EuroBeachVolley organisers place sustainability at the core of event delivery

The organisers of CEV EuroBeachVolley 2024 in the Netherlands have taken their commitment to sustainability extremely seriously in the delivery of this year’s continental championship, thereby setting an example for ordinary citizens as well as for others due to follow in their footsteps. 

It is enough to walk around the venues in Apeldoorn and Arnhem to understand that the Organising Committee has planned things meticulously, making sure they would not waste resources, energy or time unnecessarily. To this extent, the support provided by the local authorities plays a pivotal role as well. The Town Hall in Apeldoorn as well as the seat of the Gelderland Province in Arnhem have opened their doors to welcome a large number of officials, players, volunteers and other staff involved in the event delivery. A variety of rooms have been made available with quality furniture, air conditioning, dining areas, high-speed Internet connection and much more. There is a real feeling of great comfort – something quite exceptional especially if you are used to work in tents or containers.

With stadiums set up right in the city centre, there is easy access for fans and visitors alike with public transportation or even by foot – and even the provision of electricity relies fully on the existing networks, without the need of transporting and delivering any highly expensive ad-hoc power generators. 

The use of plastic bottles has been dropped completely – all players, volunteers, officials have been provided with nicely branded EuroBeachVolley flasks which they can refill at any time. The organisers have also set up stations where sunscreen is made available for free to make sure visitors look after their skin - especially should they spend long hours sitting on the stands. 

The sand where the top players from across Europe are currently performing in Apeldoorn will be transported to The Hague after the end of the event – and will be used for facilities where players hone their skills and to grow the next generation of elite Beach Volleyball players. Even billboards and promotional banners will be sent back to the supplier and will be recycled so that waste is reduced to a minimum – thereby improving sustainability even further as well as the overall carbon footprint of the event. 

You can tell that sustainability is far more than ‘just’ a trend. The CEV EuroBeachVolley 2024 organisers have taken it to the next level – and are delivering an event that to this extent can be regarded as a real benchmark for future ones.