IOC promotes sustainability with Dow partnership

The Dow Chemical Company has agreed a deal to become a top-tier partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The deal starts immediately and will run through until the 2020 summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Under the agreement, Dow has been named as an official Worldwide Olympic Partner of the IOC under its ‘TOP’ programme. Dow will serve as the official carbon partner of the IOC.

The new partnership will deliver a global carbon mitigation programme to compensate carbon emissions from the IOC's daily operations, as well as other projects to be identified within the Olympic movement.

The partnership builds on successful carbon mitigation programmes implemented by Dow and the organising committees of the Olympic Games Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016.

Building on Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC has developed a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy, which includes a carbon neutrality objective for the IOC. This involves reducing the IOC's carbon emissions where feasible, while unavoidable emissions will be compensated through the IOC Dow carbon mitigation partnership.

IOC president Thomas Bach said: "Through Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC recognises that we have both an opportunity and a duty to promote sustainability awareness and drive action on a global stage. In addition to being an important element in achieving key objectives of the IOC's sustainability strategy, our partnership with Dow will raise awareness and provide education on this important topic, alter existing business operations, and create sustainable legacies."