British Cycling and Shell

«134

Comments

  • Good news, I don’t understand the criticism… I mean Mapei makes cement, nothing pollutes like the making of cement… besides, She’ll is not just oil, they invest in renewables like all energy companies… I mean, if critics are against oil, they should stop travelling and heating their homes… but will they?
    left the forum March 2023
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,776
    It’s a shame that sponsors are pretty nasty , but as with Sky and Ineos in particular, I guess you have to follow the money and I assume they are not spoilt for choice.

    I don’t buy the argument that ‘we all use petrol’ , we may do, but if they could, BC should be taking a more ethical sponsor. It is what it is.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    She’ll is not just oil, they invest in renewables like all energy companies…

    "Between 2010 and 2018, Shell was estimated to have dedicated just 1% of its long-term investments to sources of low-carbon energy like wind and solar, and in 2015-2017 only 0.4% of its revenue to low-carbon technology R+D."

    https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/shell/#:~:text=Renewable energy investments&text=Shell's 2020 Annual Report lists,Solutions' low-carbon business.



  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    It's hard to see this announcement as anything other than a complete PR disaster for British Cycling. I can't imagine what they were thinking.
  • It's hard to see this announcement as anything other than a complete PR disaster for British Cycling. I can't imagine what they were thinking.

    "Here's someone who'll give loads of cash to plaster their logo all over the elite cyclists."
  • I did have to chuckle at the claim that partnering with Shell will help BC achieve its “net zero” targets, but overall, I can’t generate any moral outrage. It would hypocritical anyway having just driven a round trip of 1700 miles to Provence to ride my bike which is made of components previously shipped half way round the world. I did cross the Channel by train though, so my carbon footprint is reduced from a size 12 to a size 11 I hope.

    Based on FB comments, many of its members are less phlegmatic than me and will be cancelling their membership in protest.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,057
    MattFalle said:


    Waddya say?

    Folks should look in a mirror before jumping on a bandwagon.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • She’ll is not just oil, they invest in renewables like all energy companies…

    "Between 2010 and 2018, Shell was estimated to have dedicated just 1% of its long-term investments to sources of low-carbon energy like wind and solar, and in 2015-2017 only 0.4% of its revenue to low-carbon technology R+D."

    https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/shell/#:~:text=Renewable energy investments&text=Shell's 2020 Annual Report lists,Solutions' low-carbon business.



    What’s the figure for competitors?
    left the forum March 2023
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,048
    I still see BC as the NGB for cycle sport and as such I can't see why there should be any more pressure on them to choose an environmentally friendly sponsor than any other sport. People generally don't take up bike racing to save the planet.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Wait till folks work out what goes into making their carbon fibre frames.
  • I still see BC as the NGB for cycle sport and as such I can't see why there should be any more pressure on them to choose an environmentally friendly sponsor than any other sport. People generally don't take up bike racing to save the planet.

    Exactly, I see BC as a very different organisation from say, the London Cycling Campaign or Sustrans or Cycling UK. The biggest races in the UCI calendar are massive carbon sinks… they do everything possible to increase their foot print, from starting in a different country, to long and unnecessary transfers between stages

    left the forum March 2023
  • Repsol, the Spanish petrochemical company, being lined up as new co-sponsor for Movistar
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    She’ll is not just oil, they invest in renewables like all energy companies…

    "Between 2010 and 2018, Shell was estimated to have dedicated just 1% of its long-term investments to sources of low-carbon energy like wind and solar, and in 2015-2017 only 0.4% of its revenue to low-carbon technology R+D."

    https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/shell/#:~:text=Renewable energy investments&text=Shell's 2020 Annual Report lists,Solutions' low-carbon business.



    What’s the figure for competitors?
    No need to ask - just have a look around that site and see for yourself.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    Wait till folks work out what goes into making their carbon fibre frames.

    Next, you’ll be telling us that our tyres are made from oil derivatives like rubber. That’s just weak, bullsht ‘whataboutery’...

  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,080
    I agree with most here, I don't really see a problem with it, many 'bad' companies sponsor sport teams and bodies.

    However, I do think BC straddles two very disparate targets, one sporting and one community, that I don't think any other sporting body either tries to or does. I believe this is a choice by BC, they choose to organise community events and target general membership. Though I am sure they would also receive quite a backlash if they tried to withdraw from that.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    However, I do think BC straddles two very disparate targets, one sporting and one community, that I don't think any other sporting body either tries to or does.

    Seriously..?

    I think you'll find that practically every other sporting NGB has both sport and community outreach/engagement programs. The contention that only BC does this is unusual, to say the least.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    Wait till folks work out what goes into making their carbon fibre frames.

    Next, you’ll be telling us that our tyres are made from oil derivatives like rubber. That’s just weak, bullsht ‘whataboutery’...

    Why is it whataboutery? Shell drill materials that are the raw ingredients for large parts of current bikes do they not?

    O&G firms deservedly get plenty of grief for doing bad things but re climate change hate the game not the player.

    They’d fall over if we stopped buying their produce. Instead, we’d fall over if they stopped producing.

    Be glad they’re putting money into cycling, surely.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028


    Be glad they’re putting money into cycling, surely.

    Not sure you've fully grasped the point here Rick. If 'putting money into cycling' is the only consideration, presumably you'd be fine with whoever was doing it.

    Maybe Imperial Tobacco, Union Carbide, Rosneft, Saudi Aramco - would they be ok too..??

    The rest of your comments just double-down on your previous bullsht whataboutery.

  • Why should it be up to BC to save the world? If we don't like Shell having too much money, or being able to advertise, do something about that.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,419
    Isn't it Esso that part sponsor the Begian team?
    Do Belgian cycling get flak for that?
    Or Total Energies?

  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,048

    However, I do think BC straddles two very disparate targets, one sporting and one community, that I don't think any other sporting body either tries to or does.

    Seriously..?

    I think you'll find that practically every other sporting NGB has both sport and community outreach/engagement programs. The contention that only BC does this is unusual, to say the least.


    I think the difference is BC have branched out into areas of cycling which have nothing to do with cycle sport. I don't expect the NGB for motor racing is involved in commuting by car for example.

    Being involved in say road racing or BMX has no obvious link to environmentalism whereas the movement to promote cycling more generally is at least in part connected to environmental concerns.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,057
    I guess we are just skipping past INEOS.....
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • pblakeney said:

    I guess we are just skipping past INEOS.....


    Like half the peloton these days...
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    Isn't it Esso that part sponsor the Begian team?
    Do Belgian cycling get flak for that?
    Or Total Energies?

    So it's ok because the Belgians do it.?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028

    I think the difference is BC have branched out into areas of cycling which have nothing to do with cycle sport. I don't expect the NGB for motor racing is involved in commuting by car for example.

    Here's a link to the MSA's road safety programme.

    https://www.motorsportuk.org/the-sport/social-responsibility/road-safety/

    They also run environmental and school education programmes.

  • They’d fall over if we stopped buying their produce. Instead, we’d fall over if they stopped producing.

    This is the key point, I think.

    Getting angsty over an oil company and a sporting NGB seems to be missing the point. If we as individuals want (the rate of growth of) oil consumption to reduce then we can do something about it directly and immediately ourselves - by reducing car usage and reducing our consumption of products that are shipped half way round the world etc.

    Canning Shell in favour of even Sir David Attenborough (the most worthy environmentalist that I can think of) as BC's sponsor won't reduce fossil fuel consumption.

    One of my club mates took to FB last night to denounce BC, saying he was going to cancel his membership if BC didn't revoke their decision re Shell. He seems to have forgotten that we spent much of our last club ride talking about our respective family holidays over the summer. His involved a 1,500+ mile round trip by car, so I don't think he's particularly concerned about discretionary fossil fuel consumption in practical terms. (So did mine, but I know I'm bad for the environment and will need to be priced or legislated out of using my car.)

  • Why cycling should have a cleaner conscience than say football?
    I remember my home town team Juventus was sponsored by Tamoil at one point, but it gets worse, because Gaddafi owned 7% of the club.
    Most of the Premier League clubs have strong connections with outfits that we would have a moral issue associating to... yet, nobody seems to have a problem with that
    left the forum March 2023
  • Not sure "nobody" has an issue with it. There were a few quite vocal protests about the sale of Newcastle to the Saudis
  • Does anyone actually seek out a specific brand of petrol station because of brand loyalty? The stuff is all the same isn't it?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,057
    edited October 2022

    Not sure "nobody" has an issue with it. There were a few quite vocal protests about the sale of Newcastle to the Saudis

    Were any of those protesting from Newcastle though? 🤔
    As likely to be fans of other teams not happy with the prospect of a rich Newcastle.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.