Ball Corporation’s Post

Some great examples of how the little changes start to add up and make a big difference

We now know our carbon footprint. Do you? Last night at our Lewes Football Club Owners' Townhall (monthly open session available to any of our fan-owners to join), we welcomed Barney Weston from Football For Future to share some of the insights from a sustainability review we collaborated on. We never really shout about our sustainability efforts because we know there's so much more to do. Yes we have our Community Garden complete with composters and veg patch 🍅 and Lou's Garden 🌻attracting insects and pollinators, and solar panels on the main stand (see photo evidence from Ben&Jack Studio!), and we're right next to the station and encourage travel by public transport. We're discussing bike racks in the carpark right now 🚲 . Our food and drink is almost exclusively from local suppliers and have changed a lot of our packaging in recent years etc etc... but when I look around there's just so much more we could be doing. However, in sharing some of the results, Barney noted that a) it is incredibly rare for men's clubs at our level to do anything at all b) it is incredibly rare for women's clubs at our level to even be included in the club's sustainability reviews because their parent club - who might do reviews - usually rent external stadiums and/or training grounds for the women, and it's too hard to measure external partners. Measuring is important for us though - it's why we do countless surveys - after every game, at the end of the season, for staff, players, because only then can we know if we are actually and genuinely making a difference. So now we have a baseline. What next? It's the easiest win for any company out there that has pledged to make the world a greener place, to come on board as our club Sustainability Partner. We've got the baseline KPIs - together, we can track very tangible progress and celebrate that success together. If you know of a partner with strong sustainability credentials, ask them to take a look at Lewes FC and to drop me a line 💚 😊

My colleagues, Patrick Moloney and Gustav Plantin, and I just published our second article on sport and sustainability. Our first article "the sports industry: A responsibility to behave responsibly" discussed the footprint of sports. In this second article, we explore how sports organisations can harness the power of sustainable strategies to maximise revenue while upholding their commitment to the planet and future generations. Later this month, we will focus upon the new sustainability regulatory landscape and what this means for the sports industry – especially the CSRD - stay tuned!! #sport #sustainability #responsiblebusinessconduct

From field to finance: Adding sustainability to the complex cocktail of sports 🌱🥇 In this piece, our experts Patrick Moloney, Thomas Trier Hansen and Gustav Plantin walk you through how sustainability reshapes the sports industry beyond environmental initiatives. Learn how embracing sustainable strategies isn't just a choice but a vital path to maximising revenue and securing eco-conscious partnerships. #SportsBiz #SustainableFinance #SustainableChange

Here's a short article I have written with a colleague on Sport England’s bold commitment to environmental sustainability in sport https://lnkd.in/eDBDBSTB

A few thoughts on golf, sustainability, and social media… #doyourbest #sustainability #golf #continuousimprovement #communication #csr #businessforgood #shareyourstory

Did you know that Forest Green Rovers are the greenest football club in the world? The League Two club has been on a mission to become more environmentally sustainable while also being successful on the pitch. To do that, they have made a raft of changes… This includes moving to a fully vegan menu, powering their stadium with renewable energy, installing charging points for electric cars, recycling water, buying electric groundskeeping equipment, putting in an organic pitch,  and putting information around the stadium about climate change. So, no wonder the club has been crowned the 2023 BBC Green Sport Awards elite organisation of the year! Should more football clubs be following in Forest Green Rovers’ footsteps? https://lnkd.in/efWqE8aE #Sustainability #Health #eCommerce

Earth Day seeking sustainability improvements in sport EARTHDAY.ORG has identified the sporting industry as a key area to target in the fight against the climate crisis, but why is this? Everything that goes into sport, from travel by athletes and fans to supply chains for merchandise and equipment, contributes to an alarming carbon footprint. For example, a single National Football League (NFL) game produces around 40 tonnes of rubbish. Over the course of the full season, the league accumulates approximately 20,230 tonnes of waste which is the equivalent to around 107 times the weight of every single NFL player combined. As a result, Earth Day is looking to deepen its relationship with the sports community to inspire environmental action year-round. “So many sports communities rely on a clean and healthy environment to participate in the activities they love, from ski mountains to surf beaches to your neighbours playing pickup games in the park,” Earth Day National Campaign Manager Evan Raskin tells Global Sustainable Sport. “We see this as a huge opportunity for engagement in the environmental movement. “Working more closely with sports leagues is a key part of my strategy as we prepare for Earth Day 2025; the goal is for the sports industry to be well-positioned to make a meaningful impact on #EarthDay, and ensure that the actions they take are not motivated by greenwashing.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/efvj4Cdd Get our latest news and features first! Sign up today to receive the free Global Sustainable Sport weekly newsletter every Thursday: https://lnkd.in/eJBCRH4p Owen Lloyd Mike Laflin

I've been a Watford Football Club fan for a long time now. I remember watching Luther Blissett and Gary Porter with my Auntie Olive, who was completely deaf, in the Vicarage Road stand while it was still a terrace... Back then, Watford FC focused very much on being a family club, with deep community credentials, and they really were. I was even in Watford General Hospital after an operation when Sir Elton came to visit the ward to cheer up the kids and hand out Watford goodies. But what I've enjoyed most recently is how the club has started to take sustainability much more seriously and I think this partnership is fantastic. Understanding where to make a real difference, using the WFC family to facilitate it and then using that insight to move the club forwards in the right direction makes this a very interesting initiative. It gives Watford fans a clear understanding of the issues and the role they have, without laying the burden on the individual. It also gives WFC the kind of data and insight which will enable them to drive forward with a really coherent sustainability plan, as well as real data over estimates to inform their reporting. Can't wait to see how this shapes up and hoping a lot more clubs will take their lead here and take a look at how platforms like Lowr might be able to help them make better decisions. Now... if you can just sort a win on Saturday against Bristol City that would be great, I thought it was about time I took my boy to his first game after seeing this. #purpose #netzero #sustainability #footballbusiness #sustainablebusiness

Harnessing the Power of Circularity: A Game Changer for Sports Organizations. The beautiful game is getting a green upgrade! If you are a Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a sports organization, are you looking for impactful ways to reduce your environmental footprint? Look no further than the Kits for the World reuse a kit concept. Let's work together to make the beautiful game even more beautiful for our Planet, People, Football! Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #Sports #CSR #EarthDay #ClimateAction #ActNow