Self-rating and collaboration
Clubs/stadiums rate their own sustainability efforts, including those related to their stadiums, with an average score of 5.8 out of 10. This moderate rating reflects an acknowledgment of progress in sustainability initiatives but also highlights significant room for improvement. 79% collaborate with other stadiums or organisations to share best practices or insights regarding sustainability.
Why invest in sustainability and the focus of investments
The primary motivation for investing in sustainability is to reduce the ecological footprint, closely followed by the goal of cutting energy costs.
The most common initiatives focus on mobility efforts and waste management, with reusable cups also being a popular measure.
91% of clubs/stadiums have invested in sustainability over the last years with most of them investing in energy consumption.
94% of clubs/stadiums will continue to invest in sustainability in the next 5 years with again the most popular investment in energy consumption.
Energy investments and monitoring
A significant 51% of clubs/stadiums indicated that they do not actively monitor their energy usage, highlighting a gap in tracking and managing energy consumption effectively.
Despite the lack of energy monitoring, 71% of clubs/stadiums have introduced energy-efficient systems or practices over the past 5 year to reduce energy consumption. Notably, 57% of these clubs cited “rising energy prices” as the primary motivator for these changes. The most common strategies include installing LED lights, automatic light dimming systems and solar panels.
Sustainability Standards and leadership
Awareness of Sustainability Standards: While 69% of clubs/stadiums are familiar with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) of the European Union, only 29% are aware of UEFA’s Sustainability Infrastructure Guidelines.
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Impact of CSRD: Most clubs and stadiums report that it is still too early to assess the impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), suggesting ongoing uncertainty about how this framework will influence operations, reporting and sustainability initiatives. |
Sustainability Leadership:83% of clubs/stadiums have appointed a Sustainability Manager, reflecting a growing commitment to addressing environmental and social responsibilities.
2/3 of the clubs/stadiums think that sustainability requirements should be features in licensing requirements and they are currently well balanced.11% think the current requirements are not strict enough and 22% think they are too strict. These findings underscore the need for ongoing dialogue and tailored approaches to ensure that sustainability goals align with the operational realities of clubs and stadiums. Currently, 6 out of 10 national football leagues’ include specific sustainability requirements as part of their licensing criteria for clubs. However, there is significant potential for growth, as other leagues are yet to implement such measures, highlighting an opportunity for European standardisation in promoting sustainability across football.
Conclusions
- Self-Assessment: clubs/stadiums rate their sustainability efforts at 5.8 out of 10, acknowledging progress while highlighting significant potential for improvement.
- Key Focus Areas: mobility initiatives are the most common sustainability efforts, reflecting a strong emphasis on reducing emissions and improving transportation practices.
- Energy Investments: nearly all clubs/stadiums have invested in energy consumption reduction and plan to continue doing so over the next five years, emphasising its priority in sustainability strategies.
- Energy Monitoring Gap: despite 71% of clubs/stadiums implementing energy-efficient systems in the past five years, 51% still do not monitor their energy usage, indicating a critical gap in management and optimisation.
- Awareness of Standards: while 69% of clubs/stadiums are familiar with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), only 29% are aware of UEFA’s Sustainability Infrastructure Guidelines, suggesting the need for broader dissemination of sector-specific standards.
- Impact of CSRD: most clubs and stadiums feel it is too early to evaluate the impact of the CSRD, highlighting ongoing uncertainty about how it will shape operations, reporting and sustainability initiatives.
