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‘A SHOCKING DECISION’: INDUSTRY REACTS AS BRITISH CYCLING SIGNS DEAL WITH SHELL
In October, British Cycling announced an eight- year deal with oil and gas company Shell UK, which was met with a wave of backlash on social media. BikeBiz asked the industry what it made of the partnership, and this was the response…
L
ast month, British Cycling announced a partnership with oil and gas company Shell UK, prompting criticism from many of its members as well as
environmental groups. The national governing body for cycling in Britain announced that Shell would be the new official partner of the federation, resulting in support and investment from the energy and petrochemical firm.
The company will support British Cycling’s work in elite
level cycling and para-cycling, along with its advocacy, campaigning, and grassroots organisation work. British Cycling also claimed Shell will help with its planned path to becoming a net zero organisation. The agreement includes specific investment from Shell
UK to support a new programme – to be named ‘Limitless,’ which aims to increase opportunities for disabled people in cycling. This project will provide a pathway for disabled riders from local to elite level, funding accessible environments for disabled riders across British Cycling’s 2,000 registered clubs. British Cycling said Shell will also help support BC’s
transition to an electric fleet of vehicles. But the announcement was quickly met with widespread criticism, with many raising issues with the environmental impacts caused by Shell’s work in fossil fuels. Greenpeace UK called the partnership a ‘brazen greenwash’ and many said
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Trade reaction “It’s just not a good look is it,” said Tony Childs, GC Bike Repairs MD, Portsmouth. “No doubt British Cycling want significant investment to fulfill a long term plan and Shell are looking to downplay some terrible PR in recent times, not the least of which is record profits at a time when fuel and energy bills are going through the roof. “Add to this the terrible messages around climate change and all fuel providers’ part in it. It just seems to be a multinational cynically trying to buy some goodwill by aligning themselves with a proven winning sporting team and an activity – cycling – which is seen as part of the answer to a more sustainable future.” Lee Rae-Byford, owner of bicycle repair shop the
Cogfather in Burgess Hill, called it an ‘absolutely shocking decision on their part’. “Shell and its fellow oil giants are
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they were cancelling memberships, with research fellow Dr Harrie Larrington-Spencer tweeting: “I’ve resigned from the British Cycling diversity and inclusion working group I was part of. Their partnership with Shell is unethical and antithetical to the grass roots cycling the group supports.” BikeBiz’s senior staff writer Rebecca Morley asked the
cycling industry what they made of the announcement, and it’s fair to say there were some strong opinions.
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