~ MOVEMENT TO HARNESS THE POWER OF SPORT TO BUILD AWARENESS AND FIGHT MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION, INSPIRING ACTION & POSITIVE CHANGE AMONGST CONSUMERS ~
~ CONSUMERS CAN JOIN FROM 8th – 16th JUN AND CONTRIBUTE ON THE RUNTASTIC RUNNING APP ~
~ MAXIMUM CITY, MUMBAI TO HOST THE RUN FOR THE OCEANS RUNNING EVENT ON SATURDAY, 8TH JUNE AT VERSOVA BEACH ~
• For every kilometer run between June 8 and 16, adidas will contribute $1 to the Parley Ocean Schools with the target of reaching $1.5mn
• Parley Ocean Schools shall utilize the funds for development of youth education in the space of sustainability and raise awareness.
• adidas and Parley invested $1m raised from RFTO 2018 to support the Parley Ocean School Program, educating and empowering 100,000 youth in affected coastal areas to take a stand for our oceans.
• Sign-ups for RUN FOR THE OCEANS movement are active on the Runtastic App https://bit.ly/2I7MTcm
• Sign-ups for the RUN FOR THE OCEANS event on 8th June, Versova, Mumbai are active on https://insider.in/run-for-the-oceans-2019–jun8-2019/event
Delhi, May 30, 2019 – In 2018, adidas created a global movement with Run for the Oceans, uniting nearly one million runners from around the world and raising $1 million for long-term partner Parley for the Oceans. To date, the money raised has helped directly educate and empower 100,000 youth and their families who are living in coastal areas affected by plastic pollution to take action as part of the Parley Ocean School Program. The partnership saw five million pairs of shoes created using recycled ocean plastic in 2018 alone.
In 2019, adidas is upping the pace of change. The introduction of the 2019 Parley range will see the company produce a landmark 11 million pairs of shoes using upcycled marine plastic waste. The campaign this year will also unite more runners in more locations than ever before to lace up and Run for The Oceans to reach its increased goal of $1.5 million. For every kilometer completed between June 8 and 16, adidas will contribute $1 to Parley Ocean School programs, with every dollar going towards the next phase of the partnership with the development and launch of the Parley youth activist platform.
While RFTO is a global movement, closer home in India, adidas has given the movement further wings by associating with Adv. Afroz Shah, the UN Champion of Earth 2016, starting from 2018. The purposeful initiative has resulted into activities that tackle the problem of marine litter. Cleaning Mumbai beaches, conserving the mangroves, running ground action workshop to stop litter and segregate plastic waste and most importantly the ideology of a circular economy.
This year, the brand has joined hands with eco champions and young leaders of sustainability including Abhimanyu Chakravorty (Founder Plogga India & Environment activist), and Sumer Verma (India’ first marine photographer & conservationist) take the movement wider.
Inspiring the larger universe to join the movement; adidas is bringing together its community of adidas Runners, brand ambassadors, employees, store partners, store staff, and even consumers to make a difference and contribute to reducing marine plastic pollution by participating on the on-ground and digital runs.
Sharad Singla, Brand Marketing Director, adidas India, said:
“The marine plastic crisis we’re facing has become critically urgent. We effect it daily through the plastics we use and throw away. Every minute, the equivalent of a dump truck of plastic waste enters our oceans and by 2050, this could mean there may be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. We know the stats and we’re aware of the issue. Now we need action. adidas x Parley has helped spread awareness of the crisis facing our oceans but also contributed to finding solutions. Back in 2016, we created the first performance products with recycled ocean plastics and went on to produce six million pairs of adidas x Parley shoes by 2018, with a goal of making 11 million units this year, intercepting vast amounts of plastic from entering our oceans”.
Cyrill Gutsch, Founder and CEO, Parley for the Oceans, said:
“Run for the Oceans is an opportunity to celebrate the oceans, a place where runners unite to dedicate their time and energy and generate investment towards saving our oceans – this year, for our new activist platform, a global stage for the next generation of creators, leaders and thinkers. As the voice of our future, our youth make the most convincing teachers and best ambassadors, educating parents, industry leaders and politicians, and using media in the most native way. Youth are our biggest hope, since they are driven by the strongest of all motivations: their own survival. We are more than grateful for the generous support of our founding partner adidas. It allows us to grow the movement into a superstorm of change.”
Through their partnership, adidas and Parley have intercepted vast amounts of plastic waste from marine environments and coastal communities, turning Ocean Plastic® into sportswear since 2015. Timed to coincide with Run for the Oceans 2019, adidas introduces its Alphabounce+ Parley and a full range of new sports apparel, ambitiously driving towards its 2024 goal of eliminating the use of virgin polyester from all products.
The range is crafted from upcycled plastic waste delivering eco-innovation and style without compromising on performance. Parley Pro-Dye has also been used in the manufacturing process – it has the added aesthetic effect of creating a unique material pattern in each piece. The Alphabounce+ Parley is designed with maximum support and comfort in mind, with tuned forging, a welded lacing system and an optimized fit.
Follow the conversation at @adidasrunning on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and using #RunForTheOceans.
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For questions or more information please contact:
Shaida Sharma | PR Pundit | [email protected]
Deepti Chhibber | PR Pundit | [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS:
ABOUT ADIDAS & PARLEY
In April 2015, adidas announced a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an organization that raises awareness about the beauty and fragility of the oceans. As a founding member, adidas supports Parley for the Oceans in its education and communication efforts, as well as its comprehensive Ocean Plastic Program (led by the AIR Strategy: Avoid. Intercept. Redesign) that intends to end plastic pollution of the oceans.
Parley Ocean School Program
Parley Ocean School inspires and empowers the next generation of Ocean Guardians by providing students with opportunities to explore, investigate and respond to the natural world, and learn ways they can protect it. Since 2015 Parley has expanded its Ocean School programs around the world in collaboration with educators, NGOs, brands and governments, focusing especially on coastal communities affected by marine plastic pollution. In the Maldives, working with the Ministry of Education, the program has helped over 100,000 children and their parents to go swimming and snorkeling — many for the very first time.
Parley Ocean School brings context to global issues and simplifies complex marine threats through engaging in-school programs, immersive and experiential learning (e.g. water sports activities), and materials developed with a global network of educators. Through the forthcoming digital youth activist platform, students, educators and curious individuals will gain access to lessons, activities, and the tools to inspire and create change.
For more information, please visit: adidas.com/parley
