World Athletics is among the nominees for 'Elite Organisation of the Year' at this year's BBC Green Sport Awards.
Launched in 2022, the annual awards celebrate individuals and organisations from across the globe who are actively contributing to a more sustainable future through their sporting profile and practises. Through its Green Sport Awards, BBC Sport aims to celebrate the good news - the athletes, former athletes and organisations working hard to enact and inspire change.
The 'Elite Organisation of the Year' award recognises a professional or high-performance sports organisation or sporting body that is involved in the organisation or planning of competitive sport and has proactively demonstrated support for environmental and climate change issues in the past 12 months.
Initiatives that landed World Athletics on the shortlist include the implementation of its Athletics for a Better World Standard, a system that evaluates an event's environmental, social and local economic impacts and benefits that has been incorporated into the event bidding and licencing process, and its Champions for a Better World programme, which invites athletes to speak out on environmental issues. World Athletics' consistent spotlighting of climate issues and their impact on sport was also cited for the nomination.
The other nominees include the motorsport series Extreme E, organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and World Rugby.
Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley, a bronze medallist in the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Olympic Games this year, is a finalist in the 'World Athlete of the Year' category. Cowley, who is a member of the World Athletics Champions for a Better World programme, was nominated for his climate advocacy and promotion of environmental sustainability at both local and global levels.
A full list of BBC Green Sport Awards nominees is <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cy0glpg38xko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Winners will be announced live on stage at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on Monday 7 October, on the eve of the annual Sport Positive Summit, which kicks off on 8 October at the Kia Oval.
Separately, World Athletics was also shortlisted for the 'Transformation Award' at the inaugural Sport Positive Awards, which will be announced on 8 October at the Kia Oval in London.
World Athletics Vice President and Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei was also nominated in the 'Regional Leader - Africa' category. A list of all Sport Positive Awards nominees is <a href="https://awards.sportpositivesummit.com/spashortlists-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The annual awards celebrate individuals and organisations from across the globe who are actively contributing to a more sustainable future through their sporting profile and practises

World Athletics nominated for BBC Green Sport Awards Organisation of the Year

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<h1> What is Athletics for a Better World? </h1>
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61499175051b00b7318b9c30.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
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<h2>Athletics is the world&rsquo;s sport &ndash; nothing is more simple or universal. This means accepting a global responsibility to use the power and reach of athletics to make a positive difference.&nbsp;</h2>
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That's the driving force behind our landmark social responsibility programme, Athletics for a Better World (ABW), which harnesses the commitment and energy of the worldwide athletics family to inspire lasting change across all segments of the sport and the society that embraces it.
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Propelled by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and united under a common brand, the ABW platform promotes all World Athletics projects that seek to use athletics as a tool for social good. In recent years those have included:
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<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">driving forward the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Sustainability Strategy</a>, a 10-year plan designed to balance the economic, social and environmental impact of our sport and events to ensure we meet the needs of today&rsquo;s generation without compromising the needs of future generations;</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">embed principles of sustainability into the delivery of all athletics events through the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard">Athletics for a Better World Standard</a>, a certification that evaluates and measures an event&rsquo;s achievement in environmental and social sustainable delivery and in delivering the event in alignment with the six pillars that frame our strategy.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/air-quality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Air Quality</a> project, a broad research campaign to raise awareness about air pollution around the world and the impact it has on elite athletes, recreational runners and the spectators and fans that enjoy our events;</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">support for the world's only year-round <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/athlete-refugee-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athlete Refugee Team</a>, providing high level training and competitive opportunites to athletes who have fled violence, conflict and injustice at home; and</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">the development and promotion of a <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/safeguarding">Safeguarding Policy</a> that ensures all participants in our sport a safe and welcoming environment.</li>
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Social responsibility and sustainability are key elements of the World Athletics strategic vision that allow athletics to be seen as more than just 'another performance-driven sport' - but rather as something with much more to offer, a true vehicle through which to help build a better world. Through our events, campaigns and social responsibility programme partnerships, we are ready to activate a worldwide network of Area Associations, Member Federations, local organising committees, athletes, volunteers, families, sponsors and public institutions who believe in the values of our sport.
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Working closely with event organisers, World Athletics will provide the leadership so that our stakeholders can add value to their own work by concentrating the synergies of projects in the fields of health, environment, social inclusion and peace.
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<h4><a style="color: #ff873c;">Health</a></h4>
Mass athletics participation activities which contribute to creating a healthier, fitter society, especially for young people.
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<h4><a style="color: #ff873c;">Environment</a></h4>
A healthy environment is the foundation of a healthy society which underpins a resilient economy. Through its Athletics for a Better World Standard, World Athletics will develop, implement and promote event delivery practices that reduce environmental impact and increase social and local economic benefits, challenge some 'business as usual' practices.
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<h4><a style="color: #ff873c;">Social inclusion and athlete safety</a></h4>
We will promote events and programmes that bring people together to help overcome the challenges caused by social inequality and ensure that all participants do so in a safe environment.
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<h4><a style="color: #ff873c;">Peace</a></h4>
By working with external partners, we can ensure there is awareness and advocacy for using sport to bring peace to areas of conflict.

News30 Sep 2024

World Athletics nominated for BBC Green Sport Awards Organisation of the Year