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The Great Run Company
2025 Environmental Report
Targets & Action Plan
Kit & Clothing (Apparel)
Hydration
Target 1: 100% Sustainable Materials Eliminate virgin polyester from all GRC-procured textiles by 2026.
Target 1: Usage Reduction Reduce average plastic bottle consumption from 5.0 to 3.5 bottles per runner.
Action: Mandate 100% rPET (recycled) or organic cotton for all volunteer hoodies, staff polos, and finisher tees.
Action: Audit on-course water stations to identify where bottle handouts can be replaced with high-flow refill points to support a shift toward reusable hydration.
Rationale: This ensures that for participants who still choose to receive a shirt, the environmental impact per unit is significantly reduced.
Evidence: 62% of runners already carry or are willing to carry their own hydration.
Target 3: Cup-Less Zones Pilot a fully cup-less aid station at one road event to test operational viability.
Target 2: Re-energising the “Opt-Out” Impact Goal: Reverse the current downward trend and increase T-shirt opt-out rates across the portfolio.
Action: Select a suitable event to trial a dedicated cup-less zone, supported by comprehensive pre-event communications advising runners to carry collapsible cups or their own hydration.
Action: Refine the opt-out mechanism to make the “No T-shirt” choice more prominent during registration, maintaining thetree-planting donation as a meaningful alternative.
Rationale: This pilot will provide essential data on participant behaviour and refill speeds, helping us determine if cup-less infrastructure can be scaled across more events in the future.
Rationale: Despite high awareness (62%), average opt-out rates have declined since 2024. This suggests a need to re-engage participants with the environmental benefits of declining a shirt to ensure the initiative remains effective.
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