IOC as leader of the Olympic Movement

Did you know that the IOC has been conducting workshops for International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) on sustainability topics such as water quality, responsible sourcing and carbon management?

Or that we compile annual case studies of IF and NOC sustainability initiatives in order to educate, inspire and foster collaboration?

And that we connect IFs and NOCs with international sustainability expertise and support, and are producing a series of guidelines to help them better understand sustainability?

These are just some of the ways the IOC is assisting the Olympic Movement in integrating sustainability into their own organisations and operations.

For the “IOC as leader of the Olympic Movement”, the IOC Sustainability Strategy defined the following five objectives for 2020, and this site is where you can follow our progress:

Provide mechanisms to ensure an exchange of information and best practices between Olympic Movement stakeholders
Facilitate access to relevant expert organisations to develop guidelines and innovative solutions
Leverage the Olympic Solidarity programme to assist NOCs in implementing sustainability initiatives
Set up an ambassador programme, including athletes, in order to raise awareness of sustainability in sport
Profile the role of the Olympic Movement in sustainability, through the aggregation of information and collective reporting

The progress that has been made since the publication of our Sustainability Strategy in early 2017, through to mid-2018, can be found in the IOC Sustainability Report that was published in October 2018. Regular updates will be provided here in the shape of videos, interviews, articles and official documents.

While the five objectives are focused on 2020, we also recognise the need for longer-term sustainability ambitions. For this reason we defined strategic intents for 2030. This is a relevant time frame because it takes into account the duration of Olympic Games bidding and planning processes, and it aligns with the schedule of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The strategic intents represent the IOC’s vision of what a sustainable future could look like for the IOC, the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement, as well as the IOC’s contribution to achieving the SDGs.

For the “IOC as leader of the Olympic Movement”, our strategic intent for 2030 is to inspire and assist Olympic Movement stakeholders in developing sustainable sport worldwide and to leverage the inspirational power of athletes and the Olympic symbol to promote sustainability through sport.

Case studies

Compiled by the IOC, these case studies illustrate how International Federations and National Olympic Committees are integrating sustainability into their operations and events, providing support and guidance for others.

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Sustainability Essentials

The IOC's "Sustainability Essentials" offer guidance for sports organisations, such as National Olympic Committees and International Sports Federations, that are seeking to integrate sustainability into their operations.

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Clean Seas campaign

On June 5, 2018, World Environment Day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) teamed up with UN Environment for its Clean Seas campaign and called on sport and the Olympic Movement to join the effort. The Clean Seas Campaign, launched in January 2017, aims to increase global awareness of the marine litter issue, and to implement measures that address gaps in waste management.

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Sport in biodiversity

Since 2016, the IOC has been partnering with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to help the Olympic Movement avoid potential negative impacts on nature and contribute to its conservation. As part of this partnership, IUCN is producing a series of guidelines on sport and biodiversity, addressed to the global sports community.

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