Raising the Bar with VANOC’s Sustainability Initiatives

Every Olympic and Paralympic Games tries to raise the bar on performance. Sustainability at The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is no different. We continue to learn from past Games and best practices. We recognize local and global sustainability challenges and opportunities. And we embrace our unique circumstances and our chance to make a difference. We’re working to raise our bar by: 

• Thinking “sustainability”. We expanded the scope of our sustainability program beyond the environmental impacts and benefits of the Games to include the social and economic dimensions of sustainability. 
• Integrating sustainability into our operations. Our Sustainability Management and Reporting System (SMRS) puts our sustainability goals into action, and tracks and measures our performance. 
• Partnering with Indigenous Peoples. We signed a historic protocol with the Four Host First Nations (FHFN) that marks the first time an Organizing Committee has entered into such a partnership with Indigenous peoples. This partnership ensures that the Nations in whose traditional territories the Games are being held are involved with Games planning, hosting and legacy. 
• Rethinking accessibility. We broadened the notion of accessible games to address inclusion of inner-city residents and businesses in the economic opportunities created by the Games. 
• Going greener. We are incorporating green standards into venue design and construction, and green principles and practices into our operations and events. 
• Creating value with our spending. We introduced a sustainable purchasing and ethical sourcing program called Buy Smart. 
• Publishing annual sustainability reports. We are accountable for our performance on sustainability objectives and communicate publicly about it. Check out our second Sustainability Report.