterdam Marathon.

By increasing sustainability during the event we increase the positive and minimize the negative impact of our own business operations. Le Champion aims to make every event sustainable and also expects this of its partners. For this, cooperation has been sought with De Groene Lobby - they are supporting Le Champion by taking concrete actions and monitoring the footprint of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon. Some of the actions being taken this year can be found below.

Sustainability during the event

Raw materials/waste

The start and finish area is waste-free! This means that all "waste'' released by visitors and participants is recycled. Visitors and participants bring their waste to one of the Recycle Hubs - where the waste is separated for them into one of several streams (GFT, PMD, coffee cups, paper/cardboard, deposit and residual waste). These streams are collected by Oscar Circular and made into new raw materials.
Cleanteams will be walking around the start and finish area. They will ensure that waste is cleaned up and taken to the Recycle Hub. That way, at least it doesn't end up on the streets.
Packed lunches for the volunteers will come in paper bags instead of plastic bags.
Since 2021 the Official Mizuno Race Shirt is no longer packaged in plastic.
A pilot is being held at one of the supply stations along the course by using only biodegradable cups made from cane sugar.
Dixi only uses environmentally friendly cleaning products.
On the course participants will get food and drinks at care stations along the way. When choosing these products, we try to minimize the amount of packaging.
Along the course you will find black trash bins after every two kilometers (right next to the kilometer signs) for disposing of gels or other trash.

Mobility

Participants and supporters are encouraged to travel by bicycle or public transportation as much as possible.
Local suppliers are used as much as possible to limit the number of travel movements.
The events logistics operation is carefully planned in advance, so that only the necessary travel movements take place.

Energy

The arches, refreshment points and catering points will be set up as much as possible in places where fixed power and water points can be used. If no fixed power point is available, mobile battery will be used whenever possible. If this is not possible, a renewable and fossil-free fuel will be used.
If lighting is required, LED lighting will be used as much as possible.

Food & Drinks

Free tap water is available around the stadium for participants.
The available stock products will first be used up as much as possible before purchasing. If there are any products left over after the event, they will be donated to, for example, the Food Bank or the fruit to a zoo.
Participants, volunteers and employees are encouraged to bring their own sufficient food and drinks.
Around the Olympic Stadium you will find several catering points. For every first drink in a cup, you will be charged € 1.00. On a subsequent order, hand in your empty cup and pay only for the drink. When leaving, empty cups can be handed in at the bar, from sustainability they can then be reused.

Certificates

In 2015, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, together with the Dam tot Damloop, was the first running event in the Netherlands with the sustainability certificate "Barometer Sustainable Organizing" from the Sustainable Organizing Foundation.

In 2021, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon achieved the Future Proof Festival certificate.