The EOC Sustainability and Active Society Commission met on 4 November at the headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee in Madrid, while its Chair and EOC Executive Committee member Annamarie Phelps attended the Sport Sustainability Summit on 5 November.
During the meeting, the Commission reviewed its Terms of Reference for the upcoming quadrennial, assessed current sustainability initiatives across the EOC and the European Olympic Movement, and strategically planned future impactful actions on sustainability.
This begins a renewed push to turn sustainability goals into concrete, measurable results, and members of the Commission agreed on the need for clear structures and realistic priorities moving forward.
A strong emphasis was placed on collaboration across the Olympic Movement, including ANOC who were represented to explore synergies and avoid duplication of work. During the meeting, participants exchanged experiences and reflected on how shared tools and frameworks, such as sustainability dashboards, could support collective progress.
The EOC Sustainability and Active Society Commission’s work in Madrid was hosted by the Spanish Olympic Committee, with the V Sport Sustainability Summit also held at its headquarters on 5-6 November.
Ms Phelps delivered a keynote speech on sustainability in the Olympic Movement at the summit, which was also attended by Commission member Ms Rusudan Aptsiauri.
She highlighted the EOC’s approach to sustainability, detailing support for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions, in line with the EOC Strategic Agenda 2030. This includes the EOC EU Office’s successful OCEAN Project, which involved 18 NOCs and led to the launch of the free-to-use OCEAN Sport CO2 Calculator for all sports organisations to identify areas for improvement.
Ms Phelps additionally outlined the EOC’s work on social sustainability including the launch of a dedicated EOC Safeguarding Policy in February 2025, and stressed the need for continued partnership and accountability.
“It was a highly productive two days in Madrid, and it was encouraging to see the members of the EOC Sustainability and Active Society Commission were deeply engaged on a range of topics,” Ms Phelps said.
“Sustainability is a journey we must all take together, and sport has a unique platform to shape a better world.
“The EOC has made excellent progress in recent years, and our meeting focused heavily on further practical ideas we can implement to redouble our collective efforts to address the challenges that we face.”
