Vienna City Marathon & the future

Future-orientated action in all areas is important to us. We try to organise the Vienna City Marathon in such a way that it meets the requirements of a modern and sustainable event.

Our guidelines are the "Athletics for a Better World" action programme, which we are committed to as a World Athletics Label Event, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. 
 
Think about what you can do to contribute to more sustainability in sport

Here you will find concrete steps towards sustainability, the preservation of our natural life-support systems and climate neutrality at the Vienna City Marathon, which we have already implemented together with our partners, sponsors and suppliers.
  • A part of the entry fee per adult participant will be donated to WWF Austria for the protection of the natural forests in the March-Thaya floodplains. From a nature conservation perspective, these are among the most important river landscapes in Austria. They form the largest unbroken river landscape in Central Europe and are a hotspot of biodiversity.  
  • New trees have been planted in Vienna-Aspern and in Vienna-Strebersdorf as part of the VCM initiative ‘Run for a Tree’ thanks to contributions from VCM participants.
  • We phased out gas at the VCM office and warehouse building in Vienna by installing an air heat pump in autumn 2022. The next step is to install our own photovoltaic system to generate electricity.
  • The VCM event T-shirt from adidas is made from 100% Prime Green recycled materials.
  • The adidas event equipment for employees, including shoes, is made almost entirely from recycled materials.
  • Re-usable wardrobe bag from Erste Bank Sparkasse Running, made from biodegradable corn starch (ECOPRO corn starch film TÜV Austria certified).
  • An electric cargo tricycle powered by photovoltaics from the company Öko-Mobil was used for the first time in 2023 for the construction work in the finish area.
  • The Vienna Provincial Traffic Department will once again deploy the "uniformed bicycle service" as an advance team.
  • Clothing left in the start area is immediately sorted by MA 48 afterwards and handed over to Carlas, the Caritas secondhand shops in Vienna. The items are then refurbished and sold at affordable prices. This helps conserve resources, reduce waste, and at the same time supports social projects.
  • POWERADE powder is mixed with water at the refreshment points and served in paper cups instead of handing out bottles, which contributes to a considerable reduction in plastic waste. 
  • The entire PET portfolio of Coca-Cola, Powerade and Römerquelle has been converted to bottles made from 100% recycled PET.
  • All PET bottles from Römerquelle and Coca-Cola used at the Vienna City Marathon are part of the deposit return system for single-use beverage containers. When returning them to the mobile ‘Pfandabär’ reverse vending machine, the deposit amount can be converted into a donation to Special Olympics Austria.
  • Beverage cups at the catering outlets are 100% recyclable and can be disposed of in waste paper.
  • Fleet of electric and low-emission advance and escort vehicles of the BMW brand from DENZEL
  • BigBus double-decker buses will be running entirely on electric power for the VCM elite athletes and at the 3rd VCM Winter Run (transporting participants' cloakroom items). 
  • Our hotel partner ARCOTEL holds the international sustainability label ‘Green Key’. The ARCOTEL initiative ‘Give Bees a Chance’ has been supporting organic beekeepers and school projects as well as the creation of new habitats for wild bees since 2015. Every guest can contribute by voluntarily refraining from having their room cleaned. 
  • The various start locations on VCM Saturday were moved to the Ringstraße / Burgtheater area in 2023. This means shorter distances, less use of resources, simplification for everyone involved and more energy for the fun & running.
  • You will receive your refreshments in a bag made from biodegradable material (PLA), which is produced from renewable raw materials such as sugar cane or corn and is free from petroleum.
  • The large-scale "printing" of the Reichsbrücke by "Pixelrunner" is carried out with biodegradable and ecologically compatible colours that comply with current environmental standards. The autonomous outdoor printing robot is powered by an electric motor.
  • Only reusable crockery is used in the hospitality and guest areas at the finish line and on Rathausplatz - no disposable products. Where it is not possible to use reusable crockery for safety reasons, disposable crockery made from renewable raw materials will be used.
  • Print productions in the VCM organisation are greatly reduced (e.g. digital event guide instead of information brochure, postcards instead of image brochure) or printed on PEFC-certified paper.
  • Around 160 MA 48 employees ensure that the running route is immediately clean again. Over 500 collection bins will be set up for waste materials (waste paper, plastic bottles, scrap metal) and residual waste. The course cleaning is finished immediately after the final vehicle at around 4.00 pm, followed by the Rathausplatz from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm.
  • If there is any food left over from the race, the VCM organisation will pass it on to specialist organisations, e.g. Wiener Tafel.
  • Our stand construction partner STANDout uses mainly reusable elements for the stand equipment of the Marathon Expo & the start number distribution of the event.
Sustainability as Download

The myth of Hauptallee

The Prater Hauptallee in Vienna is a place that every running enthusiast simply has to experience.

The fastest running track in the world. Scene of Eliud Kipchoge's first marathon under two hours. The place for running & running events for over 200 years.

Learn more