Sustainability in Medal Form

At Running Imp, we care passionately about the environment, and we believe the medals that celebrate your event shouldn't cost the earth to make. Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, and as a company supplying events since 1988, we've worked hard to make sustainability part of what we do rather than an afterthought.

From the metal and wood our medals are made from to the ribbons, packaging and the way we ship, we aim to produce products that put more back into nature than they take out,  treading as lightly on the planet as we can while still delivering something your participants will be proud to wear.

Why choose wooden? 

Wooden medals are one of the most naturally sustainable options we offer. Wood is a renewable material — one that regrows within a human timescale — so, provided it's responsibly sourced, it's a genuinely low-impact way to celebrate an achievement. It also takes far less energy to turn into a finished medal than cast metal, and it's biodegradable at the end of its life.

Our standard wooden medals are made from responsibly sourced poplar, a fast-growing, fully renewable hardwood.

The result is something that's environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable — a medal that does its job as a keepsake while treading lightly.

Greater use of wood products has a real role to play in a renewable solution to global environmental problems, and as we all become more conscious of our impact, a sustainable approach to medals offers customers the opportunity to champion sustainability at their events.

Our recycled medals

Wood isn't the only sustainable route. In fact, most of the medals we supply are metal, and these are more sustainable than many people realise.

Every standard metal medal we make is cast from 95% recycled zinc as standard, not as a paid-for upgrade. We introduced recycled medals back in 2000, and in 2024 we became the first supplier to offer 100% recycled zinc medals, available on request for events that want to go further.

For events with a strong environmental theme, we also offer unique seed paper medals — introduced in 2025. They're made from biodegradable plant-based paper embedded with seeds, so once the event is over the medal can be planted, breaking down completely and growing into wildflowers. They're a popular choice for fun runs, school events and anywhere the message matters as much as the medal.

Why work with us?

A medal is only part of the picture, and we're working to reduce our impact right across the board, from our supply chain and packaging to our water and energy use.

Alongside our medals, our ribbons are made with non-toxic inks as standard, with recyclable heat transfer and RPET yarn (produced from recycled plastic) options available. We've cut plastic from our packaging, bulk-packing medals in tissue paper rather than individual plastic wrap, and we continue to offer plastic-free alternatives elsewhere, such as our EnviroFlag branding and wooden stakes in place of plastic ones.

We also run a medal take-back scheme: send us any leftover metal medals after your event and we'll make sure they're recycled responsibly rather than ending up in landfill. Behind the scenes, we prioritise sea freight over air, group shipments to cut emissions, and hold a 4-pillar SMETA audit covering labour standards, health & safety, environmental performance and business ethics.

You can see the full picture, including our year-by-year progress, on our sustainability page.