About Marathongruppen – The Organizers of the adidas Stockholm Marathon

Marathongruppen is Sweden’s largest organizer of mass-participation events, with around 20 events in its portfolio, including adidas Stockholm Marathon, Tjejmilen, Vårruset, and adidas Stockholm Half Marathon.

At Marathongruppen, we aim to create events that not only inspire physical activity but also contribute to a sustainable future.

We take environmental responsibility by sorting waste at our events, minimizing the use of single-use items, and reviewing our logistics and material handling processes. We strive for social sustainability by ensuring our events are fair and inclusive, welcoming everyone regardless of age, gender, or place of residence. Our financial surplus is reinvested into sports, helping to develop the athletes of tomorrow and improve public health. We focus on four of the UN’s Global Goals: good health and well-being, gender equality, responsible consumption and production, and inclusive, sustainable communities. Together, we create a more sustainable future for running and for society.

Marathongruppen is also part of the Swedish industry association Svenska Motionslopp, which is built on three pillars of sustainability:

• Environmental sustainability: Reducing the environmental footprint of our events by encouraging recycling, reducing single-use products, and using sustainable waste management solutions.
• Social sustainability: Creating events that are fair and inclusive, where everyone is welcome. We promote gender equality and diversity in sport and invite spectators to open arenas so even non-runners can be part of the experience.
• Economic sustainability: All financial surplus is returned to Swedish sports, helping to grow future athletes and improve national health. A recent study estimates that these events generate SEK 9.5 billion annually in public health value.

What adidas Stockholm Marathon Is Doing in 2025

As organizers, we have a major responsibility to ensure the best possible conditions for runners, spectators, sponsors, and partners – and to make the event as sustainable as possible. In 2025, our key sustainability actions include:

• Designated litter zones along the course, to reduce trash between aid stations and prevent waste from ending up in open water.
• An informational video (in English) to raise awareness of our sustainability efforts and the new litter zones.
• This Sustainability Guide, created to inform and inspire all participants to take action.
• Promoting gender equality in running through the 50/50 initiative.
• Year-round movement: We get people moving not just on race day, but all year. With our TSM training groups, participants can prepare with weekly long runs over six months.
• Encouraging sponsors and partners to make sustainable choices
• All event profits go directly to Hässelby SK and Spårvägens FK, the two athletics clubs that jointly own Marathongruppen. Additionally, over 60 other clubs are compensated for their volunteer efforts during the event.
• Social inclusion: Everyone should have the opportunity to participate – on or off the course.
• Supporting local businesses and producers whenever possible for materials and services.
• Promoting eco-friendly travel and climate compensation.
• On-site waste sorting in collaboration with our partner Sortera.
• Storing, reusing, and maintaining our event equipment.
• From 2026, participants will be able to opt out of receiving a t-shirt and medal during registration (which opens in May 2025).

Our Climate Challenge

Organizing large-scale events like a marathon comes with significant environmental challenges. We use and consume large quantities of products and materials to ensure safety and logistics for thousands of people. Production and transportation of these materials form a large part of our environmental footprint.

However, the single largest source of emissions is participants’ travel to and from the event – especially international flights. Together with World Athletics (the international athletics federation), the global track and field community has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 – reducing what we can and offsetting what we can’t. As a World Athletics Label event, the adidas Stockholm Marathon is required to both act on this goal and report our progress.

Ahead of 2025, we conducted our first carbon footprint analysis using World Athletics’ methodology, based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Our emissions are categorized into three levels:

• 🔹 Scope 1 – Direct emissions: From our own vehicles, machines, or facilities.
• 🔹 Scope 2 – Indirect emissions from energy: From purchased electricity, heating, or cooling.
• 🔹 Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions: From travel, purchased goods (e.g., t-shirts), suppliers, public transport, food, and waste.

Our initial estimates show 7.6 tons of CO₂e in Scopes 1 and 2, and an additional 2,000 tons in Scope 3, excluding national and international travel. There’s still uncertainty in these figures, and for 2025 we’ll collect more detailed data from participants and partners – especially about travel.

Once travel data is included, our emissions will increase significantly – especially due to international flights. With about 30% of our participants coming from abroad, our share of international travel emissions is much higher than average for similar events in Sweden.

 We’ll continue encouraging international participants to consider alternative travel options like rail and to offset their flight emissions. Once we have more accurate travel data (expected by 2027), we will explore certified climate compensation projects to invest in.

Your Contribution to a More Sustainable Event

As a runner in the adidas Stockholm Marathon 2025, you can make active, positive choices that support a more sustainable event – and society.

• Live in Stockholm? Choose public transport, bike, or walk to the event to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Traveling from abroad? Travel sustainably and compensate for your climate impact if possible.
• Think before you buy: Choose sustainable, eco-friendly products, borrow gear, or reuse what you already have to reduce consumption.
• During the race, dispose of your trash at our litter or hydration stations. Littering is prohibited in Sweden and may result in fines – this applies during events too. Only take as many cups as you need. Use refillable bottles if you have support on the course. Sort your waste properly at our stations.
• After the event, recycle your bib and donate your old shoes or clothing to charity if you no longer need them.

Every small action makes a difference. Together, we can build a more sustainable event and a better future. Calculate your personal environmental impact with the Climate Calculator and discover what steps you can take toward more sustainable living. Thank you for being part of the change!