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You could be, though generally how would someone know it was vacuous (assuming it’s online)?
Because everyone online is always acting in the worst possible way. Everyone knows this! 😉
For any BC MTB coaches, i am sure we can arrange a reciprocal agreement with MIAS to convert your qualifications to MIAS.
For anyone saying that if you’ve ever owned anything made of plastic, or have ever sat in a car you’re a hypocrite for calling out this deal then you’re missing the point. A lot of people have issue with this sponsorship not because it’s a petro-chem company but because it’s Shell specifically.
I defy anybody to do the tiniest bit of research into Shell and not come away thinking ‘Christ, they’re full on Bond villains’. The amount of information available stating how despicable they are is astounding. Amnesty International have accused them of murder!
The amount of information available stating how despicable they are is astounding. Amnesty International have accused them of murder!
Well that's a good comment but most of what was posted when I asked was just insinuation, or the sort of thing that any company does but painted in an evil light.
So Shell get to sponsor British Cycling for 8 years.
Yet Shell never show an oil rig in their adverts.
What a crock of absolute bollocks.
I thought a road cycling team being sponsored by a 4x4 manufacturer was as shameless as it could get...
From Shell's perspective it's a fantastic "partnership" a perceived "green wash" and a "Sports wash" in one.
The thing is I do wonder how much BC really needs a corporate sponsor sometimes, membership subs + race/event fees plus various lottery and government sources of money for development of the sport (as measured by Olympic medals mostly) for an organisation that gets a lot from a volunteer labour force. Do they really need Oil money too?
I'd also be interested to know how much, if any, discussion is had about the reaction to the shell sponsorship at their national council meeting in a few weeks...
if we move to net Zero use of oil as a fuel source, we still need vast quantities of oil and the environmental damage that it entails from extraction through to refining for every single part of our lives.
Net zero is a target because fossil fuels are burnt, not because they are extracted & refined
The thing is I do wonder how much BC really needs a corporate sponsor sometimes, membership subs + race/event fees plus various lottery and government sources of money for development of the sport (as measured by Olympic medals mostly) for an organisation that gets a lot from a volunteer labour force. Do they really need Oil money too?
Membership money doesn't come close to covering it.
Event fees is mostly insurance related, BC gets very little actual revenue from events - in fact at grassroots level, events are not a big money spinner unless you're doing 1000+ rider Sportives regularly. Cycle clubs promoting a road race will make maybe £200 for club funds at most.
All the "other" stuff - coaching, Go-Ride, training of event officials, clothing, race equipment and the day to day running of the back-room elements all adds up.
There are actually only a few companies who can come up with the required millions per year over a 4 or 8 year deal, you're looking at the top end corporate stuff (like Sky and HSBC before).
Perhaps, but it's not like BC is meant to be a profit making organisation, and just how much do they get bunged via 'culture and sport' and lottery funds? It's all rather opaque IMO and the focus is almost always elite competition. Grass roots seems to be taken care of mainly by the local clubs (putting on events, finding Marshalls, etc)...
Does shell align with BC's espoused values? I don't really think it does myself...
Perhaps, but it’s not like BC is meant to be a profit making organisation, and just how much do they get bunged via ‘culture and sport’ and lottery funds? It’s all rather opaque IMO
You can see here. Do remember there are a couple of subsidiary companies too.
Membership is pretty sizeable - equal to what HSBC and other sponsors put in it seems.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03943494/filing-history
I *assumed* they were a charity, but it appears not to be the case.
Any of you smarty pants got a better idea?
Doubt it, you'all be too busy signing from the same hypocritical hymnsheet.
Hypocritical how? Most of us are trying to do better and that's what this is about. This isn't better by a long shot, it's not even the status quo.
Or is it only the ideologically pure who can criticise?
Interesting watching track world cup, GB team all got Shell logo on their kits. In the womens team sprint the last rider wasn't wearing the logo. Do you think this is due to timescales and not getting kit in time or some kind of protest?
I've just emailed to cancel.
I optimistically had a look to see if this was tied to any meaningful commitments on the part of Shell but I can't see any. I can't in good conscience support greenwashing like this.
I'm aware that I'm not perfect and this action won't make much change but it's not nothing and it's something I can do.
Good work.
First page of Shell's annual report 2020:
"Shell is an international energy company engaged in the principal aspects of the oil and gas industry and reports its business through segments."
What on earth does that have to do with cycling.
Obviously cycling companies are not falling over themselves to sponsor British Cycling.
As our society is completely dependent on fossil fuels why is their sponsorship not acceptable?
Loads of people here criticising Shell while using Shell's products to power their car and heat their home.
Why shouldn't BC take their cash when we are all content to use their products?
What on earth does that have to do with cycling.
Could easily ask the same about HSBC or Sky (other than maybe "cyclists have bank accounts" and "cyclists watch TV"...?)
BC need a big money sponsor/ partner in order to keep doing what they're doing, it's nowhere close to being self-funding.
I can see that Shell is basically greenwashing but then so is every other fossil fuel company.
Best you don't look too closely at the delightful human rights records of some of the countries involved in football or F1...
Why shouldn’t BC take their cash when we are all content to use their products?
Are we? That argument has already been made and debunked by the fact most of us have little choice, dependence is not the same as acceptance.
Give me the means and I'll gladly dump fossil fuels and personal transport.
BC's latest update doesn't help much.
They're going to make cycling more accessible. - Not without grassroots support they're not.
They're going to recruit a Sustainability Manager. - I hope they like working with Shell's sustainability department.
They're going to inspire more people to ride across Britain. - The only thing they've inspired so far is to cancel BC membership.
My mate has now quit her role as Breeze ride leader, which she had been doing an amazing job of. This is so sad.
I'll wager a number of GoRide coaches are gone soon.
The facts about oil and logic about funding are no match for ethics and values. The collateral damage is starting to look very big indeed.
I hope it was worth it BC.
Here's the (unsatisfactory) reply to my email cancelling my BC membership.
For the record, I don't own a car and I pay for renewable energy (Ecotricity).
Dear Neil,
Thank you for getting in touch with us.
The Shell partnership is a long-term commitment to cycling, which will bring significant and tangible benefits and help more people consider cycling and cyclists.
It will help us to progress important work to move our business and sport towards net-zero, and to make cycling more accessible for disabled people – matters which we know our members are passionate about.
We will share further details of the first big steps before the end of this year, including an announcement of the Limitless programme and the recruitment of our first Sustainability Manager.
As always, all feedback from our members is important, and we’re always seeking to improve our engagement with you. Your comments in relation to your cancellation request have been passed on accordingly.
We’re sorry that you want to leave British Cycling. If you would like us to process cancellation of your British Cycling membership, please return your card along with a covering note to British Cycling, National Cycling Centre, Stuart Street, Manchester, M11 4DQ. We will process your refund on receipt of your card. Please Note: A cancellation fee of £10 will deducted from any refund issued.
Best wishes,
The Membership Team
please return your card
Cover it in oil! Or put it in a quart can of oil. With a cool phrase in the covering letter. Like that bit in Quantum of Solice.
🙂
You can't make an MTB without the oil industry. 😉
You can’t make an MTB without the oil industry. 😉
...currently.
Nothing to say we have to keep using rotten dinosaurs to make plastics and rubbers, IANA Chemist but there's been efforts at plant based polymers over the years, I can't exactly vouch for their green credentials obviously, but it's better than just defending the "do nothing/don't challenge the money" position because you lack a bit of imagination...
BC do seem to be quite careful about generally not adopting much of an environmental policy in their various bits of waffle. And we all know it sport, sport, Sport! hunting for those elite medal prospects and crushing the psychological well being of those that don't quite hit the targets....
But I mean come on, bicycles/cycling and the environment... The connection is pretty chuffing obvious to most people who aren't just trying to be contrary arses or looking to 'trigger' anyone soft enough to have a bit if a conscience...
Oil companies and bicycles/cycling (and thus by extension the environment)? It feels incongruous at best.
https://road.cc/content/news/how-loss-hsbc-covid-19-hit-british-cyclings-finances-296607
Well balanced piece on road.cc about the sponsorship including some background on HSBC.
That is a good article, well worth a read. Telling HSBC to go away with 4 years left looks particularly stupid now.
So they are low on cash, and who comes in? The fossil fuel industry, with their deep we've-got-so-much-cash-we-don't-know-what-to-do-with-it pockets.
I get angry about betting adverts on football shirts, but seeing the Shell logo on a cyclist's arms is even more repulsive.
Thats it, I'm convinced - I'm, only filling my 2.8 litre Audi up at ethical petrol stations in the future...
Juat had my cancellation email back from BC. They didn't ask for my card back, which is good because I can't be arsed to find it.
The hypocrisy over this, whilst people drive to Bike Park Wales, or some other cycling venue. How about all that cycle clothing, made from oil, by any chance? Or the plastic components? Or the bikes, made in the Far East, then shipped in oil fueled ships, then by oil fueled vehicles, to the bike shops. If not Shell then who? Name a Company or other organisation, that should replace, Chinese backed HSBC? A Chinese oil company? We are going to need oil, for many decades to come, even if we stop burning it. Shell only get oil out of the ground, because "we" need it. And there are far worse Oil Companies than Shell.
But I mean come on, bicycles/cycling and the environment… The connection is pretty chuffing obvious to most people who aren’t just trying to be contrary arses or looking to ‘trigger’ anyone soft enough to have a bit if a conscience…
I've pointed this out till I'm blue in the face, but driving your car to a trail center has roughly the same CO2 emissions as a full carbon bike.
Saying you could make a bike out of cellulose polymers or tyres from natural rubber isn't solving the issue that you're driving to Peebles on a tank of Shell's finest.
Maybe that's just it, maybe it's not greenwashing, they just want to cash in on the lucrative T6 Vanlifers to Golfie weekender market.
I was very grateful for the £60k from BCs Places to Ride programme (council stumped up £60k plus vat on the lots)as meant could a great little facility built that is very well used by kids of all ages.
I hope that they run another grant scheme on the same basis (current crowd funding version is more problematic).
clearly a complex situation, but as will most things far from black and white.
Watching the Track World Champs on TV the other day, I noticed that the Belgian Cycling Team are sponsored by / partnered with Esso.
Since I always try and fill up with Esso cos of Nectar points, I guess I'm inadvertently supporting the Belgians rather than Team GB...
Interesting to see this from the Western Cyclocross League, thinking about removing the whole league from BC:
All,
Following several conversations with committee members, riders, volunteers and organisers at this Sunday's WCCL race the committee held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the 'Shell BC partnership'
There were differing views between committee members, and we obviously all respect the many views of all league members. After careful consideration, a tactical way forward was agreed.
For the remainder of the 2022-23 season we will continue, as planned, with our schedule and run events under the BC system.
A review of the options for race organisers and the league as whole will take place early next year (after the end of the season) to explore the viability of alternatives.
WCCL committee
So the CEO of British Cycling has stepped down. What difference does that make, if the Shell deal remains in place?
So the CEO of British Cycling has stepped down. What difference does that make, if the Shell deal remains in place?
My suspicion is that he's gone because of the way the Shell deal was done, and the ensuing fallout.
Yes the horse has bolted, but if it's about the management style that led to it - then they won't want to keep him around for more of the same style.
And since Shell was not even the new lead sponsor you’ve got to wonder what options he had lined up for the big one.
Big Pharma I’m guessing. 🙂
And now laying off staff due to declining membership!
The news, reported by Cycling Weekly (link is external), came from a draft of British Cycling's annual report and financial statements for the year up to April 2023 which was leaked and showed 11 redundancies had been made out of approximately 250 employees, while membership had fallen by seven per cent and there had been a £1.35 million loss in commercial income.
https://road.cc/content/news/redundancies-british-cycling-amid-declining-membership-304709
But why not? The link between cycling and caring for the environment is minimal. Possibly, if your only means of transport is a bike and in that I include organisations further up the supply chain doing the same and if you never buy new parts, your cycling has minimal impact but recreational cycling? Come on.
How many here never ever use motorised transport to aid their cycling and never buy a new part ?
Face it, modern cycling isn't anything like looking after the planet.
Face it, modern cycling isn’t anything like looking after the planet
Some cycling doesn't.
Some cycling does.
Good luck making a bike without oil.
I always ride to work rather than take any form of transport.
When I go to work about once a month.
Otherwise I sit in my lovely warm house.