Every year, Earth Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the future of our planet, on global sustainability and on the actions that individuals and organisations can take to protect the environments in which we live and work.
Today, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports is pleased to share an update on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) roadmap for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, an initiative that has been steadily developed since WBD Sports Europe was appointed global promoter of all major UCI Mountain Bike World Cups in 2023.
Last season was marked by a host of key milestones, including WBD Sports’ commitment to the UCI Climate Action Charter and the official launch of the Women in Mountain Bike program. In 2026, these efforts will ramp up even further with a concrete roadmap designed to align all championship stakeholders around a shared ambition: to leave no trace, but to leave a legacy.
A FRAMEWORK FOR A LASTING LEGACY
Leave No Trace, Leave a Legacy sits at the heart of the CSR roadmap, developed to encompass the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ initiatives at every level.
Recognising that mountain biking is part of the future of the mountain regions and therefore shares a responsibility for their protection, the program aims to safeguard outdoor ecosystems, strengthen local communities and create a positive, long-lasting legacy.
The roadmap focuses on trail stewardship, prioritising the protection, maintenance and regeneration of the trails and ecosystems that host the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, while recognising the vital role outdoor communities play in the social and economic life of mountain regions.
Beyond on‑site actions, it also seeks to embed sustainability into the wider culture of elite mountain biking, leveraging the influence of athletes to drive and inspire meaningful change that reaches well beyond the series.
LAUNCH OF THE LEGACY AWARD
One concrete action launching this year is set to become a key barometer for stakeholder engagement: the first edition of the Legacy Award. Designed to recognise impactful initiatives, share best practices, encourage innovation and leadership and inspire the wider ecosystem, this award will play a central role in bringing the CSR roadmap to life.
Riders, teams and local organising committees will be invited throughout the season to submit evidence of their own CSR initiatives in order to be considered for the Legacy Award. All submissions will be reviewed by a jury -to be announced- which will assess each entry and select the winner.
The Legacy Award recipient will be presented and celebrated at the end of the season as part of the new WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Awards Ceremony, taking place in Lake Placid on 4 October. More information will be shared in due course.
A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH
To drive the day‑to‑day work across all CSR‑related areas, a dedicated CSR Committee has already been established. Its role is to reinforce the importance of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ CSR roadmap at all levels and actively involve all stakeholders in this journey.
Led by Anja Rodenbroker, Women in Mountain Bike Ambassador for WBD Sports, and Gautier De Stoppani, CSR Strategy Project Leader at WBD Sports Europe, the CSR Committee brings together representatives from all Local Organising Committees, along with one representative per format (Endurance and Gravity). It serves as the main forum to discuss, coordinate and amplify CSR initiatives developed across the series.
In support of the ambitious goals set out in the CSR roadmap, the newly created Committee will also collaborate on the development and rollout of a new tool, TrailGuard. Designed to structure, centralise and automate the collection of CSR-related information, this new platform aims to make evaluation processes and reporting more efficient and consistent across the series.
