Sports have always played a major role in our society, bringing people together across the globe. Now, the sports industry has a responsibility to use its influence to help repair the planet and inspire others to do the same.
Play It Green looks to work with sporting bodies to enhance their sustainability credentials, educate, and deliver action that works for both their business and the planet. Our pack and platform allow them to engage both new and existing fans whilst leaving a true legacy for the planet.
Not only that but going green is being increasingly demanded by fans, suppliers, tenders and partners, with green legislation sure to follow.
Here are some of the ways we are supporting the sports industry in becoming more sustainable.
Run Environmentally-Themed Match Days
We give clubs the option to run environmentally-themed match days at absolutely no cost to them. This encourages fans and sponsors to reduce their impact and plant trees to reach a set target and gives the club the opportunity to grow its profile and revenues and begin the journey to Net-Zero.
The challenges, such as the Vegan Meal Challenge, included in our pack engage and educate fans about sustainability via social media, driving real behaviour change and strengthening your place within the community.
Not only is this a hugely positive story for the club that will lower the footprint of thousands of people, you will also directly raise money for your community programmes. This is because, for every £1 spent on planting trees, 10% of revenues are given to a good cause, with the option to choose your club or Foundation.
Plant Trees and Enhance Your Proposition
You can also increase your positive impact by adding trees to products such as shirt sales, match tickets and even season tickets. This can include a green range of merchandise which guarantees that trees are planted or adding tree(s) to tickets to rebalance the carbon footprint of travelling to the venue.
As with the match day, the cost is 50p a tree, and 10% of all revenues goes toward either the club’s foundation/youth programme or a chosen good cause. Remember, it’s not just about trees; it’s about creating conversations and, ultimately, behaviour change.
Make Your Workforce Climate Positive
If a club or organisation wants to make more of a lasting environmental and social impact, we can help make their workforce climate positive through our 3-step solution of Reduce, Repair, Regive. This means that we will aid them in reducing their footprint through weekly tips, our Net Zero Framework, and access to our network of sustainability efforts.
For £5 per employee per month, we plant 13 trees per person per month, instantly rebalancing their carbon footprint at home and 7500 annual personal miles. On top of that, a newsletter is sent to your team every Friday with a tip, articles, and a sustainable discount to help create behaviour change and lower carbon footprints.
As with all our products, 10% of all funds raised in their Forest Garden will go towards the club’s own youth and community programmes or their chosen good cause.
A Climate Positive Workforce enhances a sports club or organisation’s brand and provides lots of positive marketing content. Since sustainability is now of enormous importance to many, it also makes an attractive benefit to employees, helping to create a positive culture change in the workplace and allowing you to attract and retain the best talent.
Make Your Club Climate Positive
Through our partnership with EaaSi Carbon, any sports club or organisation can receive a full Carbon Footprint Report compliant with government SECR scope 1, 2 or 3 and can be used in their accounts. Once done, you can rebalance the company’s historical and current carbon footprint to become carbon neutral.
For SMEs to larger businesses, this is cost-effective carbon reporting and is not reliant on switching your energy. The process will automate much of the reporting and, if you do switch energy, provide a ‘zero touch’ service along with instant reports.
This will be done alongside working with Play It Green’s Net Zero Framework and accessing our network of sustainability experts to reduce your overall footprint.
How We’ll Support You
Our entire sports programme is designed to help clubs reach all 5 directives of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and support at least 11 of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
All trees planted are done so in Madagascar through our tree-planting partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. This replenishes forests, restores animal habitats and rainfall patterns, prevents flooding and soil erosion, and absorbs CO2, helping fight climate change. Members of the local community are also employed to plant and care for the trees meaning less poverty and more people able to afford daily necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, education and medicine.
Additionally, all Play It Green partners are provided with an online, customisable Forest Garden which tracks your positive climate impact. It, along with other infographics, are easily shareable through social media platforms and can be used to promote your efforts to your fans, employees, investors, and stakeholders.
Your Forest Garden also contains a download area with free access to Net Zero Framework and other support material to help your business on its journey to Net-Zero. This includes marketing support to help clubs make the most of their efforts.
“After two decades of working in sport, I know the power and influence it has on society. We are proud to deliver a full suite of support for sporting bodies, including education, impact and engagement initiatives that deliver upon the five principles in the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. Embracing sustainable action will not only help clubs engage new markets, new partners, and support their growth strategy, but also build a brighter future for the planet and its people.”
Chris Thair, Play it Green CEO and former General Manager at the European Rugby League
Find out how Play It Green can help your sports club or organisation
