Sustainability at the CITIUS Meeting

Our commitment to a sustainable future

Sustainability is a central component of the CITIUS Meeting. As one of the leading athletics events in Switzerland, we see it as our responsibility not only to promote top sporting performance, but also to have a positive impact on the environment and society. Under the motto "The future is tomorrow" we are committed to anchoring sustainable principles in all areas of our event.

At the CITIUS Meeting, we place a strong focus on social sustainability. With our Kids Day, we give children from Bern a unique experience: they compete against their idols in the stadium. Our CITIUS Talents-Programme provides young athletes from Bern with targeted support on their way to the top of athletics and offers them valuable assistance. We also use our CITIUS Talks format to focus on socially relevant topics and promote an open dialogue.

We are also committed to environmental sustainability: we motivate spectators and athletes to travel to the stadium in an environmentally friendly way - whether on foot, by bike or by public transport. In addition, for the past two years we have consistently used electric vehicles to transport athletes in order to further reduce our ecological footprint.

Our aim is to minimise the environmental footprint of the event, to assume social responsibility and to consistently develop our sustainability strategy. We are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standards of World Athletics.

The ABW-Standards of World Athletics

The Athletics for a Better World (ABW) standards were developed by World Athletics to make international athletics meetings more sustainable. They are closely linked to World Athletics' sustainability strategy and cover six key areas:

    •  Leadership – Sustainability as a strategic goal in event organisation.

    •  Sustainable Production and Consumption – Efficient use of resources and environmentally friendly procurement.

    • Climate Change and Carbon – Reduction of CO₂ emissions and climate-friendly event planning.

    •  Local Environment and Air Quality – Protection of local ecosystems and air quality.

    •  Global Equality – Strengthening diversity and gender equality.

    •  Diversity, Accessibility and Wellbeing – Inclusion and accessibility for everyone involved.

To measure the implementation of these standards, World Athletics evaluates each meeting using a points system in a total of 55 areas of action. These include waste management, energy and water use, sustainable travel planning, inclusion, health and safety and the involvement of partners and stakeholders. The ABW standards have been officially certified in accordance with ISO 20121 since April 2023.