Sustainability to fuel the future, one step at a time

Why sustainability

As the world goes green and gets greener, the term ‘sustainability’ has firmly planted itself in the everyday lexicon. It’s cropping up everywhere — from the classroom to the boardroom, from NGO mission statements to the speeches of world leaders, and beyond. But what does sustainability really mean? And how can it be achieved? To answer those questions, it’s important to take a closer look at the entire concept, as well as its various forms of execution.

Sustainability has been defined as:

• The balance between the environment, equity, and economy.

• The idea of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 

• The presumption that resources are finite, and so should be used wisely and conservatively, with a view to long-term priorities and consequences.

TCS philosophy

At Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the philosophy of building sustainability into business is rooted in the importance of caring for the community and climate as much as commerce. As such, TCS is dedicated to maintaining the right balance between economic, social, and environmental factors. And when it comes to our business practices — from sales to sponsorship — TCS keeps the sustainability lens in sharp focus. 

For example, since 2008, TCS has been leveraging its technological expertise and passion for innovation to enhance the sport of marathon running. At TCS, running and technology go hand in hand. We believe that running transforms the lives of employees, clients and neighbors in the same way that technology transforms our customers’ businesses. Some could also argue that running is the most sustainable sport, as participants leave no environmental footprint behind.

Green TWM

In 2022, TCS became the title sponsor of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, adding Toronto to its prestigious roster of marathon sponsorships in cities such as New York, London, and Amsterdam. And, as with similar endeavors, planning for the first-ever TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon put sustainability at the forefront.

At the onset of their partnership with race organizer Canada Running Series (CRS), TCS pledged to donate up to 32,000 person-hours dedicated to developing technology to help the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon become the most sustainable race in Canada. And in a huge step towards this goal, CRS has recently been granted Evergreen status from the Council for Responsible Sport, making the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon the first and only race in Canada to attain this top level of environmental certification. 

Some of the noteworthy achievements that led to this designation were:

• 85.9%/9,400 kg of waste diverted away from landfills 

• Complete elimination of plastic bottles from the event

• Moving to an online-only format for sharing discounts and partner information

• The purchase of certified carbon offsets 

• Fundraising for charities to support the environment (see details below)

To further highlight the importance of sustainability in sport, the official race app, powered by TCS, featured a first-of-its-kind consumer ‘gamified’ survey to create awareness around environmental choices (and impacts) related to the marathon. The TCS Sustainability Scorecard included questions addressing things such as single-use plastic consumption, apparel origin and purchase, and hydration and nutrition options.

Once respondents completed the survey, they were assigned a score, given words of encouragement, and prompted to learn about environmental responsibility. They were also given the opportunity to donate to the two official charities, which many did; by the end of the race, $6,000 was raised for Trans Canada Trail, and nearly $17,000 was collected for Trees for Life, the latter of which will result in the planting of 865 trees along the Toronto waterfront.

Mirroring TCS’ philosophy about sustainability in business is our core ideology and corporate brand statement, ‘Building on belief.’ And when it comes to running a marathon, nothing is needed more than the belief that you can do it.