MUMBAI, India, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Piramal Critical Care, Inc. (PCC), an overseas subsidiary of Piramal Pharma Limited, and Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd. (Blue-Zone) announced an agreement to collaborate on full lifecycle technology to capture and recycle waste anaesthetic gases.

Piramal Critical Care Logo (PRNewsfoto/Piramal Enterprises Limited)

By combining the innovative waste anaesthesia gas capture, collection, and processing technology developed by Blue-Zone, with the global manufacturing and marketing capabilities of Piramal, this collaboration will support customers’ efforts to minimize the environmental impact of volatile anaesthetics.  This collaboration will also help ensure that these essential products remain the primary method of providing general anaesthesia for patients around the world.

Pending regulatory approval in Europe of Blue-Zone’s Phoenix Deltasorb® waste anaesthetic gas capture system, Blue-Zone will offer these systems to PCC’s customers in Europe, initially in France and Germany. Blue-Zone will be responsible for all activities involving the supply and use of its systems in healthcare facilities. PCC will process captured waste anaesthetic gas using Blue-Zone’s technology to produce Sevoflurane USP for human use in Canada.

The parties anticipate that the scope of the waste anaesthetic gas capture, collection and recycling, and the marketing of Sevoflurane USP using waste anaesthetic gas, will expand into additional geographies. 

Jeff Hampton, President and COO Piramal Critical Care, commented:

“Piramal Critical Care is proud to partner with Blue-Zone on this innovative waste anaesthetic gas capture, collection, and recycling technology to help reduce waste and minimize environmental impact. By introducing gas capture technology, hospitals can choose the inhaled anaesthetic that best meets clinical needs while also supporting more sustainable healthcare goals.

Inhaled anaesthetics are vitally important medicines that enable essential treatment for patients around the world. As a leading global manufacturer of general anaesthesia products, Piramal Pharma is committed to supporting clinicians, hospitals, and health systems with solutions that balance clinical performance and environmental responsibility. Our focus is to ensure that patients continue to receive the critical care they need while advancing more sustainable approaches to anaesthesia.”

About Piramal Critical Care:

PCC is a global leader in anaesthesia, pain management and intrathecal therapy. PCC maintains a wide global footprint, delivering continuous supply to hospitals in more than 100 countries around the world. PCC’s product portfolio includes inhaled anaesthetics, intrathecal treatments for spasticity and pain management, plasma volume expanders, and a variety of other injectables and generics. PCC has strong manufacturing and process development capabilities with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Bethlehem, PA, United States, Digwal, India, and Dahej, India with global regulatory accreditations and adherence to strict GMP regulations. In addition, PCC partners with leading pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organizations around the world.

For more information and updates, please visit: www.piramalcriticalcare.com

About Piramal Pharma Ltd:

Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL, NSE: PPLPHARMA I BSE: 543635), offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through its 17 global development and manufacturing facilities and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. PPL includes Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), an integrated contract development and manufacturing organization; Piramal Critical Care (PCC), a complex hospital generics business; and the India Consumer Healthcare business, selling over the counter consumer and wellness products. In addition, one of PPL’s associate companies, Abbvie Therapeutics India Private Limited, a joint venture between Abbvie and PPL, has emerged as one of the market leaders in the ophthalmology therapy area in the Indian pharma market. Further, PPL has a strategic minority investment in Yapan Bio Private Limited, that operates in the biologics / bio-therapeutics and vaccine segments.

For more information visit: Piramal Pharma | LinkedIn

* Includes one facility via PPL’s minority investment in Yapan Bio.

For queries:

Madiha Vahid, Lead – Branding & Communications
Madiha.Vahid@piramal.com

Gagan Borana, Investor Relations & Enterprise Risk Management
Gagan.Borana@piramal.com

About Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd.

Blue-Zone, based in Ontario, Canada, is an innovative cleantech pharma business focused on the capture, recovery, and processing of waste anaesthetic gas (WAG). Our goal is to protect the environment and produce volatile anaesthetics. With strategic investors and leadership, an experienced and committed team, anaesthetic drug approvals in Canada, and business and technology partners around the world, Blue-Zone develops and markets equipment and processes to provide the full life cycle of volatile anaesthetics. Blue-Zone supports collection of WAG at healthcare facilities using volatile anaesthetics and conversion of the WAG into approved anaesthetic drugs.

For more information about Blue-Zone, please contact health@blue-zone.ca or visit www.blue-zone.com.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2094149/5764852/Piramal_Critical_Care_Logo.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2878071/Blue_Zone%C2%A0Technologies_Logo.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/piramal-critical-care-and-blue-zone-technologies-collaborate-to-capture-collect-and-recycle-waste-anaesthesia-gas-302680470.html

SOURCE Piramal Critical Care

MUMBAI, India, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Piramal Critical Care, Inc. (PCC), an overseas subsidiary of Piramal Pharma Limited, and Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd. (Blue-Zone) announced an agreement to collaborate on full lifecycle technology to capture and recycle waste anaesthetic gases.

Piramal Critical Care Logo (PRNewsfoto/Piramal Enterprises Limited)

By combining the innovative waste anaesthesia gas capture, collection, and processing technology developed by Blue-Zone, with the global manufacturing and marketing capabilities of Piramal, this collaboration will support customers’ efforts to minimize the environmental impact of volatile anaesthetics.  This collaboration will also help ensure that these essential products remain the primary method of providing general anaesthesia for patients around the world.

Pending regulatory approval in Europe of Blue-Zone’s Phoenix Deltasorb® waste anaesthetic gas capture system, Blue-Zone will offer these systems to PCC’s customers in Europe, initially in France and Germany. Blue-Zone will be responsible for all activities involving the supply and use of its systems in healthcare facilities. PCC will process captured waste anaesthetic gas using Blue-Zone’s technology to produce Sevoflurane USP for human use in Canada.

The parties anticipate that the scope of the waste anaesthetic gas capture, collection and recycling, and the marketing of Sevoflurane USP using waste anaesthetic gas, will expand into additional geographies. 

Jeff Hampton, President and COO Piramal Critical Care, commented:

“Piramal Critical Care is proud to partner with Blue-Zone on this innovative waste anaesthetic gas capture, collection, and recycling technology to help reduce waste and minimize environmental impact. By introducing gas capture technology, hospitals can choose the inhaled anaesthetic that best meets clinical needs while also supporting more sustainable healthcare goals.

Inhaled anaesthetics are vitally important medicines that enable essential treatment for patients around the world. As a leading global manufacturer of general anaesthesia products, Piramal Pharma is committed to supporting clinicians, hospitals, and health systems with solutions that balance clinical performance and environmental responsibility. Our focus is to ensure that patients continue to receive the critical care they need while advancing more sustainable approaches to anaesthesia.”

About Piramal Critical Care:

PCC is a global leader in anaesthesia, pain management and intrathecal therapy. PCC maintains a wide global footprint, delivering continuous supply to hospitals in more than 100 countries around the world. PCC’s product portfolio includes inhaled anaesthetics, intrathecal treatments for spasticity and pain management, plasma volume expanders, and a variety of other injectables and generics. PCC has strong manufacturing and process development capabilities with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Bethlehem, PA, United States, Digwal, India, and Dahej, India with global regulatory accreditations and adherence to strict GMP regulations. In addition, PCC partners with leading pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organizations around the world.

For more information and updates, please visit: www.piramalcriticalcare.com

About Piramal Pharma Ltd:

Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL, NSE: PPLPHARMA I BSE: 543635), offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through its 17 global development and manufacturing facilities and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. PPL includes Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), an integrated contract development and manufacturing organization; Piramal Critical Care (PCC), a complex hospital generics business; and the India Consumer Healthcare business, selling over the counter consumer and wellness products. In addition, one of PPL’s associate companies, Abbvie Therapeutics India Private Limited, a joint venture between Abbvie and PPL, has emerged as one of the market leaders in the ophthalmology therapy area in the Indian pharma market. Further, PPL has a strategic minority investment in Yapan Bio Private Limited, that operates in the biologics / bio-therapeutics and vaccine segments.

For more information visit: Piramal Pharma | LinkedIn

* Includes one facility via PPL’s minority investment in Yapan Bio.

For queries:

Madiha Vahid, Lead – Branding & Communications
Madiha.Vahid@piramal.com

Gagan Borana, Investor Relations & Enterprise Risk Management
Gagan.Borana@piramal.com

About Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd.

Blue-Zone, based in Ontario, Canada, is an innovative cleantech pharma business focused on the capture, recovery, and processing of waste anaesthetic gas (WAG). Our goal is to protect the environment and produce volatile anaesthetics. With strategic investors and leadership, an experienced and committed team, anaesthetic drug approvals in Canada, and business and technology partners around the world, Blue-Zone develops and markets equipment and processes to provide the full life cycle of volatile anaesthetics. Blue-Zone supports collection of WAG at healthcare facilities using volatile anaesthetics and conversion of the WAG into approved anaesthetic drugs.

For more information about Blue-Zone, please contact health@blue-zone.ca or visit www.blue-zone.com.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2094149/5764852/Piramal_Critical_Care_Logo.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2878071/Blue_Zone%C2%A0Technologies_Logo.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/piramal-critical-care-and-blue-zone-technologies-collaborate-to-capture-collect-and-recycle-waste-anaesthesia-gas-302680470.html

SOURCE Piramal Critical Care

International Olympic Committee news

Olympic hockey player Hugo Inglis from New Zealand, Olympic rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa from Kenya, the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands (NOC*NSF) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) have been named the winners of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Climate Action Awards 2025, in recognition of their efforts to address climate change and make sport more sustainable.

Key facts

  • The IOC Climate Action Awards 2025 recognise impactful initiatives that address climate change across the Olympic Movement in three categories: athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs).
  • The 2025 winners are Olympic hockey player Hugo Inglis (New Zealand), Olympic rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa (Kenya), the NOC of the Netherlands and the International Biathlon Union, with the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) and World Sailing receiving “Highly Commended” recognition.
  • The awards provide tailored support to winners, including Innovation Labs for NOCs and IFs and a six-month sustainability mentoring programme for athlete awardees.

The announcement was made during the IOC Session held in Milan, ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.​

“As athletes, we learn early on to focus on what we can control and to keep pushing and adapt, even when conditions are not perfect,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry. “That spirit is exactly what drives the IOC Climate Action Awards. Our winners are showing that protecting our planet and pursuing excellence can go hand in hand. Their work shows the impact of the Olympic community when it leans in together with purpose. What an inspiration.”

“Congratulations to the 2025 winners and those ‘Highly Commended’,” said Mark Price, Principal and Global Lead Client Service Partner for the International Olympic Committee at Deloitte Consulting LLP. “Leveraging their athletic drive, the winners were compelling in their ability to deliver measurable benefits and scalable solutions. Deloitte is honoured to be a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner and delighted to support these awards, which help to enhance resilience for sports and communities globally.”

© IOC/Quinton Meyer

Meet the winners of the IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

Athlete category

Hugo Inglis (Hockey, New Zealand)

New Zealand hockey player Hugo Inglis is the co-founder of High Impact Athletes (HIA), a global movement that channels athlete visibility and resources towards evidence-based climate solutions.

Motivated by the contradiction between a career built on international travel and his environmental convictions, Hugo helped establish HIA as a platform for athletes who want to contribute beyond reducing their own footprint. Through HIA, athlete funding is channelled to evidence-based organisations, delivering high-impact solutions in sectors that drive a large share of sport’s emissions, including aviation, energy and infrastructure.

Today, HIA brings together more than 240 athletes from 50 disciplines and 35 countries. It has directed more than USD 2 million to charities that deliver impact in the areas of climate, global health and animal welfare.

Hugo’s personal choices – from eco-conscious travel decisions to a plant-based diet and car-free lifestyle – reinforce his advocacy. With new partnerships, HIA plans to scale significantly, offering up to 600,000 athletes the opportunity to fundraise for climate solutions.

Hugo Inglis

Kevin Wekesa (Rugby Sevens, Kenya)

Kenyan rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa founded Play Green to use sport as a platform for climate action, responding to the rising temperatures and desertification that are already disrupting livelihoods across Kenya.

The programme has so far replaced single-use plastic bottles with reusable aluminium bottles for Kenya’s national rugby teams, saving nearly 1,000 plastic bottles every week.

At the same time, Kevin has embedded sustainability into education and community engagement. Through partnerships with 40 schools, Play Green combines tree-planting with workshops on water conservation, waste management and climate justice. To date, the initiative has supported the planting of 2,300 trees and engaged thousands of children in climate education.

Kevin has extended this work to clubs and federations, launching match-day recycling initiatives and installing clearly marked recycling bins and collection points to divert waste from landfill.

His ambition is to scale Play Green nationwide by introducing plastic-free stadium zones, encouraging biodegradable packaging and establishing a Green Ambassador programme in schools. With the support of this award, Kevin aims to turn these plans into a replicable model for grassroots climate action through sport.

Kevin Wekesa

National Olympic Committee category

NOC of the Netherlands (NOC*NSF)

The NOC*NSF has developed an integrated approach to sustainable mobility that is reshaping how athletes and staff travel.

Recognising that domestic travel accounted for nearly 70 per cent of its emissions, the NOC*NSF launched a comprehensive strategy to address the issue at its source, by combining electric vehicles, e-bikes and a digital mobility platform into a single, integrated system.

As a result, 65 per cent of Team NL’s fleet has already transitioned to electric vehicles, contributing to a 40 per cent reduction in emissions, with full electrification planned by 2027. A dedicated mobility card and app, used by 850 athletes and 300 employees, integrates public transport, shared mobility and EV charging to promote low-emission travel throughout the year.

Beyond mobility, the NOC*NSF has tackled emissions from procurement and equipment. For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a shift to more sustainable clothing options for participants’ kit cut related emissions from 206.7 tonnes of CO₂ at Tokyo 2020 to 60.9 tonnes in Paris – a reduction of more than 70 per cent. Taken together, these procurement changes and the wider sustainable mobility strategy are setting a benchmark for systemic, long-term impact in team operations.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

International Federation category

International Biathlon Union (IBU)

The IBU has been recognised for a comprehensive climate strategy that spans competitions, operations and community engagement.

As the first Winter International Federation to include its World Cups and World Championships in a climate transition plan, the IBU achieved a 6 per cent reduction in direct and indirect emissions across all three scopes of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 2024, largely through increased use of renewable energy. Its Athlete Ambassador Programme empowers 26 athletes from 17 countries to champion climate action by leading social media campaigns, engaging with fans at events and speaking at international conferences.

The Biathlon Climate Challenge has mobilised 12,000 fans to take part in climate-positive activities, resulting in the planting of 150,000 trees in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Federation also supports its national members by helping them develop sustainability strategies, calculate carbon footprints and implement climate measures tailored to their context.

Guided by clear targets, namely a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2040, the IBU is aligning ambition with implementation to help ensure that biathlon can continue to thrive in a rapidly changing climate.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

The following finalists have been recognised in the “Highly Commended” category:

NOC of Spain (COE)

The COE has received a “Highly Commended” recognition for its structured and measurable approach to decarbonisation and governance.

Since 2018, the COE has reduced its emissions by close to 28 per cent across all three scopes under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – covering direct emissions, purchased energy and other indirect sources – through a plan that prioritises sustainable mobility, 100 per cent renewable electricity, solar panels, LED lighting and resource efficiency. To extend its impact beyond its own operations, the COE created the Sustainable Sports Seal, a certification system that embeds environmental, social and economic criteria into the management of sporting events and organisations.

The seal, which has been externally audited, has so far been awarded to 11 sporting events and seven sports organisations. Certified events, such as the Castellón Companies Race, have recorded significant year-on-year emissions reductions. With a target to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040, the COE is offering a scalable model for other NOCs seeking to integrate sustainability into their activities.

World Sailing

World Sailing has received a “Highly Commended” recognition for its data-driven work to reduce emissions from support vessels, one of sailing’s most carbon-intensive elements.

In partnership with a maritime technology company that provides efficiency tracking for support vessels, World Sailing deployed the emissions-tracking system at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to monitor 285 boats. The data revealed opportunities to cut fuel consumption and emissions by more than 20 per cent through practical measures, such as optimising fleet size, standardising engine power and providing eco-piloting training to influence driving behaviour on the water. Combined with an existing quota system that caps the number of coach boats, these measures form the basis of a long-term strategy to introduce efficiency standards across sailing events.

This data-led approach is helping World Sailing develop a blueprint for more sustainable event delivery and supporting the wider sailing community in lowering its carbon footprint.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

 

World Sailing

About the IOC Climate Action Awards

Now in their third edition, the IOC Climate Action Awards recognise and celebrate athletes, National Olympic Committees and International Federations that are delivering measurable progress in the fight against climate change.

For more information about the IOC Climate Action Awards, click here.

Learn more about Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Deloitte, the supporter of the awards.  

To find out more about the IOC’s work on climate action, click here.

###

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.7 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

###

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.ioc.org.

Broadcast quality footage

The IOC Newsroom: https://newsroom.olympics.com/

Videos

YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos

For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.

To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Content Licensing Unit at: images@olympic.org.

Social media

For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on X and YouTube.

Image credits: © IOC/Quinton Meyer

International Olympic Committee news

Olympic hockey player Hugo Inglis from New Zealand, Olympic rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa from Kenya, the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands (NOC*NSF) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) have been named the winners of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Climate Action Awards 2025, in recognition of their efforts to address climate change and make sport more sustainable.

Key facts

  • The IOC Climate Action Awards 2025 recognise impactful initiatives that address climate change across the Olympic Movement in three categories: athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs).
  • The 2025 winners are Olympic hockey player Hugo Inglis (New Zealand), Olympic rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa (Kenya), the NOC of the Netherlands and the International Biathlon Union, with the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) and World Sailing receiving “Highly Commended” recognition.
  • The awards provide tailored support to winners, including Innovation Labs for NOCs and IFs and a six-month sustainability mentoring programme for athlete awardees.

The announcement was made during the IOC Session held in Milan, ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.​

“As athletes, we learn early on to focus on what we can control and to keep pushing and adapt, even when conditions are not perfect,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry. “That spirit is exactly what drives the IOC Climate Action Awards. Our winners are showing that protecting our planet and pursuing excellence can go hand in hand. Their work shows the impact of the Olympic community when it leans in together with purpose. What an inspiration.”

“Congratulations to the 2025 winners and those ‘Highly Commended’,” said Mark Price, Principal and Global Lead Client Service Partner for the International Olympic Committee at Deloitte Consulting LLP. “Leveraging their athletic drive, the winners were compelling in their ability to deliver measurable benefits and scalable solutions. Deloitte is honoured to be a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner and delighted to support these awards, which help to enhance resilience for sports and communities globally.”

© IOC/Quinton Meyer

Meet the winners of the IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

Athlete category

Hugo Inglis (Hockey, New Zealand)

New Zealand hockey player Hugo Inglis is the co-founder of High Impact Athletes (HIA), a global movement that channels athlete visibility and resources towards evidence-based climate solutions.

Motivated by the contradiction between a career built on international travel and his environmental convictions, Hugo helped establish HIA as a platform for athletes who want to contribute beyond reducing their own footprint. Through HIA, athlete funding is channelled to evidence-based organisations, delivering high-impact solutions in sectors that drive a large share of sport’s emissions, including aviation, energy and infrastructure.

Today, HIA brings together more than 240 athletes from 50 disciplines and 35 countries. It has directed more than USD 2 million to charities that deliver impact in the areas of climate, global health and animal welfare.

Hugo’s personal choices – from eco-conscious travel decisions to a plant-based diet and car-free lifestyle – reinforce his advocacy. With new partnerships, HIA plans to scale significantly, offering up to 600,000 athletes the opportunity to fundraise for climate solutions.

Hugo Inglis

Kevin Wekesa (Rugby Sevens, Kenya)

Kenyan rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa founded Play Green to use sport as a platform for climate action, responding to the rising temperatures and desertification that are already disrupting livelihoods across Kenya.

The programme has so far replaced single-use plastic bottles with reusable aluminium bottles for Kenya’s national rugby teams, saving nearly 1,000 plastic bottles every week.

At the same time, Kevin has embedded sustainability into education and community engagement. Through partnerships with 40 schools, Play Green combines tree-planting with workshops on water conservation, waste management and climate justice. To date, the initiative has supported the planting of 2,300 trees and engaged thousands of children in climate education.

Kevin has extended this work to clubs and federations, launching match-day recycling initiatives and installing clearly marked recycling bins and collection points to divert waste from landfill.

His ambition is to scale Play Green nationwide by introducing plastic-free stadium zones, encouraging biodegradable packaging and establishing a Green Ambassador programme in schools. With the support of this award, Kevin aims to turn these plans into a replicable model for grassroots climate action through sport.

Kevin Wekesa

National Olympic Committee category

NOC of the Netherlands (NOC*NSF)

The NOC*NSF has developed an integrated approach to sustainable mobility that is reshaping how athletes and staff travel.

Recognising that domestic travel accounted for nearly 70 per cent of its emissions, the NOC*NSF launched a comprehensive strategy to address the issue at its source, by combining electric vehicles, e-bikes and a digital mobility platform into a single, integrated system.

As a result, 65 per cent of Team NL’s fleet has already transitioned to electric vehicles, contributing to a 40 per cent reduction in emissions, with full electrification planned by 2027. A dedicated mobility card and app, used by 850 athletes and 300 employees, integrates public transport, shared mobility and EV charging to promote low-emission travel throughout the year.

Beyond mobility, the NOC*NSF has tackled emissions from procurement and equipment. For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a shift to more sustainable clothing options for participants’ kit cut related emissions from 206.7 tonnes of CO₂ at Tokyo 2020 to 60.9 tonnes in Paris – a reduction of more than 70 per cent. Taken together, these procurement changes and the wider sustainable mobility strategy are setting a benchmark for systemic, long-term impact in team operations.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

International Federation category

International Biathlon Union (IBU)

The IBU has been recognised for a comprehensive climate strategy that spans competitions, operations and community engagement.

As the first Winter International Federation to include its World Cups and World Championships in a climate transition plan, the IBU achieved a 6 per cent reduction in direct and indirect emissions across all three scopes of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 2024, largely through increased use of renewable energy. Its Athlete Ambassador Programme empowers 26 athletes from 17 countries to champion climate action by leading social media campaigns, engaging with fans at events and speaking at international conferences.

The Biathlon Climate Challenge has mobilised 12,000 fans to take part in climate-positive activities, resulting in the planting of 150,000 trees in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Federation also supports its national members by helping them develop sustainability strategies, calculate carbon footprints and implement climate measures tailored to their context.

Guided by clear targets, namely a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2040, the IBU is aligning ambition with implementation to help ensure that biathlon can continue to thrive in a rapidly changing climate.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

The following finalists have been recognised in the “Highly Commended” category:

NOC of Spain (COE)

The COE has received a “Highly Commended” recognition for its structured and measurable approach to decarbonisation and governance.

Since 2018, the COE has reduced its emissions by close to 28 per cent across all three scopes under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – covering direct emissions, purchased energy and other indirect sources – through a plan that prioritises sustainable mobility, 100 per cent renewable electricity, solar panels, LED lighting and resource efficiency. To extend its impact beyond its own operations, the COE created the Sustainable Sports Seal, a certification system that embeds environmental, social and economic criteria into the management of sporting events and organisations.

The seal, which has been externally audited, has so far been awarded to 11 sporting events and seven sports organisations. Certified events, such as the Castellón Companies Race, have recorded significant year-on-year emissions reductions. With a target to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040, the COE is offering a scalable model for other NOCs seeking to integrate sustainability into their activities.

World Sailing

World Sailing has received a “Highly Commended” recognition for its data-driven work to reduce emissions from support vessels, one of sailing’s most carbon-intensive elements.

In partnership with a maritime technology company that provides efficiency tracking for support vessels, World Sailing deployed the emissions-tracking system at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to monitor 285 boats. The data revealed opportunities to cut fuel consumption and emissions by more than 20 per cent through practical measures, such as optimising fleet size, standardising engine power and providing eco-piloting training to influence driving behaviour on the water. Combined with an existing quota system that caps the number of coach boats, these measures form the basis of a long-term strategy to introduce efficiency standards across sailing events.

This data-led approach is helping World Sailing develop a blueprint for more sustainable event delivery and supporting the wider sailing community in lowering its carbon footprint.

IOC Climate Action Awards 2025

 

World Sailing

About the IOC Climate Action Awards

Now in their third edition, the IOC Climate Action Awards recognise and celebrate athletes, National Olympic Committees and International Federations that are delivering measurable progress in the fight against climate change.

For more information about the IOC Climate Action Awards, click here.

Learn more about Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Deloitte, the supporter of the awards.  

To find out more about the IOC’s work on climate action, click here.

###

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.7 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

###

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.ioc.org.

Broadcast quality footage

The IOC Newsroom: https://newsroom.olympics.com/

Videos

YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos

For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.

To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Content Licensing Unit at: images@olympic.org.

Social media

For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on X and YouTube.

Image credits: © IOC/Quinton Meyer

In London, The Mills Fabrica convened industry peers including Cascale for the “Performance Without Toxicity” launch event, celebrating fiber innovation and innovators.

Hosted at MYO King’s Cross, the two-day event saw over 100 attendees from across the value chain. The programming also featured a networking drinks reception at the gallery and concept store “Fabrica X” where innovations are on display.

On day one, The Mills Fabrica’s head of Europe Amy Tsang gave opening remarks. Sessions followed on purpose-driven leadership, athleisure, footwear design, performance materials, and greener financing. Allbirds, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, HSBC, and more, were among the represented speakers.

Cascale also played a part in the event. On day two, Ellie Hackwood – senior manager of brand and retail membership – moderated a session titled “Building the Systems Behind Next-Generation Performance” covering reflections on innovation in responsible textile manufacturing and scalable change. Speakers included Mark Edridge, product manager at Bluesign Technologies, and Bethan Taylor, global sustainability manager at Checkpoint ALS, both Cascale members, as well as Joyce Tsoi, senior director of the decarbonization program at Cascale.

Hackwood gave a brief introduction on the opportunity at hand to confront fossil fuel-based inputs and further supply chain decarbonization advancements at a systems level. The strongest theme from the discussion was that holistic supply chain collaboration is a pre-requisite to systems change. Panelists stressed the critical importance of collaboration across complex supply chains, in particular citing the need for strengthened buyer supplier partnerships. Scalable innovation cannot be achieved in silos.

In London, The Mills Fabrica convened industry peers including Cascale for the “Performance Without Toxicity” launch event, celebrating fiber innovation and innovators.

Hosted at MYO King’s Cross, the two-day event saw over 100 attendees from across the value chain. The programming also featured a networking drinks reception at the gallery and concept store “Fabrica X” where innovations are on display.

On day one, The Mills Fabrica’s head of Europe Amy Tsang gave opening remarks. Sessions followed on purpose-driven leadership, athleisure, footwear design, performance materials, and greener financing. Allbirds, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, HSBC, and more, were among the represented speakers.

Cascale also played a part in the event. On day two, Ellie Hackwood – senior manager of brand and retail membership – moderated a session titled “Building the Systems Behind Next-Generation Performance” covering reflections on innovation in responsible textile manufacturing and scalable change. Speakers included Mark Edridge, product manager at Bluesign Technologies, and Bethan Taylor, global sustainability manager at Checkpoint ALS, both Cascale members, as well as Joyce Tsoi, senior director of the decarbonization program at Cascale.

Hackwood gave a brief introduction on the opportunity at hand to confront fossil fuel-based inputs and further supply chain decarbonization advancements at a systems level. The strongest theme from the discussion was that holistic supply chain collaboration is a pre-requisite to systems change. Panelists stressed the critical importance of collaboration across complex supply chains, in particular citing the need for strengthened buyer supplier partnerships. Scalable innovation cannot be achieved in silos.

A person working on tax returns.

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, KeyBank will partner with CHN Housing Partners (CHN), Enterprise Community Partners and Saint Ignatius High School to host its annual “Super Refund Saturday” event. KeyBank employees will work alongside volunteers for the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Coalition to provide free tax preparation services to those who need it most, helping low- to moderate-income individuals and families determine their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

This Super Refund Saturday event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Saint Ignatius High School, located at 1911 West 30th Street in Cleveland. All tax filers with a household income up to $69,000 are welcome to attend the event and the individual does not have to be a KeyBank customer to participate. Attendees are encouraged to make an appointment and verify their eligibility by visiting refundohio.org or by calling 2-1-1.

“Super Refund Saturday is a signature annual event that is central to KeyBank’s purpose of helping the communities we serve thrive,” said Mattie Jones-Hollowell, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer. “We are once again excited to work with CHN, Enterprise and Saint Ignatius to support our neighbors with free tax preparation services.”

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To qualify, workers and families must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they do not owe any tax or are not required to file. EITC reduces the amount of tax owed and may provide a refund. (Source: IRS)

Each year, thousands of qualifying Americans do not claim the EITC on their federal income tax returns, meaning billions of dollars in much-needed refunds goes unclaimed. Super Refund Saturday is a cost-effective way for tax filers to navigate the potentially confusing tax preparation process and ensure they are getting their full return.

According to the IRS, to qualify for the EITC, earned income must be less than:

  • $61,555 ($68,675 if married and filing jointly) if you have three or more children
  • $57,310 ($64,430 if married and filing jointly) if you have two children
  • $50,434 ($57,554 if married and filing jointly) if you have one child
  • $19,104 ($26,214 if married and filing jointly) if you have no children

**Children must meet certain relationship, age, and residency requirements to qualify

If participating in Super Refund Saturday, income tax return filers should bring these documents:

  • State-issued photo ID
  • Social Security card (for you, your spouse, and each child and/or dependent)
  • W-2 forms
  • 1099 forms (interest, earnings as an independent contractor)
  • Unemployment forms (if applicable)
  • Proof of childcare payments
  • Other IRS forms as appropriate
  • Last year’s tax return (if available)
  • Bank account and routing number for direct deposit (if applicable)

If filing jointly, please bring all applicable documents for you and your spouse.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $184 billion at December 31, 2025.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

ABOUT CHN HOUSING PARTNERS 

Founded in 1981, CHN Housing Partners is a large-scale affordable housing developer, housing service provider and residential lender that works with its partners to solve major housing challenges for low-income people and underserved communities in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. CHN partners with utility companies, financial institutions and public agencies to manage and deliver large-scale housing resources. CHN also partners with people—low-income individuals, families, seniors, the disabled and the homeless—to improve their housing stability. CHN’s impact in Cleveland includes 3,900 new homeowners, the housing stability services it provides annually to thousands of individuals, and the development of 7,100 new homes. CHN is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks America network. http://www.chnhousingpartners.org  

About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $72 billion and created 1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. Join us at enterprisecommunity.org

###

A person working on tax returns.

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, KeyBank will partner with CHN Housing Partners (CHN), Enterprise Community Partners and Saint Ignatius High School to host its annual “Super Refund Saturday” event. KeyBank employees will work alongside volunteers for the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Coalition to provide free tax preparation services to those who need it most, helping low- to moderate-income individuals and families determine their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

This Super Refund Saturday event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Saint Ignatius High School, located at 1911 West 30th Street in Cleveland. All tax filers with a household income up to $69,000 are welcome to attend the event and the individual does not have to be a KeyBank customer to participate. Attendees are encouraged to make an appointment and verify their eligibility by visiting refundohio.org or by calling 2-1-1.

“Super Refund Saturday is a signature annual event that is central to KeyBank’s purpose of helping the communities we serve thrive,” said Mattie Jones-Hollowell, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer. “We are once again excited to work with CHN, Enterprise and Saint Ignatius to support our neighbors with free tax preparation services.”

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To qualify, workers and families must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they do not owe any tax or are not required to file. EITC reduces the amount of tax owed and may provide a refund. (Source: IRS)

Each year, thousands of qualifying Americans do not claim the EITC on their federal income tax returns, meaning billions of dollars in much-needed refunds goes unclaimed. Super Refund Saturday is a cost-effective way for tax filers to navigate the potentially confusing tax preparation process and ensure they are getting their full return.

According to the IRS, to qualify for the EITC, earned income must be less than:

  • $61,555 ($68,675 if married and filing jointly) if you have three or more children
  • $57,310 ($64,430 if married and filing jointly) if you have two children
  • $50,434 ($57,554 if married and filing jointly) if you have one child
  • $19,104 ($26,214 if married and filing jointly) if you have no children

**Children must meet certain relationship, age, and residency requirements to qualify

If participating in Super Refund Saturday, income tax return filers should bring these documents:

  • State-issued photo ID
  • Social Security card (for you, your spouse, and each child and/or dependent)
  • W-2 forms
  • 1099 forms (interest, earnings as an independent contractor)
  • Unemployment forms (if applicable)
  • Proof of childcare payments
  • Other IRS forms as appropriate
  • Last year’s tax return (if available)
  • Bank account and routing number for direct deposit (if applicable)

If filing jointly, please bring all applicable documents for you and your spouse.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $184 billion at December 31, 2025.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

ABOUT CHN HOUSING PARTNERS 

Founded in 1981, CHN Housing Partners is a large-scale affordable housing developer, housing service provider and residential lender that works with its partners to solve major housing challenges for low-income people and underserved communities in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. CHN partners with utility companies, financial institutions and public agencies to manage and deliver large-scale housing resources. CHN also partners with people—low-income individuals, families, seniors, the disabled and the homeless—to improve their housing stability. CHN’s impact in Cleveland includes 3,900 new homeowners, the housing stability services it provides annually to thousands of individuals, and the development of 7,100 new homes. CHN is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks America network. http://www.chnhousingpartners.org  

About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $72 billion and created 1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. Join us at enterprisecommunity.org

###

A person working on tax returns.

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, KeyBank will partner with CHN Housing Partners (CHN), Enterprise Community Partners and Saint Ignatius High School to host its annual “Super Refund Saturday” event. KeyBank employees will work alongside volunteers for the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Coalition to provide free tax preparation services to those who need it most, helping low- to moderate-income individuals and families determine their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

This Super Refund Saturday event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Saint Ignatius High School, located at 1911 West 30th Street in Cleveland. All tax filers with a household income up to $69,000 are welcome to attend the event and the individual does not have to be a KeyBank customer to participate. Attendees are encouraged to make an appointment and verify their eligibility by visiting refundohio.org or by calling 2-1-1.

“Super Refund Saturday is a signature annual event that is central to KeyBank’s purpose of helping the communities we serve thrive,” said Mattie Jones-Hollowell, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer. “We are once again excited to work with CHN, Enterprise and Saint Ignatius to support our neighbors with free tax preparation services.”

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To qualify, workers and families must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they do not owe any tax or are not required to file. EITC reduces the amount of tax owed and may provide a refund. (Source: IRS)

Each year, thousands of qualifying Americans do not claim the EITC on their federal income tax returns, meaning billions of dollars in much-needed refunds goes unclaimed. Super Refund Saturday is a cost-effective way for tax filers to navigate the potentially confusing tax preparation process and ensure they are getting their full return.

According to the IRS, to qualify for the EITC, earned income must be less than:

  • $61,555 ($68,675 if married and filing jointly) if you have three or more children
  • $57,310 ($64,430 if married and filing jointly) if you have two children
  • $50,434 ($57,554 if married and filing jointly) if you have one child
  • $19,104 ($26,214 if married and filing jointly) if you have no children

**Children must meet certain relationship, age, and residency requirements to qualify

If participating in Super Refund Saturday, income tax return filers should bring these documents:

  • State-issued photo ID
  • Social Security card (for you, your spouse, and each child and/or dependent)
  • W-2 forms
  • 1099 forms (interest, earnings as an independent contractor)
  • Unemployment forms (if applicable)
  • Proof of childcare payments
  • Other IRS forms as appropriate
  • Last year’s tax return (if available)
  • Bank account and routing number for direct deposit (if applicable)

If filing jointly, please bring all applicable documents for you and your spouse.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $184 billion at December 31, 2025.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

ABOUT CHN HOUSING PARTNERS 

Founded in 1981, CHN Housing Partners is a large-scale affordable housing developer, housing service provider and residential lender that works with its partners to solve major housing challenges for low-income people and underserved communities in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. CHN partners with utility companies, financial institutions and public agencies to manage and deliver large-scale housing resources. CHN also partners with people—low-income individuals, families, seniors, the disabled and the homeless—to improve their housing stability. CHN’s impact in Cleveland includes 3,900 new homeowners, the housing stability services it provides annually to thousands of individuals, and the development of 7,100 new homes. CHN is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks America network. http://www.chnhousingpartners.org  

About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $72 billion and created 1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. Join us at enterprisecommunity.org

###

February 5, 2026 /3BL/ – The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council is pleased to appoint Jennifer Benolken, MDM & Regulatory Specialist with DuPont, to its Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee, comprised of members from across the healthcare plastics value chain, serves as the primary decision-making body for HPRC, responsible for approval of new members, annual work plans and budgets as well as setting strategic direction for the future.

In her role with DuPont Tyvek® Healthcare Packaging, Jennifer works with downstream customers at medical device and pharmaceutical organizations, providing education and answering questions about Tyvek® packaging and sterilization using her wide range of knowledge. Jen has worked in the medical device community since 1991 in a variety of packaging roles – packaging, labeling, and sterilization engineer in operations and R&D, flexible packaging sales representative, and manager of packaging engineering and labeling groups. She is currently the sub-committee chairperson for ASTM F02.50, Package Design and Development, as well as secretary for ISO TC198/WG7, Sterilization of Health Care Products, Packaging Working Group. Jen is an active member of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) where she attained her lifetime Certified Packaging Professional (CPPL) certification. She is on the Board of Directors for AAMI and is the Vice Chair, Sterilization. Jennifer is the editor for the upcoming 3rd edition of the Medical Device Packaging Handbook

“Jennifer’s extensive leadership across key industry organizations brings invaluable expertise to HPRC’s Executive Committee,” says Tracy Taszarek, Executive Director of HPRC. “Her deep experience in standards, packaging, and sterilization will directly support our strategic direction.”

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of more than 30 brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling in support of a circular plastics economy. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.

In 2010, DuPont joined with other leading companies in the healthcare, recycling and waste management industries to form the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC). To learn more about DuPont Tyvek® Healthcare Packaging and their commitments to sustainability, please visit healthcarepackaging.tyvek.com and follow on LinkedIn.

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