Take responsibility

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La Brigade Verte sensibilise le grand public au tri des déchets.

II) Reducing Our Impact

Once we understand our impact, we can implement a strategy to reduce it.

A More Responsible Race Village

Waste Reduction and Management

  • All catering crockery and cutlery will be provided through a deposit-return scheme, be washed and reused within our food service area.
  • A water fountain system, installed in partnership with Vendée Eau, will eliminate the need for plastic bottles throughout the village.
  • The exhibitor charter has been strengthened, particularly regarding unnecessary plastic packaging and promotional giveaways.
  • For waste that cannot be avoided, we are introducing, for the first time, additional sorting of household waste and organic waste streams to minimise sorting errors and maximise recycling and recovery rates.
  • The Green Brigade will be deployed throughout the village to raise public awareness about waste sorting.

Energy 

No generators will be used within the Vendée Arctique village, which will be fully connected to the electricity grid. This allows us to rely on locally generated low-carbon electricity.

Local and Responsible Catering

We are committed to more sustainable catering by prioritising locally sourced products and systematically offering at least one vegetarian option.

Signage 

Ahead of the event, extensive work has been carried out to maximise the reuse of signage from previous events.

In total, more than 50% of our signage will either be reused at future events or donated to community organisations in La Roche-sur-Yon, where it will be transformed into bags, pencil cases, school satchels and other items.

Mobility

Mobility represents one of the biggest challenges for any sporting event seeking to reduce its environmental impact. Nearly 63% of our events carbon footprint is linked to transportation, of which 99% comes from spectator travel. We therefore encourage all visitors to choose low-carbon travel options, whether active mobility (walking and cycling), public transport or carpooling.

  • Installation of a free 150-space bicycle parking area at the entrance to the village.
  • Coordination with TGV INOUI and SNCF TER Pays de la Loire teams to provide rail services tailored to race spectators.
  • Introduction of the €5 LIVE! Ticket with TER ALÉOP services for departure weekend travel on the Nantes–Les Sables‑d’Olonne line.

For more information

Engaging the Vendée Arctique Ecosystem

Our efforts to reduce our impact begin long before the race village opens. We now require all suppliers and partners to meet commitments linked to our sustainability objectives. The exhibitor charter has also been significantly strengthened through the introduction of an ethical charter, a responsible promotional products charter and stricter packaging requirements.

An IMOCA Class Committed to Change

The IMOCA class has been firmly committed for several years to reducing the environmental impact of its boats. It was also the first offshore racing class to adopt rules specifically designed to support environmental transition.

For Vendée Arctique, competitors must carry at least one lower-impact sail certified under the RISE framework. These sails are designed to reduce CO₂ emissions while also lowering other environmental impacts such as waste generation and energy consumption. Several additional rules have been introduced to encourage the use of alternative materials.

Vendée Arctique also provides skippers with an opportunity to further develop onboard energy-production solutions ahead of the Vendée Globe, where fuel allowances will be limited under the race’s new regulations.