From left: Matthew Campelli (Host); Victoria Peláez (MotoGP ESG Manager); Kattia Juàrez Dubón (FIM Director of Sustainability Commission); Filippo Veglio (UEFA Head of Social Social & Environmental Sustainability); Damiano Zamana (FIM Deputy CEO and Operations Director); Jana Janotova (Senior Programme Coordinator – Sports for Nature at IUCN); Cedric Vanden Bogaerde (AISTS Executive Director); Cosima Deluermoz (Déléguée Foundation Lausanne Olympic Capital)
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Now in its fourth year, the Ride to FIM Awards programme discusses topics of common fundamental importance for the FIM while exploring the legacy shared with the host city and region and the second of this year’s three scheduled Panels – entitled ‘Sustainability’ – was held at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, on Thursday 6 November.
Hosted by journalist Matthew Campelli, a specialist in sport and sustainability, Panel Two’s objective was to inspire actionable change, equipping attendees with practical tools and insights to promote sustainability and networking with an emphasis on measurable action and collaboration.
Following welcome messages from FIM Deputy CEO and Operations Director Damiano Zamana; IUCN Director Protected and Conserved Areas James Hardcastle; and Déléguée Foundation Lausanne Olympic Capital Cosima Deluermoz; a packed audience comprising of students, representatives from FIM Federations and media plus other interested parties enjoyed a series of proactive discussions.
Speakers were Jana Janotova – Senior Programme Coordinator – Sports for Nature at IUCN; Cedric Vanden Bogaerde – AISTS Executive Director; Filippo Veglio – UEFA Head of Social and Environmental Sustainability; Kattia Juàrez Dubón – FIM Director of Sustainability Commission; and Victoria Peláez – MotoGP ESG Manager.
Among the main themes of the Panel were how sport is a medium that can inspire, inform and develop concrete actions, providing a powerful platform on which to educate a wide audience on sustainability values and environmental responsibility.
Also explored was how institutions, federations and promoters can lead by example by embedding sustainability into their core missions and operations and how educational bodies and sport organisations play a key role in shaping a culture of environmental awareness among future generations.
The importance of strategic planning and project development in driving long-term sustainability in sport – from grassroots to elite level – was underlined and ways in which concrete actions and measurable commitments are already being implemented by the present federations, institutions and other interested bodies were highlighted.