Despite available guidelines, implementation gaps persist. Research in Romania found that sustainability considerations in trail running events remain inconsistent (Maloş et al., 2025). In China, outdoor sports face environmental conflicts due to inadequate oversight and outdated management systems (Jiang et al., 2025). These findings suggest that private stakeholders must advocate for stronger regulatory frameworks while voluntarily adopting best practices. The IOF provides a comprehensive framework emphasizing dialogue and cooperation with private stakeholders. Key principles include:
Early Engagement: Contact stakeholders well before events to allow adequate planning time
Transparent Communication: Clearly explain event nature, expected impacts, and mitigation measures
Collaborative Planning: Involve stakeholders in course design and operational decisions
Monitoring and Accountability: Conduct pre- and post-event assessments with stakeholder participation
Continuous Improvement: Learn from each event to strengthen stakeholder relationships and sustainability outcomes
Integrated Stakeholder Management: Research emphasizes integrated approaches incorporating ecological impact assessment, stakeholder perspectives, and adaptive governance (Bratu et al., 2025). Piccerillo et al. (2023) recommend defining protocols and guidelines for small-scale events, focusing on critical areas with clear measurement tools. Effective strategies include:
Multi-Stakeholder Committees: Establishing committees with representatives from all private stakeholder groups ensures diverse perspectives inform decision-making.
Sustainability Communication Plans: Ahmad et al. (2013) emphasize that communicating greening plans to stakeholders is vital for continuous improvement and competitive advantage.
Education and Capacity Building: Many stakeholders lack sustainability knowledge. Providing training, resources, and best-practice examples builds capacity for sustainable behaviors (Bartoletti et al., 2019).
Recommendations for Private Stakeholders
Based on IOF guidelines and academic research, private stakeholders should:
Prioritize Dialogue: Engage in open, transparent communication with all stakeholder groups, recognizing diverse interests and concerns
Adopt Systematic Approaches: Implement structured sustainability frameworks rather than ad-hoc measures
Invest in Education: Develop environmental awareness among staff, participants, and communities
Measure and Report: Track sustainability metrics and share results transparently
Build Long-term Relationships: View sustainability as an ongoing commitment rather than event-specific requirement
Collaborate Across Sectors: Work with public authorities, NGOs, and other private actors to amplify impact
Innovate Continuously: Seek new technologies, practices, and partnerships that advance sustainability
Conclusion
Sustainable organization of nature sport events, particularly orienteering, requires coordinated action from diverse private stakeholders. The IOF guidelines provide a robust framework emphasizing dialogue, transparency, and collaborative planning with landowners, hunters, equipment suppliers, sponsors, local businesses, accommodation providers, and transport companies. Research demonstrates that when private stakeholders embrace their environmental, social, and economic responsibilities, events can minimize negative impacts while generating positive legacies for communities and ecosystems.
However, significant implementation gaps remain. Many stakeholders lack sustainability knowledge, and systematic approaches are not consistently applied. Addressing these challenges requires commitment from private actors to adopt best practices voluntarily, invest in education and capacity building, and advocate for stronger regulatory frameworks. By integrating sustainability into core operations rather than treating it as an add-on, private stakeholders can ensure that orienteering and other nature sports preserve the environments they depend upon for generations to come.
The path forward demands that private stakeholders recognize their ethical responsibility as stewards of natural environments. Through proactive engagement, transparent communication, and genuine commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability, private actors can transform nature sport events into models of responsible recreation that benefit athletes, communities, and ecosystems alike.
References
Ahmad, N. L., Rashid, W. E. W., Razak, N. A., Yusof, A. N. M., & Shah, N. S. M. (2013). Green event management and initiatives for sustainable business growth. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance, 4(5), 331-335. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJTEF.2013.V4.311
Bartoletti, R., Pereira, D. W., & Schiavetti, A. (2019). Adventure races in Brazil: Do stakeholders take conservation into consideration? Environments, 6(7), 77. https://doi.org/10.3390/ENVIRONMENTS6070077
Bratu, A., Munteanu, D., & Petrea, Ș. (2025). Sports in natural forests: A systematic review of environmental impact and compatibility for readability. Sports, 13(8), 250. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13080250
IOF, (2025). Dialogue and Cooperation- Private Stakeholders-Guidelines for Organizers. https://orienteering.sport/iof/environment-and-sustainability/
Jiang, Y., Wang, X., & Li, M. (2025). Harmonious construction of outdoor sports and environmental protection in mountainous areas under ecological civilization background. Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, 25(99). https://doi.org/10.15366/rimcafd2025.99.015
Maloş, C., Iojă, I. C., & Pătru-Stupariu, I. (2025). Sustainability assessment of trail running events in Romania: Insights from race regulations and location data. Mountain Research and Development, 45(1). https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2024.00023
Piccerillo, A., Coppola, L., & Izzo, F. (2023). Assessing the environmental impact of a university sport event: The case of the 75th Italian National University Championships. Sustainability, 15(3), 2267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032267