Maybank Marathon Bali Returns With Elements Of Sustainable Practices

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- The Maybank Marathon Bali 2022, to be held tomorrow, will see an introduction of sustainability practices before, during and after the event. Making a comeback after a two-year hiatus, the marathon will see participation by 10,000 runners from 50 countries, including 260 Malaysian runners. 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, according to Maybank in a statement. A Sustainability Day is also being conducted today with the aim of creating a deeper understanding of good sustainability practices among all attendees and the surrounding communities. "Our purpose in doing this is to ensure that we're always aligned to our objective of ensuring minimal environmental impact in whatever we do," Maybank group president and chief executive officer Khairussaleh Ramli said. He said the bank wanted to leverage every activity to create awareness and influence communities to incorporate sustainability into their everyday lives and businesses, for the future well-being of the planet. Maybank Indonesia president director Taswin Zakaria said this year's run has been designed with all necessary health measures in place, incorporating sustainability messages for everyone. The bank 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, he said. Nearby schools and students have also been roped in to offer encouragement to runners along the route. A special race for disabled persons on wheelchairs is also a key event. From the planning stage of this year's Marathon, Maybank Indonesia has been working with Eco Bali, a social business focused on waste management, that 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. 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. -- BERNAMA