Singapore, Sunday, 19 April 2026 – The Income Eco Run (IER) 2026 concluded today at the Bayfront Event Space, drawing more than 7,000 participants as individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and even four-legged companions came together in a shared commitment to reducing waste and building a more sustainable future. 

Held at its new venue, the Bayfront Event Space, IER 2026 brought together individuals, families, children, and pet owners, reinforcing zero-waste living as a collective, community-wide movement. The carbon-neutral event featured five run distances – 3KM, 5KM, 10KM, 15KM, and 21.1KM – alongside expanded Kids and Pets categories, and a series of new sustainability initiatives that extended the event’s advocacy far beyond the finish line.

Income Insurance continued its commitment to environmental causes by donating $1 for every kilometre clocked, bringing the total funds raised at IER 2026 to $90,000. Since 2023, $250,000 have been collectively donated to green causes and education. This includes an upcoming pilot with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore to reduce single-use takeaway food and drink containers in the CBD. Funds raised at IER 2026 will continue to support the enhancement and scaling of this scheme.

Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, was the Guest-of-Honour for the event and led the flag-off for the 5KM / 10KM run distances at 7AM. He also visited the IER Eco Village, which featured a variety of eco-friendly activities and sustainability showcases.

A New Venue, A Bigger Stage for Zero-Waste Action

The move to the Bayfront Event Space provided a 35% bigger space than its previous venue at Marina Barrage, which was able to accommodate a larger turnout of like-minded individuals and community participation. This enabled a larger IER Eco Village this year, featuring educational booths and showcases, lifestyle and pet-friendly sustainability partners, and recycling drop-off points for different types of waste such as plastic, cans, paper cups, safety pins, and banana peels, offering participants hands-on opportunities to practise waste segregation. 

Nurturing the Next Generation of Eco Advocates: New ‘Eco Experience’ Journeys

A standout new initiative at IER 2026 is the launch of post-event ‘Eco Experience’ learning journeys, designed to bring the zero-waste story to life for children and families beyond the run itself. As parent-child pairs, participants of the kids dash can register to explore first-hand how e-waste is recycled at ALBA e-waste’s facility, and how the plastic-free paper cups and banana peels from the run are composted by ENTO Industries. An interactive sustainability learning journey by WWF-Singapore at FairPrice’s flagship sustainable store is also available, introducing children to eco labels and green practices they can adopt as part of everyday life.

These journeys are designed to nurture eco-friendly habits from an early age, extending the impact of the event to families and communities long after race day. 

Running for Everyone – Expanded Categories for All Ages and Pets

IER 2026 introduced expanded distance options to welcome even more participants. Young runners aged 4–9 years old took on the classic 700M kids run, while older children aged 10–12 years could take on the new 1.2KM challenge for zero waste. The Pets Category, also expanded to offer both a 700M and 1.2KM option, welcoming dogs and cats with up to two owners per pet. Participation in the furry friends category surged by more than double this year, reflecting the growing enthusiasm among pet owners for the zero-waste movement.

These additions reinforced IER as an inclusive run, bringing together individuals, families, children, Special Olympians, and pet owners through shared experiences anchored in sustainability and well-being. 

Turning Purpose into Collective Action 

Mr Dhiren Amin, Chief Customer Officer, Income Insurance, “Over the years, IER has evolved into a platform that brings together like-minded partners and participants to take collective climate action. This year, this growth is reflected in the depth of our ecosystem, from NGOs and government agencies to educators and families, all united around a sharper, more purposeful sustainability agenda, from proactively pushing the boundaries on waste management year on year to bringing on more eco partners and experiences to inspire and encourage sustainable living. The new Eco Experience learning journeys are a natural extension of that ambition by ensuring that the knowledge exchange at IER extends beyond race day and take root in the next generation. We are building something meaningful here, and the momentum only continues to grow.”

IER 2026 delivered measurable, on-the-ground sustainability impact through a range of collective zero-waste practices:

• Compostable, plastic-free paper cups were used at all hydration points. These, alongside banana peels and pet waste collected throughout the event, will be composted by ENTO Industries using Black Soldier Fly larvae, diverting organic waste from landfills and converting it into organic fertilisers.
• Run bibs were designed at 65% smaller than the industry standard, reducing paper consumption across all participants.
• Participants were encouraged to run in their own or past IER tees, continuing the event’s long-standing clothing reuse ethos.
• E-medals were issued in place of physical medals for adult participants. Kids’ finisher medals were handcrafted from upcycled plastic bottle caps by Plastify, a local community-based organisation that recycles plastic waste into useful lifestyle products.
• Carbon emissions were offset based on estimated travel distances to the run pack collection venue and event day journeys, as well as the production of purchased event T-shirts. 

Ms Sophia Zhu, Chief Operations Officer, WWF-Singapore, said, “Every dollar raised helps move Singapore away from single-use packaging and towards practical, scalable circular systems where reuse is built into how we produce, distribute, and consume. As WWF‑Singapore marks its 20th anniversary, this partnership with Income Insurance reflects our shared belief that lasting change comes from redesigning systems and strengthening community‑led ecosystems for reuse. We look forward to working with like‑minded partners to deepen collaboration across the value chain and demonstrate what coordinated, system‑level action can achieve at scale.”

As a carbon-neutral event, IER 2026 continues to serve not just as a fitness event but as proof that collective action, when executed with purpose, can deliver measurable outcomes.

In addition, the IER is supported by the Say Yes to Less Waste campaign, a national movement led and coordinated by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to rally citizens, organisations, and the community to take collective action towards reducing waste and building a more environmentally sustainable Singapore.

The IER has also been awarded the Eco Event Certification by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) for three consecutive years and is the first mass sporting event to achieve the highest 4-LEAF status.