For the past 3 years, Lucion has supported events organiser, OSB events, as Sustainability Partner to the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon (CHM), providing Environmental Social Governance and sustainability benchmarking for the annual event. As a team of 34 Lucion runners prepare to take on the CHM 2024, in aid of chosen charity partner Mesothelioma UK, our ESG and Sustainability team review last year’s sustainability achievements at the event and outline OSB’s sustainability goals for the next event happening Sunday 3rd March 2024.
Our Sustainability Partnership
OSB, the organiser and promoter of TTP Cambridge Half Marathon (CHM) is committed to taking action to ensure that its impacts on the community and environment are positive, wherever possible, and minimise any potentially negative impacts.
OSB has worked with Lucion (and previously Delta-Simons, a Lucion Group company) since 2020, as a specialist environmental consultant, appointed as the CHM Sustainability Partner, to develop an Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Strategy for TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to ensure that the event continues to evolve to include the highest possible ESG standards.
What did we achieve in 2023?
Our unified ESG strategy for TTP Cambridge Half Marathon ensures the event continues to evolve to include the highest possible ESG standards. The ESG Strategy outlined aligns with The Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Some of the ESG initiatives OSB and Lucion outlined and achieved during the 2023 event include:
- Compostable cups: Compostable cups were introduced at the 2023 event, replacing 50,000 plastic bottles at drinks stations and within the event village. A number of Cambridgeshire landowners, including Kings College, made use of the resulting compost on agricultural land and landscaped grounds within the region. While compostable cups were well received by event participants, unfortunately the waste management contractor which made the commercial composting possible in 2023 no longer operates in the East of England. Therefore, an alternative solution for the plastic bottle free on-course drinks stations has been found for 2024.
- Waste management: Following participant feedback, CHM improved the signage identifying the bins within the event village at the 2023 event to ensure that it is clear what waste goes in which bin. Bin signage was also raised above head height, so the locations of the bins were more visible.
- OSB, in collaboration with Lucion, created an ESG post-race survey, collecting data to better understand areas for improvement and forge a path of continuous ESG progress.
Our 2024 Initiatives
For the 2024 Cambridge Half Marathon event, we have outlined the following initiatives;
- Zero Waste to Landfill – Segregation of waste is necessary to allow it to be recycled, especially where difficult to recycle waste streams such as gel packets need specific treatment. Participants are asked to separate water cups and gel packets into the correct bin on course. To help with this, all on course feed stations have a bank of cup and gel bins and a permitted litter drop zone following each feed station. After the event, all ground litter will be collected, and along with event bins will be sorted at a Cambridgeshire waste management facility.From the waste sorting centre, the segregated recyclable wastes will travel onwards through specific recycling processes to be formed into new usable products including transforming used cups into new cardboard packaging, gel packets into plastic construction materials and products such as benches, and food waste will be composted. Following waste segregation, the amount of remaining non-recycle waste from the event is relatively small. Non-recyclable waste is taken to an energy recovery facility to generate electricity / heat creating a usable resource and avoiding sending waste to landfill.
- Recyclable paper cups – This year, 100% recyclable paper cups have been introduced to ensure the event continues to be plastic free. The used paper cups will be segregated from other wastes at a Cambridgeshire Waste Management Park, baled and delivered to a UK papermill for pulping and reprocessing into other paper products, including packaging materials, reducing the need for raw materials in the manufacture of these products.
- Energy Gel Packet Recycling – Single use packaging used by the sports nutrition industry is not widely recyclable through traditional waste collection and recycling facilities. This year CHM is partnering with the HIGH5 Sports Nutrition Programme which collects all brands of gel packets from the event and recycles them into new products such as benches and play equipment. To allow this, specific gel bins have been provided and any packets collected with ground litter will be sorted at the waste management facility and returned to HIGH5 for recycling
For further information about our partnership and Sustainability initiatives, visit the Sustainability section of the CHM website to explore our Sustainability milestone map and flipbook, here.
“As Sustainability Partner to CHM, we are really looking forward to the 2024 event. We have worked closely with OSB to introduce initiatives that make a real impact in Cambridge and beyond. Zero waste to landfill is a really exciting development for 2024 and this wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of OSB and wider partner organisations to make this a leading sustainable event.”
-Emily Spencer, ESG Manager, Lucion
Mesothelioma UK
The next CHM, taking place on Sunday 3rd March 2024, our team of 34 runners, made up of current employees, former employees and clients will be collectively raising vital funds for our chosen charity partner Mesothelioma UK.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer and exposure to asbestos is responsible for up to 9 out of 10 cases. Protecting people from hazardous environments is at the forefront of our business and Lucion is closely aligned to Mesothelioma UK due to our extensive work in the asbestos industry.
Mesothelioma UK is the UK’s leading national specialist resource centre for mesothelioma. Founded in 2004 with initial funding from Macmillan Cancer Support, the charity has been dedicated to providing information, support and improving treatment and care throughout the UK for mesothelioma sufferers and their carers. The charity also delivers information and education to industry bodies nationwide, raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos and preventative measures that must be taken to protect individuals from asbestos exposure. Integrated with the NHS, Mesothelioma UK funds a network of specialist nurses available to mesothelioma sufferers at the point of need.
If you would like to sponsor our team, there’s still time.
You can show your appreciation for our runners by donating at the event’s Just Giving page by clicking Donate Now.
Our Lucion Team
Aaran Phillips – Senior Operations Manager, Hazardous Materials
Adam Quinn – Consultant, Hazardous Materials
Alexander Rea – Graduate Consultant, Water and Flood
Frank Morsman – Account Manager, Hazardous Materials
Isaac McKenna – Consultant, ETS
James Beaumont – Account Manager, Hazardous Materials
Jonathan Bowl – Chief Commercial Officer
Larne Fuller – Area Director, Hazardous Materials
Naomi Harrison – Office Manager, Geospatial
Neil Mallen – Technical Consultant, Hazardous Materials
Nick Aspinall – Operations Director
Phil Rozier – Chief Executive Officer
Rachel Shepherd – Associate, Water and Flood
Sam Plumb – 3D Modelling Manager, Geospatial
Tess Webb-Jones – Graduate, Water and Flood
Tom Ambler – Senior Geoenvironmental Consultant, Ground Risk & Engineering
Tom Bedborough – Senior Geoenvironmental Consultant, Ground Risk & Engineering
Tom Griffiths – Director, Geospatial
Tubah Roshad – Area Administrator, Hazardous Materials
William Satchell – Site Technician, Hazardous Materials
Our Capabilities
We are a a multi-disciplinary environmental and health and safety consultancy providing trusted advice and solutions to ‘Protect People and Planet’ through facilitating sustainable development.
We work with clients from multiple sectors including; industrial, commercial & residential developers, retailers, industrial manufacturers, fund managers, institutional investors, hi-tech companies, the public sector and charitable organisations. For the past 30 years, our team has provided a holistic suite of commercially astute environmental services and advice, designed to mitigate risk to both people and the environment, whilst removing the pain from planning or maintaining buildings and/or assets.
Lucion is a national provider with regional presence with a team of 600 employees, the majority of whom are field-based technical specialists with skillsets in 50+ environmental consultancy services, including hazardous materials, ecology, air and water services, geo-environmental and sustainability among others.
Our team of trusted consultants provide critical insight into environmental challenges and develop the framework of solutions for you to vision and develop sustainably. We provide tailored solutions and embed best practices so that you can progress your project with complete confidence.
Partner with a trusted holistic provider of ESG and Sustainability services. Get in touch with our team by emailing info@luciongroup.com.
