Sustainability and the Games

The word sustainability can mean many things to many people. For the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), sustainability means managing the social, economic and environmental impacts and opportunities of our Games to produce lasting benefits — locally and globally. By taking responsibility for reducing negative impacts and generating benefits for the natural environment, people and target communities, Aboriginal people, and the economy, we are walking our talk and focusing on raising awareness and promoting sustainable living choices.

Today, VANOC released the second of five public Sustainability Reports detailing its progress on a wide range of sustainability initiatives. This latest report specifies VANOC’s goals, interactions with key stakeholder groups, sustainability performance and highlights some of the challenges the Organizing Committee faced between August 1, 2006 and July 31, 2007. The Report also highlights some of the success stories that have stemmed from the sustainability initiatives of VANOC and its related partners, sponsors and stakeholders.

“The Organizing Committee has taken its sustainability commitments to heart and the report features many of the large and small actions taken. It’s exciting for our team to be able to profile the innovative solutions and developments so many have come together on,” said Ann Duffy, VANOC’s corporate sustainability officer. “We heard from our stakeholders about what they liked and didn’t like about our first report and made changes to better serve their interests.”

For a quick read, VANOC has also produced a snapshot, or summary, of the 2006-07 Sustainability Report. The snapshot features performance highlights and shorter stories for those interested in getting a flavour for what VANOC is up to on the sustainability front.

From carefully uprooting and relocating plants in construction areas of Cypress Mountain (freestyle skiing and snowboard venue), to reusing waste heat at Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park (home to curling and wheelchair curling) and the Olympic and Paralympic Villages in both Vancouver and Whistler, VANOC is seeking ways to minimize its environmental footprint.

By fostering entrepreneurial spirit, the Four Host First Nations (FHFN), the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada hosted the Tourism British Columbia 2010 Aboriginal Business Summit in Vancouver, in February 2007. More than 400 First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders and business people attended the workshops on construction, procurement, arts and culture, retail and licensing, and Aboriginal tourism opportunities. As a natural next step, in early March VANOC and the FHFN launched the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Licensing and Merchandising Program aimed at showcasing original works of Aboriginal art and products.

While other Organizing Committees have integrated green policies into their procurement frameworks, VANOC is the first to fully incorporate environmental, social, ethical and Aboriginal criteria. Additionally, VANOC established a Licensee Code of Conduct procedure and program to ensure licensed merchandise is produced in a socially-responsible manner, anywhere on the planet.

VANOC is furthering its sustainability initiatives and learning what can be achieved going forward. When the sport and cultural events of Vancouver 2010 have come and gone, today’s sustainability initiatives will ensure a better tomorrow for future generations.

“Our world is changing every day, and while the 2010 Winter Games are just a dot on the landscape, in the overall scheme of things, we believe they can demonstrate how sport and sustainable practices can advance well-being — environmentally, socially and economically,” wrote John Furlong in his Message from the CEO. “By 2010 we want to be able to show the world what’s possible when people come together on critical issues.”

For further information, the Vancouver 2010 Sustainability Report 2006-07 is available here.