Sustainability practices and awareness to be promoted among all attendees including the 260 Malaysian runners registered for event
The Maybank Marathon Bali 2022, to be held on 28 August, will see the introduction of sustainability practices before, during and after the event. Achieving one decade of celebration and milestones this year, Maybank Marathon will not only host a marathon race but will conduct a Sustainability Day one day before the race. This sustainable initiative will include enhancing local community empowerment programmes to generate higher awareness and promote the importance of sustainability to all participants at the event.
This marathon will see the participation of some 10,000 runners from 50 countries, with the aim of creating a deeper understanding of good sustainability practices among all attendees and the surrounding communities. Close to 260 Malaysians have also registered for this year’s event, which resumes physically after a two-year hiatus. The Marathon had been held virtually in the last two years owing to the pandemic.
Group President and CEO of Maybank, Dato’ Khairussaleh Ramli said that Maybank was pleased to be able to host this event amid the new normal environment and is committed to using past experiences, including from the pandemic, to collaborate with stakeholders in promoting good sustainability practices.
“Our purpose in doing this is to ensure that we are always aligned to our objective of ensuring minimal environmental impact in whatever we do. At the same time, we want to leverage every activity to create awareness and influence our communities to incorporate sustainability into their everyday lives and businesses, for the future well-being of our planet.”
Furthermore, President Director of Maybank Indonesia, Taswin Zakaria said, “The event is expected to reignite the passion among running enthusiasts who have been longing for the challenges of running in nature, especially in Bali.”
He added that this year’s run has been designed with all necessary health measures in place, incorporating sustainability messages for everyone – be the runners, spectators, organisers, business partners, co-sponsors, surrounding villagers and the marginalised and disabled communities in the island.
Maybank Indonesia has actively engaged the surrounding villagers to provide ancillary services where possible to ensure that local communities remain key beneficiaries of the economic spin-off from the Marathon. Nearby schools and students are also roped in to offer encouragement to runners on the route and support in other activities such as providing traditional performances for the event. A special race for disabled persons on wheelchairs is also a key event as part of efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity.
From the planning stage of this year’s Marathon, Maybank Indonesia has been working with Eco Bali, a social business focused on waste management. Eco Bali will support waste collection and management during the race pack collection event in Taman Bhagawan, Tanjung Benoa.
On the race day, Maybank Marathon will be partnering with Aqua (Danone), Indonesia’s brand in bottled drinking water to collect and manage the waste along the marathon route. Maybank Marathon is committed to optimising waste collection during the event and involving volunteers from Bali to ensure all waste ends up in the designated bins. Furthermore, all collected waste will be processed at the material recovery facility of Reciki, minimising the amount of waste entering landfills and oceans.
Water stations will be provided with paper cups to minimise plastic waste. Recycling bins/stations will also be accessible at various points during the event to ensure that all waste will be appropriately recycled.
Maybank Marathon 2022 will be held at The Bali Safari and Marine Park, covering a racecourse that passes through traditional villages and farmlands of Bali’s Gianyar Regency.
The event has been acknowledged as an ‘Elite Label’ road race in 2020 by World Athletics (formerly known as the International Association of Athletics Federations) and recognised as a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.