Jilin marathon to boost sustainable development
China Enterprise News (CEN) Group Sports Management Beijing Co Ltd and the local government will kick off a public welfare marathon in September in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China’s Jilin province, to promote sustainable development.
The 2018 CEO Green Road marathon will be organized by Jilin Changbai Mountain Protection Development Management Committee, with full support from China Enterprise News. It aims to involve entrepreneurs in efforts to boost the green development of Changbai Mountain.
It will also foster communication between entrepreneurs and local governments, to attract investment and promote industrial development.
Unlike traditional marathons, the 2018 CEO Green Road will be accompanied by a green economic summit, and a corporate ecology alliance will also be established.
“There are more than 600,000 enterprises under CEN, with more than 600,000 entrepreneurs involved. We found that entrepreneurs face higher workloads and social pressure than ordinary people. Through the marathon, we hope to encourage entrepreneurs to pay attention to their health,” said Zhang Xiaonan, deputy manager of CEN.
“Running in clean air of Changbai Mountain will be beneficial to the health of entrepreneurs. It will help to reduce stress. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs carry social responsibilities. Through running, they convey the concept of environmental protection to society,” Zhang said.
According to the company, it will invest at least 10 million yuan ($1.46 million) in each race.
In October 2015, the State Council issued a guideline to raise national fitness to a strategic level and called for the scale of the country’s sports industry to be 5 trillion yuan by 2025.
Zhang Yongliang, deputy secretary-general of the Marathon Committee of the Chinese Athletic Association, said “The number of marathons in China has increased year-byyear, reaching 1,500 in 2018, with 7 million people participating. There is huge potential in this market.”
“Holding a marathon race is a systematic project. In addition, the green marathon integrates local social and economic development. It serves as a driving force for economic advancement, social governance and public participation,” Zhang said.
Tong Fuqiang, president of CEN, said he hopes the CEO Green Road can function as an adhesive between government and enterprises, and also within enterprises. “It is expected to promote communication and accelerate industrial integration.”
Li Yiyang, deputy director of Jilin Changbai Mountain Protection Development Management Committee, agreed. “After 13 years of development, the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve has evolved into a recreation spot combining sport, tourism and ecology.”
“The 2018 CEO Green Road, which will be held here, is an essential part of the ecological civilization construction of the local area. Entrepreneurs may experience the beauty of nature while promoting the green development of Changbai Mountain,” Li said.
According to the committee, the marathon, is the first of its kind, and the decision to hold it in Changbai Mountain was made after a one-year inspection.
“Desert and beach areas were also on the list; however, the development ideology of Changbai Mountain — openness, sharing and win-win cooperation — made it stand out from the crowd.
Entrepreneurs may experience the beauty of nature while promoting the green development of Changbai Mountain.”
Li Yiyang,
“We always lay emphasis on protecting the local environment, and the synergetic development between man and nature. Therefore, marathon participants must come from environmentally friendly enterprises, such as information technology, cultural and financial companies.
“Those enterprises causing major pollution concerns, no matter how big the companies are, are not welcome,” Li added.
“Improving their physical condition while contributing to public welfare, this is what most entrepreneurs are willing to do,” Zhang from CEN said.
The company also signed a strategic partnership with the China Association for Scientific Expedition, sports marketing company Panosports, and Chinese co-working space Ucommune, to jointly promote the intellectual property construction of the race.
The 2018 CEO Green Road will be held on Sept 23. There will be a full marathon and a relay race, both 42.2 kilometers, and a 4.2 km mini marathon for the public.
Roughly 1,000 senior executives and 5,000 marathon enthusiasts are expected to be invited.
According to CEN, the next stop for the CEO Green Road will be Sanya, South China’s Hainan province, in December. The company will continue to promote the program throughout the rest of the country.