The Paris Olympics were a significant event, but they also had a significant environmental impact. The event generated a substantial amount of waste, with an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of waste generated. This waste included everything from food scraps to construction debris. This waste was a major concern for organizers and environmentalists alike.

The Sustainable Summer Games Refund offered a generous refund of up to 50% of the travel costs for attendees who opted for sustainable transportation options. This initiative aimed to reduce the Games’ carbon footprint and promote sustainable travel habits. The program was designed to be accessible and user-friendly, with clear instructions and a streamlined process for claiming the refund.

The partner was able to use this reserve to cover the refund requests. The refund requests were primarily from customers who purchased Dr. Martens shoes online. These customers were unhappy with the quality of the shoes, citing issues like poor stitching, uneven sizing, and uncomfortable fit. The Dr. Martens partner, a large online retailer, had a significant number of returns and exchanges.

And that tracks. With its roots in the mass transportation sector, the 15-year-old-firm formerly known as ELeather said it has helped its passageway partners across Europe—including Spain’s national railway company, Renfe; France’s national state-owned railway, SNCF; and DSB, the largest Danish train operating company as well as global names like Amtrak, American Airlines and Aeromexico—outfit their various conveyors in its sustainable, recycled leather since 2007. This has resulted in covering over 1.5 million seats with Gen Phoenix’s reclaimed leather waste material. The choice to reimburse public transit costs reflects Gen Phoenix’s core ethos of environmental responsibility. “The Sustainable Summer Games Refund came at a pivotal time when global attention was shifting toward reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly transportation alternatives,” Winer said. “The Games traditionally leave a significant environmental footprint every two years, and we wanted to create an initiative that would help offset this with a positive impact.”

They had to be creative and resourceful in their approach. The Coach collaborator’s marketing strategy focused on building relationships and trust with their audience. They achieved this by:

While the alternative leather firm didn’t coordinate with Parisian public transit for this initiative, partnering directly with the host city for future iterations of the program is certainly “something to entertain,” Winer said. “This experience has been a great learning opportunity for us,” Winer said. “As we look ahead to the Summer Games in Los Angeles—where transportation may be a challenge—we’re excited about the potential to build on this initiative; it could pave the way for a similar offer in 2028, furthering our commitment to sustainability.”