Football Club ESG Support

ESG reporting helps football clubs understand, measure and communicate their environmental, social and governance performance. It provides evidence of sustainability progress to supporters, sponsors, governing bodies, local communities and commercial partners. ESG reporting can also help clubs identify opportunities to reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency and demonstrate progress towards net zero commitments.

Football clubs typically start by calculating their Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions. This may include energy use at stadia and training facilities, fleet vehicles, purchased electricity, business travel, supporter travel, purchased goods and services, waste management and supply chain activity. Establishing a baseline helps clubs identify their biggest sources of emissions and prioritise reduction activities.

Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions generated throughout a football club’s value chain. Examples may include supporter travel, team travel, catering, merchandise production, outsourced services, waste disposal and supplier activities. For many clubs, Scope 3 emissions represent the largest share of their overall carbon footprint and can often be the most challenging to measure accurately.

Reducing matchday waste often starts with understanding what is being generated and where. Clubs can improve recycling infrastructure, reduce single-use items, introduce reusable alternatives, work with suppliers to reduce packaging and engage supporters through clear signage and communications. Waste data can also provide valuable insight into opportunities for operational improvements and resource efficiency.

Many sponsors are increasingly looking to partner with organisations that demonstrate strong environmental and social performance. A clear ESG strategy and credible sustainability reporting can help clubs strengthen sponsorship discussions, align with corporate sustainability objectives and provide opportunities for collaborative environmental initiatives. Demonstrating progress may also support brand reputation and stakeholder engagement.

The exact data required will vary depending on a club’s objectives, but commonly includes energy consumption, fuel use, waste and recycling data, water consumption, travel information, procurement data and supplier information. Collecting reliable data is essential for measuring environmental performance, calculating emissions and reporting progress accurately.

The timeframe depends on the size and complexity of the club, the availability of data and the scope of the assessment. A focused ESG readiness review can often be completed relatively quickly, while a more detailed assessment involving carbon footprinting, supply chain analysis and sustainability strategy development may require additional time. The first step is usually understanding what information is already available and identifying any data gaps.

The cost of ESG support depends on the services required, the size of the organisation and the level of support needed. Some clubs may require a readiness assessment or carbon footprint calculation, while others may need ongoing support with reporting, strategy development or sustainability initiatives. We recommend discussing your goals and requirements with our team so we can tailor support to your club’s needs.

Common challenges include measuring emissions across operations, understanding Scope 3 emissions, reducing matchday waste, engaging suppliers, setting realistic net zero targets and demonstrating sustainability progress to sponsors, supporters and governing bodies.

This would align nicely with the challenge section higher up the page and is likely to be a question clubs genuinely search for.