Joe GallopBath Half Marathon has become the first run in the world to receive A Greener Festival (AGF) Run Award, recognising event organiser Running High Events’ environmental achievements.
The Bath Half gained the award after a a series of independent site visits, and post event analysis. Organisers of the event, which involved around 15,000 people, provided a CO2 analysis and sustainability report of the event’s operations and impacts.
Running High Events commercial & operations director Andrew Taylor said, “We found the AGF assessment process and report to be a challenging and robust examination of our event processes, providing very helpful and informed third-party insights and validation of our work, highlighting areas of improvement for future years.
“Anyone working in events will understand that managing waste at temporary venues at outdoor events is a challenging and complicated process, and our type of mass-participation running event – which is staged on a single day – presents particular challenges.
“We only have a four-hour window to set up, manage and clear away waste generating activities such as water stations on the public highway, and to collect litter spread by participants and spectators along the course route. We also have to service runners in quick time, literally as they run past our aid stations.”
The event won the Improvers AGF Run Award last year.