The strategy, which supports Ireland's Climate Action Plan and the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, identifies the role HRI will play in the change in sustainability across the organisation, while also providing guidance and support to the industry.

“HRI is committed to fostering an industry-wide culture of sustainability,” said Roger Casey, Chief Financial Officer, HRI. “We also want to support the industry to increase its understanding and delivery of sustainability priorities through practical measures and financial supports where possible. To achieve this, HRI will continuously share our learnings with industry stakeholders. Significant sustainable development funding also needs to be made available nationally and at EU level, and we continue to work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in this regard.”

Victor Quinlan, Capital Projects and Environmental Sustainability Lead, HRI, added, “Under the SEAI Public Sector Partnership Programme, HRI is committed to maximising energy efficiency, improving the environment, and meeting national energy saving obligations. We have made significant progress over recent years and together with our HRI racecourses, Fairyhouse, Leopardstown, Navan and Tipperary, we report on our energy efficiency and CO2 footprint annually, as we work towards the mandated 2030 public sector targets.”

There is also ongoing progress on several initiatives including education and training programmes through Equuip, HRI's Industry Education and Training department, employee and industry assistance programmes, the launch of a Health, Safety and Well-being Guide for the Industry, increased local community engagement and the achievement of the IBEC KeepWell Mark, an evidence-based accreditation that puts the wellbeing of employees at the forefront of company policy.

To view the complete strategy, click here.

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The plans include funding for further development and delivery of new initiatives within the TBA's Thoroughbred Breeding Industry Training and Qualification Pathway, which provides a formal structure to industry learning–ranging from essential skills at Level 1 through to advanced management training at Level 4. Continued support at Level 1 for the successful Entry to Stud Employment (E2SE) programme in 2022 will ensure that the industry continues to attract new entrants and deliver accessible training. The expansion of content on the TBA's e-learning platform TB-Ed will also enable thoroughbred breeders, enthusiasts and students to improve their knowledge of topics relating to thoroughbred horse care and breeding at their own convenience.

Plans for the third Economic Impact Study will be able to proceed this year to provide further data on which to assess trends from the 2014 and 2018 research. The previous studies, instrumental in the formulation of the TBA's evidence-based strategies to combat industry challenges, resulted in the successful creation and delivery of NHMOPS and subsequent GBB scheme.

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard said, “Equine health and welfare is at the heart of our work at the TBA. By prioritising education and training we can ensure that all our industry participants can continue to deliver the highest standards of equine care.

“Funds from the Racing Foundation will support these key areas, whilst progressing the TBA's equine welfare strategy which includes improved data collection and analysis, education, traceability and aftercare.

“All of this wouldn't be possible in the long term without a sustainable environment in which to raise thoroughbreds, hence our commitment to encourage environmental best practice within the industry. The Racing Foundation funded our first award-winning sustainability project last year and we are delighted to be partnering with them again as we develop this work.

“The third Economic Impact Study will also enable us to assess the current state of the industry, whilst identifying possible future challenges and opportunities for the sector.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Racing Foundation in helping us deliver these projects to achieve our five-year goals to improve the operating environment for all participants in the industry.”

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In addition to the survey, there are also a series of focus group-style sessions already in progress, which seek to explore some of the environmental projects in greater detail and discuss the sustainability challenges and opportunities for racing. The engagement work is taking place online and, where possible through site visits. Additional sessions are being arranged for the coming weeks, with anybody interested in contributing to the project encouraged to contact: sustainability@britishhorseracing.com.

Rob Hezel, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation, said, “We knew before we started this scoping assessment into racing's progress on environmental sustainability that there was a huge amount of work already underway, but that this exercise would also help us identify gaps and further opportunities.

“Climate change presents major challenges for our industry and our hope is that by measuring and understanding where we are now, we can enable industry leaders to plan more effectively for the future. Gathering the initial information and data is crucial to this process, and therefore I encourage everyone to complete the questionnaire and help ensure we benefit from a comprehensive assessment.”

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The second session of Friday's webinar is titled “Changing in Today's Environment” and will cover all aspects of operating in today's climate. The panel will discuss all elements around movement of animals, difficulties facing breeders post-Brexit and important steps around traceability and functionality that will better serve all involved. Speakers include John Osborne, Director of Welfare and Bloodstock HRI and Grant Thornton.

For the third and final session of the webinar, the focus is on “Sustainable Options For Breeders”. There will be contributions from the Irish Equine Centre, with the highlight being grants available for breeders across a wide range of biodiversity and sustainability, how to access these grants and ITBA future Climate Action Plans.

To register, please email kryan@itba.ie.

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James O'Donnell, Chair of the TBA's Environmental Sustainability Working Group and Assistant Stud Director at Shadwell Stud, said, “Winning this award is a major achievement for the horseracing industry and is the result of a true collaboration between the TBA and the Racing Foundation.

“Environmental sustainability is an important subject that will be at the forefront of people's minds going forward and this project, and subsequent award, is a great place to start.”

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Keeneland is taking a leadership position in the racing industry with its zero-waste effort, which is the latest addition to the track's established record of innovation. Headquartered in Lexington, Ky., the “horse capital of the world,” Keeneland is a world class racetrack and auction house. Founded in 1936, the track is renowned for its spring and fall race meets and Thoroughbred auctions in September, November, and January. Most recently, Keeneland served as host for this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Since its inception, Keeneland has been guided by the founders' mission to focus on innovation and integrity, making Keeneland a true change-agent in the Thoroughbred industry. Above all, Keeneland is committed to equine safety and welfare and to maintaining the integrity of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Keeneland maintains this founding vision more than eight decades later, adding an emphasis on environmental sustainability through this new partnership with Rubicon.

The partnership is designed to advance the companies' shared goal of ending waste, beginning with a track-wide evaluation of current operations and the design and implementation of a full-service waste management program. Daily operations and progress towards zero waste will be tracked and managed through Rubicon's industry-leading customer portal, RUBICONConnectTM. Over the course of the five-year agreement, the partnership will expand to incorporate a mixed recycling program, recommendations for the replacement of upstream material types such as polystyrene cups and other non-reusable items, the creation of a food scrap diversion program, and the development of removal and recycling solutions for e-waste, tires, and other hard-to-recycle materials.

“At Keeneland, we are constantly evaluating how we can advance the racing industry's role in making actionable changes and we are intrinsically aware of our footprint as a destination for worldwide owners, trainers, riders, and fans. Just as we are committed to being stewards of our sport, we must be equally committed to being stewards of our planet,” said Keeneland Vice President and COO Vince Gabbert. “Becoming a near zero-waste facility felt like a natural next step for both racing and sports tourism at large. Through ample research, we selected Rubicon as our partner due to the company's tailor-made and data-led approach to addressing waste management.”

Racing facilities are well-positioned to pursue meaningful progress in terms of waste, recycling, and sustainability practices. At Keeneland alone, there are more than 300 horses stabled at any one time, and in 2019 during a 16-day period, more than 242,000 visitors attended the races. This level of personnel and fan attendance incur large amounts of food, paper, and plastic waste, as well as straw and hay, muck, cardboard, metal, and wood waste. The quantity and complexity of these waste streams indicates that there is a tremendous opportunity to make tangible, measurable sustainability gains and drive positive change across the entire industry.

Since Rubicon's founding over a decade ago, its mission has been to end waste. The company has been focused on helping its customers divert waste away from landfills and create opportunities for waste materials to be reused or repurposed. Rubicon is a Certified B Corporation, affirming that the company meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance.

“Kentucky is my home and I am so honored to partner with Keeneland on our company's mission to end waste,” said Rubicon Founder, Chairman, and CEO Nate Morris. “Rubicon is changing the entire waste and recycling industry by bringing transparency, data, and analytics to a category that is ripe for innovation. With partners like Keeneland, we can bring the circular economy to the heart of America and help to move Keeneland, and the broader horse-racing industry, toward the goal of zero waste.”

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There will be a track-wide evaluation of current operations and the design and implementation of a full-service waste management program. Daily operations and progress towards zero waste will be tracked and managed through Rubicon’s customer portal, RUBICONConnectTM. Over the course of the five-year agreement, the partnership will expand to incorporate a mixed recycling program; recommendations for the replacement of upstream material types such as polystyrene cups and other non-reusable items; the creation of a food scrap diversion program; and the development of removal and recycling solutions for e-waste, tires and other hard-to-recycle materials.

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