ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to consider how the issue of environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been addressed within the context of Asian sport events, particularly in the context of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. One of the ways that Asian economies have demonstrated their emergence onto the world sporting stage has been through the hosting of mega sport events. These have provided a way to highlight the achievement, growth, and potential of Asian countries, such as the Seoul Summer Olympic Games in 1988, the Nagano Winter Olympic Games in 1998, the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, and more recently, the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The chapter begins with a brief overview of how environmental CSR has been implemented within the broader Asian context before setting out the progress made towards understanding and addressing the environmental impact of sport events. The chapter then looks at the increasing prominence of sport events within the Asian sport event industry before detailing the different ways in which the Beijing Olympics addressed environmental concerns. The case shows how the hosting of the Olympic Games provided the Beijing Municipal Government with the impetus to also address environmental issues facing the city and demonstrates that a clear policy, driven by government, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the organizing committee can help to mitigate some of the environmental implications associated with the hosting of a mega sport event.
