ESAF 2019 Zug – The most Sustainable Major Event in Switzerland

The vision of the 2019 Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival (ESAF) in Zug was not only to organise an atmospheric and unique sports festival but, as the largest sporting event in Switzerland, also for it to be successful from an environmental and social point of view. To achieve this goal, a sustainability department was set up for the first time and a comprehensive sustainability management was launched. The myclimate foundation supported the department in its strategic decisions, the calculation of emissions for the event and the on-site communication measures. myclimate was also involved in creating the sustainability report.

A person in a polar bear costume pulls a cart filled with empty bottles, accompanied by people in blue t-shirts. In the background, there is a deposit return stand on a sunny festival grounds. — myclimate Eisbär

To organise a sustainable event of this magnitude, it was important for all participants to be involved: the ESAF organisation committee, the partners and sponsors, as well as the visitors on site. A comprehensive sustainability concept was developed for this in partnership with myclimate, which took precise account of all areas of sustainability. Specific measures were developed from this concept to enable the festival to be held in the most sustainable way possible. For example, it included well thought-out waste management, the inclusion of public transport in the tickets, foregoing a comprehensive festival guide, environment-friendly free sample distribution by sponsors and a new bottle deposit concept for reducing waste. The involvement of visitors and communication at the festival was important for the department. The «Bist du dabei?» campaign by the myclimate «Cause We Care»-programme encouraged visitors to ESAF to make an active contribution to climate protection in various ways. The centrepiece of this was a recycling concept which involved the option for visitors to donate their bottle return deposits into the sustainability pot. When buying a parking ticket or the famous Schwinger menu, a portion of the price was automatically donated to climate protection. All contributions made by visitors were matched by ESAF. Each involvement thus immediately counted double.

«An event of this size inevitably has consequences for the region, the local economy and the environment. The urban location and the ideal local and social circumstances dictate the aim to stage the most sustainable National Wrestling Festival to date. The organisation committee therefore places great importance on giving a high priority to sustainability aspects, both in the planning and the implementation of ESAF 2019. This is why ESAF 2019 is entering into a strategic sustainability partnership with myclimate»

Heinz Tännler, Organisation committee president and governing councillor

For the emissions of the ESAF 2019 Zug, corresponding climate protection contributions were paid into the following projects:

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