TORONTO, ON (March 5, 2025) – The 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has officially been awarded Evergreen Certification by the Council for Responsible Sport for the second time, reflecting the event’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and its leadership in sustainable race management. This milestone places Canada’s largest marathon in the same sustainability category as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which is widely recognized for its environmental certifications and green initiatives.
As part of the event’s growing list of environmental initiatives, the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has achieved zero waste status, with over 90% of event-related waste diverted from landfill. To achieve this goal, race organizers ensured waste reduction and diversion measures were in place through all stages of race planning and implementation, including sending almost 4,000 kg of organic waste to a commercial composting facility to ensure its proper disposal. Additionally, nearly 2,000 kg of discarded clothing was donated to local charities, while 3,769 kg of leftover food was redirected to local food programs to help address local food insecurity. The marathon also transformed 150 kg of heat sheets into a park bench through their partnership with Green Event Ninjas and GreenWell Plastics. The bench will be donated to a local community space for use by the public.
“Canada Running Series is dedicated to putting on premier running events that leave a meaningful impact beyond race day, and our hope is that with this Evergreen Certification, the marathon can set a benchmark for responsible event management while demonstrating that large-scale races can be both high-performance and low-impact,” said Charlotte Brookes, Race Director of Canada Running Series.
Environmentally conscious decisions are carefully considered through all facets of the event, from selecting sustainable venues, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place to host the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo, down to the implementation of policies banning all single-use plastic water bottles. The event sourced local produce for the 5K race, such as apples from an Ontario-based farm in Newcastle, to provide participants with fresh, locally grown food post-race. A plogging event was also held along the Martin Goodman Trail ahead of the marathon in partnership with Trans Canada Trail, directly combining running with environmental stewardship to create lasting impacts beyond the race itself.
The marathon’s 2024 edition marked the introduction of the Green Bib Program, allowing participants to forgo receiving a race shirt and medal in favor of a donation to sustainability focused charities. In its inaugural year, 6.7% of participants opted in, raising over $20,000 for Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail through the Green Bib Program, and contributing to the $72,000 raised across all Canada Running Series races in 2024.
“Sustainability has always been a major focus for TCS, and we are proud to work with Canada Running Series to implement innovative solutions to create a greener event,” said Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, TCS Canada. “When we became the title sponsor of the event, we pledged 32,000 person-hours to set a new standard for environmentally responsible racing. It has been incredible to witness how much the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has been able to accomplish on this front.”
“Sustainability is just one way we aim to show the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s broader commitment to positive community impact, and we are proud to lead the way in environmental responsibility while also championing inclusivity and engagement in sport,” continued Brookes. “The Women’s Training Program and Women’s Panel continue to promote gender equity in the sport, and our Athletes With Disabilities (AWD) Program works toward accessibility for all. We are dedicated to making a meaningful difference for both runners and the city we call home.”
As the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon continues to evolve, it remains dedicated to balancing elite competition with environmental and social responsibility. With the 2024 Evergreen Certification now secured, race organizers look ahead to further innovations that will enhance sustainability, inclusivity, and community engagement in the years to come. This year’s event weekend will take place October 18-19, 2025.
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About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon
The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). It celebrated its 35th edition in 2024. Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity participants. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.
To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.
About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 65 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.
As part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 607,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and NSE in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the mSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Laurel Bury, Sutherland Corporation
laurel@sutherlandcorp.ca
