Green Trail Concept presents the key learnings from Ultra Pirineu and Österlen Spring Trail that pave the creation of its certification

Last month, we released a pivotal report detailing the data collection methods we used to develop indicators for the Green Trail Concept sustainability certification. This document lays the groundwork for creating a certification scheme that promotes sustainability in trail running events and it presents the specific indicators that will be used to assess and certify the sustainability efforts of trail running event organizers. 

The literature review and a series of interviews were the first step of the process, allowing us to create an initial list of indicators for measuring the sustainability of trail running events within the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social, and economic.  

We then collected data from two trail running events: Ultra Pirineu in Spain and Österlen Spring Trail in Sweden. These provided us with important insights into trail running and event sustainability from participants, organisers, and local stakeholders. Both events demonstrated a strong emphasis on environmental issues, with participants expressing a desire for prioritization of sustainability measures. However, social aspects such as gender equality, accessibility, and social inclusion were identified as underdeveloped areas in trail running, requiring increased awareness and education among stakeholders. 

Collaboration emerged as a key theme in both events, with participants advocating for shared responsibility among runners, organizers, and local administrations to address sustainability challenges. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of networking and partnerships to foster knowledge exchange and improve event sustainability. A notable difference between the two events was the potential level of involving the local administration in the sustainability of the event, varying by country. This variation influences collaboration approaches and strategies for establishing partnerships. 

Climate challenges also differed between the regions. Mediterranean countries like Spain face drought and extreme temperatures, highlighting the importance of adapting event timing and implementing measures to mitigate environmental impacts. In contrast, Sweden’s climate presents distinct challenges that require tailored sustainability approaches. 

Overall, both events allowed us to gather data that included innovative ideas and propositions for improvement. This tells us that, overall, the trail running community wants to advance sustainability in trail running. The data collection events also allowed us to adjust our initial indicators list. These modifications included: 

• Incorporating social indicators that emerged from discussions with stakeholders, runners, and the audience. 

• Defining new indicators related to collaboration among stakeholders. 

• Introducing indicators focused on raising awareness and improving communication among stakeholders, as well as between organizers and participants. 

• Redefining environmental, social, and economic indicators to enhance their applicability across a broader range of race contexts and settings. 

Another important take from the data collection is that climate is not the only important factor that defines the sustainability of the event, but also the area’s carrying capacity. This is based on the environment’s sensitivity, the local population’s size, the availability of local and private services, and the event’s size. Considering these aspects in the certification scheme’s construction will allow us to develop a more reliable tool that can properly define the sustainability of events no matter their size and location. 

The whole process resulted in our final 15 indicator categories: 

Environmental pillar

(1) Transport,  

(2) Permits,  

(3) Management,  

(4) Use of resources,  

(5) Infrastructure,  

(6) Flora and fauna, and  

(7) Monitoring. 

Social pillar

(8) Inclusion and accessibility,  

(9) Local communities,  

(10) Philanthropy,  

(11) Communication/Media, and  

(12) Social justice. 

Economic pillar

(13) Strategic economic decisions,  

(14) Procurement, and  

(15) Local business engagement

Read the full document here to learn about our process and the indicators we will be measuring for GTC’s certification scheme!