Tokyo 2020 Games have already gained applaud for their environmental actions. Initiatives like medals manufactured of recycled metal and a solar-powered Olympic stadium, which will also be equipped with a rainwater retention system, are proof of the Japanese capital’s ambition to become the ‘world’s most eco-friendly low-carbon city’.
Much as the environmental side of the Games is a striking example of Tokyo’s commitment to sustainability, other initiatives place the 2020 Olympics high on the sustainability scale. While bidding for the 2020 Games, the Japanese delegation caught the IOC’s attention when it pledged to demonstrate the power of sport to the world and leave a positive legacy for future generations.
Shortly after winning the bid, a number of natural disasters struck Japan, thus reinforcing the urgency to develop a meaningful project with a positive impact. This is how ‘The Caring Games’, the 2020 Olympics motto, came to life as it aims to involve local communities to assist in the recovery of the areas affected by natural disasters. Under this project, many athletes have visited the Tohoku region after the Japan Earthquake in 201, all committed to the promotion of sports for good.
The festivities will include the Tokyo 2020 Nippon Festival, which will hold special cultural programmes in Tokyo, as well as the Tohoku region.
Inclusion and Diversity
The Sustainability strategy of the Olympics includes the celebration of diversity and inclusion. The Games are committed to accessibility, fair business practices free of corruption, decent labor and prevention of discrimination.
Resonating with the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Tokyo has identified 3 key areas with risk potential to human rights: day-to-day work and workplaces; sourcing and supply chain; the Games and inside venues. The organizing committee is planning on introducing a system to respond to these challenges, which will include a reporting and consultation desk with a grievance mechanism.
Interested in Sports for Good? Register for SIGEF, the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum, which will be held in Tokyo on 18-19 September. Worldwide experts, as well as officials and entrepreneurs, will review new trends in sustainability, disruptive technologies and the future of cities.
