Interview with Romain Piau, EcoTrail Paris® partnership manager

Today, Romain talks to us about the EcoTrail Paris® partnerships and their impact on the organization and participants.

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Could you introduce yourself in a few words?

Romain Piau, I'm in charge of partnerships for the EcoTrail Paris® and I have ten years' experience in organizing running events like the EcoTrail Paris®.

The end of 2020 was a turning point for me. So I created the Dokeop platform, designed to facilitate the management of medical certificates for organizations. At the same time, I set up my own business as a partner management consultant, and that's what led me to work for EcoTrail Paris®.

What impact have the new partnerships had on riders?

In 2021, it was synonymous with the evolution of our strategy in terms of partnerships, with the desire to bring it into line with our sustainable development strategy. This translates into a simple guideline: all EcoTrail Paris® partners must be in phase with our position, our will and our commitments in terms of eco-responsibility. They must help us to go even further, and bring us their expertise on subjects that we don't necessarily master.

Take the example of our three most recent partners: MAIF, Salomon and Sodastream. All three have strong commitments in terms of eco-responsibility and public awareness. Their arrival will enable us to go even further in raising awareness of sustainable development among our runners. For example, Sodastream will enable us to do away with plastic bottles for sparkling water by using their machine at the various feed stations. This will reduce waste and improve water management. As for Salomon and MAIF, they have joined forces to set up a team of eco-trailers who will act as our ambassadors on the Trail 80km, collecting garbage along the way and raising awareness among participants. This really enables us to go further in our approach. These partners also provide us with financial support. This is then dedicated to eco-responsible actions, notably food. This is what enables us to offer local, organic and seasonal products at our refreshment stands. The reality is that if we want to offer quality, local and organic products, it costs more. So it's thanks to our partners that we can do all this.

Why become an EcoTrail Paris® partner?

On the one hand, it means being able to benefit from a visibility platform that's quite important, because the EcoTrail Paris® is a major event in the French running market. So there's a strong platform for exposure and media coverage. As a partner, we can reach a wide and varied audience, thanks to trails ranging from 10 to 80km, so we'll be reaching everyone from expert runners to those wishing to discover trail running. In addition, we communicate with our audience throughout the year, enabling our partners to speak out on a regular basis.

We like to think of the EcoTrail Paris® as a laboratory for eco-responsibility initiatives. For over 10 years now, we've been constantly seeking to innovate. This innovative aspect will attract partners who have a real commitment to eco-responsibility and who wish to set up real awareness-raising initiatives. For us, it's always interesting to work with companies that are committed to sustainable development. It's also a good way for them to develop or consolidate their reputation and credibility, and to reinforce their sustainable development strategy.

What is your relationship with eco-responsibility? What efforts do you make on a daily basis to protect the planet?

I see myself more as a citizen than as an event organizer. We know that as organizers we have a role to play, but we're just a tiny part of the impact we have on our society. As a citizen, I'm very sensitive. I think we need to change the way we live as a society. This change will involve accepting less comfort in order to limit global warming as much as possible and find a better way out than what all the experts are telling us, such as the latest IPCC report, which is more than alarming. I'm very concerned and I'm trying to do my bit. In concrete terms, I'm trying to think differently about the way I travel by limiting my air travel to follow events. Beyond that, I'm trying to accept more constraints and less comfort, because it's the only solution. In terms of food, I'm trying more and more to eat local and seasonal produce. It's a constraint because it's economically more expensive, so if I want to keep my budget, I'll have to treat myself less often than before. But it's essential to get things moving.

What message would you like to pass on to future EcoTrail Paris® partners?

We are very open to partners who have a real desire to change things and mentalities, and to take a different look at eco-responsibility. We want to be open to all partners who wish to innovate in this field. Innovation has been in our DNA since 2008, and it's with new partners that we'll be even stronger.