Shows
Sustainability HuddleData, innovation and looking ahead to 2024How can a “non-essential” sector like sport justify its existence on a planet with finite resources?It was a question posed by Damian Foxall, sustainability manager of the 11th Hour Racing Team, during episode 96 of the podcast that we try to unpack.Foxall reflects on a successful 2023, in which his team was crowned champions of The Ocean Race. At the end of the season, it also produced a sustainability report full of achievements and case studies.In addition, Kristen Fulmer, head of sustainability at Oak View Group (operator of the Climate Pledge Arena in S...
2023-12-2349 minSustainability HuddleNo COPping out for sportAs we head into another COP, two major things remain unclear for our industry: on a macro level, what climate trajectory will we find ourselves on once all is said and done in two weeks? And, at a sector level, what role is sport expected to play to keep this trajectory as low as possible?COP28 is a key talking point in episode 95 of the podcast as we talk to SailGP’s Fiona Morgan about its Race for the Future takeover in Dubai. Russell Seymour of BASIS talks about the new Game Changer II report, which lays ba...
2023-11-3048 minSustainability HuddleHow football clubs can support the people’s climate transitionCollectively, more than three-quarters of the fans of Bohemian FC, Club Brugge KV, FC St Pauli, FC Twente, Ferencvárosi TC, Real Betis and SV Werder Bremen believe their clubs and football in general need to do more to support and accelerate the shift to a lower carbon society.But how can football clubs position themselves as the drivers of this transition – and crucially, how can they ensure that transition is just and beneficial for their local communities.That’s what we try to unpack in this episode of the podcast alongside Sean McCabe (Bohemian Footb...
2023-11-1042 minSustainability HuddleTough questions and creative solutionsA week after the Sport Positive Summit, Kate Chapman (London Marathon Events), Sara Kassam (UK Sport) and Rikke Rønholt Albertsen (Danish Olympic Committee) help us unpick some of the key talking points.Can growth and sustainability coexist in sport? How can sport wean itself off of fossil fuel sponsorship? What does the sports industry collectively need to say when we reconvene again in 12 months time? We cover it all.
2023-10-1241 minSustainability HuddleDriving progress through thoughtful discourseProtecting humans, animals and plants. That’s what climate justice boils down to, says Jessica Murfree. In this edition of the podcast, Murfree (sport ecologist and assistant professor at the University of Cincinati) and Claire Poole look ahead to the Sport Positive Summit, exploring how the industry can position itself best to promote climate action and justice through thoughtful discourse.The episode focuses on the importance of diverse perspectives, risk management and using nuance language when it comes to sustainability claims.And Poole, founder and chief executive of Sport Positive, lifts the lid on...
2023-09-2841 minSustainability HuddleSport’s evolving approach to climate actionIn this podcast episode, we delve into the nuanced approach sports should take towards carbon emissions and question whether current best practices in carbon measurement and reduction are fit-for-purpose for an industry with such distinctive challenges.In the company of Nicola Barr, the decarbonising sport lead at FrontRunners, and a current player for the Greater Western Sydney Giants, and Alice Ashpitel, head of sustainability at Mercedes F1, we explore the practicalities of investing in sustainable fuels, the shift from high-polluting sponsors and the influential role of athletes in this endeavour.
2023-09-2248 minSustainability HuddleEvolution, disruption and leadershipDr. Maddy Orr, Bob Ramsak and Dr. Sheila Nguyen were the three guests as The Sustainability Report Podcast came back after a six month rest.While Ramsak (head of sustainability for World Athletics) and Nguyen (head of sustainability for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023) spoke about managing the environmental impact of two of the year’s biggest sporting events, Orr discussed the disruption sport had experienced as a result to extreme weather in recent months.All three guests also explored the evolving role of the sustainability professional in sport and the chang...
2023-09-1446 minSustainability HuddleEmbedding ESG principles in African sportSport in Africa has huge cultural significance – and every single nation in the vast continent is impacted by significant environmental and social challenges.Sustainable Sport Africa, established by Rachel Aron and Tristan Niesslein, aims to position sport as a medium to address some of these challenges, which, in turn, should make African sports properties more appealing to potential investors.In this episode of the podcast, Aron and Niesslein discuss the launch of the organisation and some of its key objectives.
2023-03-3041 minSustainability HuddleMobilising football fans on climate changeFootball fans are often treated as a problem. But, actually, when it comes to throwing their weight behind large societal issues – such as anti-racism and refugee support – they can be a significant part of the solution.That’s according to Jenny Amann and Mark Doidge, doctoral researcher and senior research fellow respectively at the University of Brighton. Their latest piece of research, titled ‘Mobilising Football Fans on Climate Change’, explores how this diverse group of people, brought together by the love of the game or a team, can hold the key when it comes to positive behaviour change rel...
2023-02-2447 minSustainability HuddleBuilding capacity for sustainability within a Premier League football clubCalling the Wolverhampton Wanderers sustainability strategy ‘One Pack, One Planet’ was always going to be a winner with fans.But beyond the clever branding – and the launch of the strategy during a really successful Green Football Weekend – One Pack, One Planet was built on solid foundations of robust impact assessments, clear communications with club staff and giving departments the agency to develop their own action plans to achieve targets in four main areas: carbon, waste, nature and culture.In this episode of the podcast, Thom Rawson, the project lead, explains the work that went on behind t...
2023-02-0927 minSustainability HuddleHow purpose is transforming transactional sports partnerships into deeper, strategic relationshipsA focus on purpose and sustainability is shifting sports partnerships from traditional transactional deals to deeper, strategic, holistic relationships.That’s according to Mya Doelling, the global partnerships manager for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). And in this episode of the podcast, she explains how purposeful partnerships are gaining traction in sport, using the IOC’s Climate Action Awards partnership with Airbnb, Deloitte and P&G as cases in point.Together with her colleague Julie Duffus, the IOC’s senior sustainability manager, Doelling reveals how more than two years of preparation – which included the mapping of the I...
2023-02-0233 minSustainability HuddleCreating a biodiversity strategy for a motorsport trackWhen Lorenzo Sacchetti was asked to embark on a project to increase biodiversity at a motorsports track by his Copenhagen Business School tutor Rikke Albertsen and project manager at the Dansk Automobil Sports Union (DASU), Michella Skov, he was a little surprised.How does nature conservation and motorsport – an unsustainable activity in Lorenzo’s mind – fit together?Alongside Albertsen, Skov and his friend and biodiversity expert Matilde Montagna, Sacchetti tried to find out by developing a biodiversity pilot project as one of DASU’s tracks – a pilot project that could form the foundation for a wider biod...
2023-01-1838 minSustainability HuddleBringing sport closer to nature through vulnerability and science“Part of the feast – not a spectator in it.” Using the words of the renowned Australian environmental philosopher and writer, Val Plumwood, Rebecca Olive reflects on the vulnerability she felt when swimming in the ocean, a few hundred metres away from the shore, with no one close enough to save her if something unexpected occurred.During episode 84 of The Sustainability Report Podcast, the senior research fellow at RMIT University talks about her research, which investigates the relationship between sportspeople like swimmers and surfers with nature, and whether these feelings of connection and vul...
2023-01-1236 minSustainability HuddleCan sport shine a light on climate injustice?Forest fires, melting ice caps, extreme storms. It’s easy to perceive climate change as an ‘environmental problem’, external from the everyday lives of humans, particularly for those of us who live in parts of the world where climate impacts aren’t quite so stark yet.But climate change is a human problem, with people’s health, jobs, security and recreation impacted.Some people are affected more than others. In general terms, people who are poorer economically, who come from certain ethnic backgrounds and live in certain neighbourhoods or nations feel the negative consequence more keenly tha...
2022-07-0849 minSustainability HuddleWorking with similar organisations to achieve sustainability goalsSupport and practical help, or lack of, is often the number one reason for inaction when it comes to sustainability. The will is there, but the fear persists that it won’t be done right, leading to a number of negative consequences.In episode #81 of the podcast, we explore the ASAP (As Sustainable As Possible) project, in which three National Olympic Committees (NOCs) with relatively mature approaches to sustainability (Finnish, Danish, German) support three mentee NOCs who want to reach a similar level (Czech, Slovak, Hungarian), with comprehensive sustainability strategies.Jana Janotova (Czech Olympic Committee) an...
2022-06-3036 minSustainability HuddleOrganising a climate neutral World ChampionshipsBecoming a sustainability leader has been earmarked as a way to differentiate and attract new fans and partners for emerging sports.In this episode of the podcast, we discover how the sport of floorball is making environmental responsibility a key part of its growth strategy, principally through one of its key events: the Men’s World Floorball Championships in Zürich later this year.Daniel Kasser (Zürich 2022 organising committee), Kai Rassmus Landwehr (MyClimate) and Tero Kalsta (International Floorball Federation) talk us through the preparations to make the event climate neutral.Episode #80 talk...
2022-06-2344 minSustainability HuddleHow to be a sustainable championInstigating a large mangrove planting project. Free-diving to collect trash from lakes and ocean. Collecting unwanted table tennis equipment and giving it a new life.These are just some of the endeavours being undertaken by world-class, Olympic-competing athletes who also care strongly about the planet. In an effort to get more athletes to get behind the environmental cause, the IOC has told these stories and paired them with practical advice in its latest guide, ‘How to be a sustainable champion’.In this edition of the podcast, Julie Duffus, the IOC’s senior sustainability manager, talks us thr...
2022-06-1626 minSustainability HuddleHow sport is accelerating circular innovation for carbon fibreAround 80% of Winter Olympic sports and 50% of Summer Olympic sports use carbon fibre in their equipment. Indeed, according to Dan Reading, sport is the industry that uses the third-largest amount of carbon fibre for high performance equipment.The problem is that carbon fibre is very difficult to repurpose when equipment is broken or no longer fit for purpose.But as part of the Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance, Reading has helped to accelerate a method to extract material from unwanted products to be used again in new pieces of equipment. In this podcast, Reading and Carbon...
2022-06-0936 minSustainability HuddleCrafting your voice as an athlete climate activistOlympic medal-winning racewalker Evan Dunfee started getting politically active around climate change when the Covid-19 pandemic put his competitions on ice. Jules Burnotte, the Canadian biathlete, has been a lover of the natural environment, and politically active to protect it, for as long as he can remember.Two athletes, two experiences. But both intent on using their influence to make a positive environmental impact.In this episode of the podcast, Dunfee and Burnotte detail their unique journeys that have helped them craft their voice.Episode #77 talking points:– How athletes ca...
2022-06-0249 minSustainability HuddleTargeting gender parity in sailingThe Ocean Race is among the most progressive sports events when it comes to environmental sustainability, with its scientific microplastics analysis project from the 2017/18 winning several plaudits, and its Ocean Race Summits convening some of the foremost experts in environmental science and ocean protection.But a World Sailing Trust report in 2019 highlighted room for improvement across the whole sailing industry when it comes to inclusion for women and girls.In this week’s episode, Anne-Cécile Turner (The Ocean Race sustainability director), Dee Caffari (World Sailing Trust chair) and Jonquil Hackenberg (The Magenta Project chair), exp...
2022-05-2643 minSustainability HuddleMega events vs sustainable impact (Part 2)Diversity of experience and opinion is crucial to effective dialogue and finding solutions.At Global Sports Week in Paris, key actors from the world of motorsport, major events, suppliers, and representing Africa, Europe and the Middle East, explored the question: can major sports events be compatible with sustainable development?The quality of discussion was so good (including the input of the Global Sports Week Young Sports Makers), that we decided to capture the best parts in this week’s podcast.Episode #75 talking points:– Cyril Abiteboul on why sport must be f...
2022-05-1945 minSustainability HuddleMega events vs sustainable impactAll industries need new, fresh ideas, particularly when it comes to balancing out core business objectives and social and environmental impact. Sport is no different.That’s why students who spend time and effort producing research that goes some way to addressing this fundamental issue are so important. Karina Mukanovo, a PhD student at the University of Paris-Saclay, is one such individual, and on this week’s podcast she explores how major sports events could improve their sustainable impact. Episode #74 talking points:– The role of government, and why it is cruci...
2022-05-0532 minSustainability HuddleCreating sustainability campaigns that resonate with fansWe often talk about sport’s cultural significance and its ability to influence a vast number of people, but how can we put this into practice when it comes to sustainable behaviours?For this edition of the podcast, The Sustainability Report sits down with Galen Trail and Brian McCullough to explore their research which applies a traditional sports marketing model to sustainability campaigns and messaging.How can sports organisations segment their fan audience and create sustainability messages that resonate and encourage them to adapt their behaviour? Find out in this episode.Episode #73 ta...
2022-04-1452 minSustainability HuddleMerging climate justice, football culture and distinctive designA mountain with a smile on its face will potentially go down as one of the most distinctive crests in the world of football.But it’s what sits behind the crest that is really remarkable. Vermont Green FC, a fledgling football (soccer) team about to make its debut in the USL League 2, will attempt to redefine what it means to be a football club with purpose, shaping its whole ethos and operations around climate and environmental justice.In this week’s podcast, The Sustainability Report sits down with Vermont Green’s two co-founders, Matthew Wolff...
2022-04-0749 minSustainability HuddleClosing the gap between sustainability objectives and concrete actionAbout a year ago, Kenneth P. Pucker’s article in Harvard Business Review suggested that the role of sustainability report was potentially being oversold, and that even though the number of companies disclosing and producing such documents had increased significantly over the last decade, so had carbon emissions.In this week’s podcasts, in the company of Rikke Rønholt Albertsen, the co-founder of the Global Goals World Cup and former elite athlete, we explore this gap between sustainability objectives and outputs and actual concrete action and outcomes.Rønholt Albertsen also talks about the need f...
2022-03-3156 minSustainability HuddleBuilding a football club identity around sustainabilityGreen and blue; the two colours most widely associated with environmental sustainability.Attempting to bring them both together are two clubs at the opposite ends of Europe, İstanbul Başakşehir in Turkey and Real Betis in Spain, who are positioning themselves football’s representation of the ocean and Earth respectively.In this podcast, we speak with marketing executives from both clubs, Elif Aslı Koç and Rocio Ruiz Berdejo, to find out what this partnership and a focus on environmental sustainability is a key priority.Episode #70 talking points:– How İstanbul Ba...
2022-03-2437 min
Our Impact with Jeremy CasebeerSustainability in Sport with Matthew Campelli, Founder of the Sustainability ReportMatthew Campelli is the Founder of the Sustainability Report, the essential source of intelligence and insight for sports professionals committed to enhancing the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of their organizations.
Matthew has thought extensively about the relationship between sport, society, and our environment. I’ve learned so much from Matthew’s articles and podcasts over the years and thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.
We go deep on:
What is the value of sport to our society and environment?
The opportunity pro sport has to compete on impact by incorporating purpose into the core of pro tea...
2022-03-231h 04Sustainability HuddleHow sustainability can help smaller football clubs differentiateBeing a smaller or even medium-sized football club can be testing for all concerned. There’s often very little opportunity to challenge for the big honours and so much competition, particularly in European football, that it can be difficult to stand out for prospective fans and partners.In this week’s podcast, we sit down with Benedicte Halvorsen (FK Bodo/Glimt), Raphaële Moeremans (Royale Union Saint Gilloise) – both of whom are, incidentally, doing very well on the pitch – and Chris Staudt (FC Wiltz), who explain how and why they have made sustainability a strategic priority t...
2022-03-1741 minSustainability HuddleExtreme E on embracing inconvenience to save the planetHow do you measure legacy and impact? Is it through quantitative trends, such as participation rates, viewership and economic impact? Or is it through stories of hope, transformation and inspiration?Probably a combination of both, but it’s the latter that can really capture the imagination and paints a picture.During episode #68 of The Sustainability Report Podcast Julia Fry, Kester Wilkinson (both Extreme E) and Dr. Matthew Bell (EY) illustrate the impact of the first season of the electric off-road racing series with three amazing stories.Fry recounts the time she was approached by...
2022-03-0347 minSustainability HuddleCan sport push for growth and be environmentally responsible?All sports want to grow: participation, fan base, revenue.But is growth for growth’s sake ethical on a planet that is facing ecological catastrophe? Should golf courses be developed in the desert? Is it right for indoor snowsport facilities to be built, with all the environmental implications that brings?Those are a few questions that are debated during this edition of the podcast featuring Sport Ecology Group duo, Dr. Madeleine Orr (Loughborough University) and Dr. Walker J. Ross (Florida Southern College).We also explore their latest piece of research, which investigates the cl...
2022-02-2439 minSustainability HuddleWhich motorsport championships are the most sustainable?Environmental and social performance has been a growing area of strategic importance for motorsport organisations.While it appears that Formula E has been setting the tone since coming on the scene just under a decade ago, the FIM has had an Environmental Policy in place for almost 30 years and F1 is starting to make inroads, with innovation and technical excellence as its basis for sustainability.A few episodes ago, motorsport engineer and sustainability expert Cristiana Pace joined us to discuss her Sustainable Circuits Index – a rundown of the motorsport tracks with the best credentials in th...
2022-02-1031 minSustainability HuddleEncouraging climate dialogue through poetry, games and sportIf you’re looking for a way to engage with climate science – and science in general – in a fun, accessible and unusual way, you could do worse than subscribe to The Poetry of Science Podcast.In each episode, climate scientist and associate professor at Edinburgh University, Sam Illingworth, recites poetry he’s written about a particular scientific topic.Illingworth, who is the guest for episode #65 of The Sustainability Report Podcast, explains why poetry is the perfect medium to connect scientists and non-scientists as it breaks down the hierarchy of intellect, gives scientists the opportunity to express...
2022-02-0335 minSustainability HuddleInside World Rugby’s 2030 Environmental PlanJust two months ago, The Sustainability Report sat down with rugby players Alena Olsen and Jamie Farndale to talk about why the sport should be at the forefront of sport’s climate action movement.Last week, following a year of consultation and development, World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, published its response in the form of a 2030 Environmental Plan.In this edition of the podcast, the federation’s chief executive Alan Gilpin walks us through the plan, explaining World Rugby’s motivation for creating it and addressing its three key priorities: climate action, circular...
2022-01-2733 min
The Climate of SportWelcome! With guest Matthew CampelliKicking off the podcast with The Sustainability Report Founder, Matthew Campelli. Topics covered include fan engagement, the role of athletes, sponsorship, training and education and collaboration. #sportpositive #theclimateofsportSupport the show
2022-01-2654 minSustainability HuddleNudging fans towards more sustainable behavioursApathy. The path to least resistance. It’s human nature for us to let some things slip through the cracks because of how much we have to process on any given day.While many of us have the intention of adopting more sustainable habits and behaviours, the fact that some don’t fit seamlessly into our everyday lives means we stop short at taking the required action.This week’s podcast guest, behavioural economist Christina Gravert, spends her time investigating what lies in the gap between intention and action, and how to potentially close it.H...
2022-01-2040 minSustainability HuddleBenchmarking sustainability in sport through indexesIn sport, data is everything. We try to measure everything; to improve sporting performance and commercial performance.With its growing importance and interest, it’s only natural that the industry wants to do the same with sustainability. But without any real standard benchmarks, measurement and progress is tricky.In this edition of the podcast, we speak with two guests who are trying to rectify this through the creation of indexes with robust and scalable criteria to discover how sustainable sport is, and where the opportunities for improvement lie.Our first guest, Cristiana Pace, a...
2021-12-0247 minSustainability HuddleAssessing sport’s climate movement ahead of COP26A number of key actors are playing a starring role in accelerating sport’s focus on sustainability and climate issues.But, in terms of being at the forefront for a sustained number of years, very few can match the achievements or commitment of Lew Blaustein.After launching Green Sports Blog almost a decade ago, and shaping it into a must-read publication for anyone interested in sport and the environment, Blaustein now is driving athlete activism and engagement through his recently-established nonprofit, EcoAthletes.In this special edition of the podcast, ahead of the COP26 cl...
2021-10-2853 minSustainability HuddleCan sustainability lead to a competitive advantage?Michael E. Porter is one of the most renowned academic thinkers in the field of business strategy. If you’ve ever studied business (or read publications like Harvard Business Review), you’ve doubtless come across his thinking and work.Competitive advantage, says Porter, can be derived from two main sources: doing things at lower cost or differentiation.Sustainability has been touted as a form of differentiation – but if every organisation needs to get their environmental house in order to align with emerging policy and public opinion, how can organisations differentiate on these grounds?In his...
2021-09-1637 minSustainability HuddleTurning athlete voice into athlete actionLast year, more than 300 British Olympians and Paralympians put their signature to a letter addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, urging him to steer the country towards a ‘green recovery’ amid the Covid-19 pandemic.The letter was coordinated by Champions for Earth, a group of current and former sportspeople determined to make the athlete voice a key driver in the acceleration of the low-carbon transition.Melissa Wilson, one of the guests in this episode, is part of the core Champions for Earth team, coordinating much of its effort to engage and educate athletes to understand and...
2021-06-2457 minSustainability HuddlePreparing sport for the ‘Game Changing’ plant-based revolutionTowards the end of 2020, a piece of research was published by Zoomph and Recipric highlighting the growing interest in plant-based diets from sports fans, and suggesting how professional teams could capitalise on this growing trend.When it comes to the plant-based diet and its impact on athlete performance, perhaps nothing has been quite so impactful as The Game Changers – a revealing Netflix documentary showcasing the connection between enhanced physical performance and the eradication of animal-based products.It appears that the growing plant-based revolution is an area of untapped potential for the sports industry in a co...
2021-06-1045 minSustainability HuddleSafeguarding community sports facilities from climate change impactsBushfires, extreme heat, drought. Australia, over the past few years, really has felt the wrath of climate change.Indeed, sport has often highlighted the nation’s plight to the rest of the world, with high-profile incidents occurring during the Australian Open with regards to players being badly affected by the soaring temperatures and smoke from the bushfires.But it’s Australia’s thriving recreational sport ecosystem that is bearing the brunt of the problems. Venues that bring people together within communities have been damaged or even destroyed totally by extreme weather.Earlier this year...
2021-05-0654 minSustainability HuddleHow sustainability data can drive sports business objectivesData is absolutely everywhere in sport. The trick is knowing what data is meaningful, how to interpret it, and then putting it into action.Sustainability-related data may not be at the top of the priority list for most sports properties. But a look under the hood may demonstrate that those who continue to think that way could be missing a trick – and leaving a lot of money on the table.In this edition of the podcast, our guests, Kristen Fulmer (Recipric), Nick Cronin (Zoomp) and Chris Pyke (Arc Skoru), explain what sustainability data matters, and ho...
2021-04-0849 minSustainability HuddleA ‘Premier’ response to climate changeThe reach of the English Premier League is mind-boggling. According to its 2019/20 annual review, 880 million homes in 180 countries have access to live matches.Quite simply, the Premier League is one of the most exciting and high-quality sports leagues in the world, featuring many of the world’s best players and coaches duelling it out on a weekly basis.The cultural impact of the clubs and players is immense. You only need to examine the case of young Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford – whose campaign for free school meals for children coming from challenging economic backgrounds chan...
2021-03-1147 minSustainability HuddleHigh octane, low carbon: The sustainable future of motorsportPetrol. Noise. Masculinity.If you had to think of a few words to describe motorsport, the above three would probably be close to mind. But, in recent time, competitions such as Formula E and now Extreme E have sought to change that. Climate action and gender equality are now the watchwords. Even F1 has launched its own carbon neutrality roadmap.A handful of teams within those competitions are attempting to push the envelope even further. Veloce Racing and Envision Virgin Racing are among the first two motorsport teams to adopt the UNFCCC’s Sports for Cl...
2021-02-0444 minSustainability HuddleRethinking sports events in the era of climate change and CovidFinding solutions. That was the name of the game for 2020, and is likely to be our default mode for a reasonable proportion of 2021 as well. With best-laid plans out of the window, we searched for alternatives – and in many cases, we found better ways of doing things.Of course, once the worst of the pandemic is over major sporting events will, by and large, revert to their traditional form. People are yearning to see their heroes compete and enjoy the spectacle with fellow revellers.On the business side of sport, many of those behind the sc...
2021-01-1452 minSustainability HuddleBecoming a more purposeful sports leaderThere are many people in several industries who will feel 2020 was a somewhat wasted year. When it comes to professional development, some may have identified the previous 12 months as a good opportunity to study or complete a course.However, a significant proportion of the population will be feeling pessimistic about the consequence of the pandemic on their job security and industry in general.That’s why we’ve tried extra hard to infuse the last podcast of 2020 with plenty of optimism and guidance, courtesy of Licia Rester and Kirk Souder, the authors of The Soul Purp...
2020-12-2347 minSustainability HuddleCreating a safe and sustainable sports industry for the futureIt used to be conventional wisdom that when building a career being a specialist in one area was the key to making it to the top. That notion is being challenged, with a broad selection of skills and experiences now highly desirable for prospective employees and entrepreneurs.Our guest for this podcast, Mathieu Muller, demonstrates this perfectly by plotting his education and career that has allowed him to experience strategy, communication, and sports law all before the age of 25.During this episode, Global Sports Week Young Sports Maker Muller, reflects on his current position, as...
2020-12-1737 minSustainability HuddleHow to find your voice as a young sports professionalHandball is one of the most popular team sports in the world, particularly in Central Europe where it is played and watched with a tribal passion. That’s not quite the case in the US, but Melissa Zhang, the communications manager for USA Team Handball, is plotting the sport’s stateside explosion with its first Olympic medal at the LA 2028 Games the goal.Zhang is also the third of four Global Sports Week Young Sports Makers to share her experiences with the podcast over the last few weeks.During this episode, she charts her journey from...
2020-12-1646 min
The Legacy Sport PodcastLegacy Sport talks to Matthew CampelliNeill Duffy talks to Matthew Campelli, Founder and Editor of The Sustainability Report which is an essential source of intelligence and insight for the sports industry. Matthew discusses the state of the Sport for Good movement and where it’s headed.
2020-12-1635 minSustainability HuddleBlending sport with culture and educationBringing together sport, education and culture. That definition of Olympism, Paulina Fritz says, needs to be highlighted extensively for the true power of sport to shine through.Fritz is the second Global Sports Week Young Sports Maker of four to join us on the podcast, and this notion of exploring culture and learning about sustainable development is a key theme throughout the conversation.Becoming an IOC Young Change Maker at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games – and an IOC Young Leader thereafter – gave her a clear understanding of what sport can do, and what she want...
2020-12-1536 minSustainability HuddleA journey into sport and social entrepreneurshipOver the next few weeks, the podcast will shine a spotlight on some of the emerging bright young sports executives and entrepreneurs who will represent their generation as Young Sports Makers at Global Sports Week next year.Kimberly Fernandez, the social entrepreneur from Mumbai, India, is our first guest in this mini-series. Fernandez has been immersed in sport since childhood, and when the time came to embark on a career she wanted to find a role that combined her passions of sport and social justice and inclusion.During this episode, Fernandez charts her u...
2020-12-0836 minSustainability HuddleMaking sustainability a core business objective in sportThere is a section of German football fans that dislike Bundesliga team TSG Hoffenheim by virtue of the fact that it’s owned by billionaire SAP founder Dietmar Hopp. In a nation where fan ownership is a big part of football culture, some supporters believe it signals growing commercialisation of the sport.However, when it comes to sustainability and governance, TSG Hoffenheim is among the pacesetters in European football – perhaps even sport in general.Last year, before the coronavirus pandemic began and subsequent lockdowns stopped fans from attending matches, the club launched a simp...
2020-12-0138 minSustainability HuddleHow World Sailing is accelerating sustainable innovation in the marine industryEarlier this month, World Sailing won the first sustainability award established by GAISF (the Global Association of International Sports Federations) for its comprehensive Agenda 2030 Sustainability Strategy.In this week's podcast, Dan Reading, World Sailing’s head of sustainability and the man behind the strategy, charts the federation’s progress and explains how the plan was developed as well as how it is being executed.Consulting with stakeholders, setting concrete objectives, searching for innovation, and working with partners has been the story of the organisation’s success to date, according to Reading. During the episode he explai...
2020-11-2434 minSustainability HuddlePrioritising sustainability with limited resourcesDespite being one of the smallest international federations – representing a sport very much in its growth phase – the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) has been a sustainability pioneer in sport since 2014.It’s testament to the organisation’s leadership that, despite its limitated resources, social and environmental responsibility is very much a priority.In this week’s edition of the podcast, we talk with the federation’s chief executive, Michal Buchel, who charts the combat sport’s relationship with sustainability, and explains:Why the FIAS started to focus on sustainability in 2014How it is collaborating with partners...
2020-11-1636 minSustainability HuddlePlanning sports events and venues while protecting natureCovid-19 < >The cartoon, in which each of the global problems is represented by a tidal wave, each one larger in size and looming over the Earth, will be quite widely-recognised by now. According to the United Nations, the “ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever”, posing a significant threat to humans and all we find dear. Including sport.Sport has an intrinsic relationship with nature. We play many sports on grass. We cycle and ski in the mountains. We swim and sail in lakes, rivers and seas...
2020-11-1032 minSustainability HuddleCreating a culture of holistic sustainability in sportIn 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles NFL franchise became the first regular season sports team to adopt the ISO 20121 sustainable event standard, which was developed for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.On this week’s podcast, we sit down with the person who encouraged the 2018 Super Bowl-winning team to take its sustainability credentials to the next level – Lindsay Arell of Honeycomb Strategies in Denver, Colorado.During the episode, Arell charts her sustainability career, from greening the 2008 Democratic Convention ahead of the election of Barack Obama to US president, to helping the Eagles and other sports properties inco...
2020-11-0341 minSustainability HuddleKeeping sports events sustainable in the aftermath of the pandemicBringing fans back into stadiums and sports venues safely. That is the primary concern for most sports organisations and facility operators.But there’s a real concern that many may start to equate single-use products with human health as a result of Covid-19, ripping apart a lot of the good work done pre-pandemic around the phasing out of single-use plastic products like beverage cups.This week’s guest, Meegan Jones, has launched “pre-emptive strike” and published a set of guidelines and recommendations proving that reusable products are as safe as single-use products, if venue operators have the...
2020-10-2743 minSustainability HuddleCreating a sustainability vision for snowsportSnowsports, of course, are feeling the impact of climate change more keenly than other sports. Some studies have shown that the Alps could lose up to 70% of their yearly snow cover by 2100 – placing huge question marks against the futures of a number of sports.Biathlon is one of those sports. Indeed Europe’s Alpine region is the global epicentre of the sport.But, instead of turning a blind eye and accepting its fate, the sport’s governing body – the International Biathlon Union – has decided to do everything in its power to make sure it will be part of...
2020-10-2035 minSustainability HuddleHow to measure sustainability data and report itThis week we celebrate our 40th podcast with a very special episode, providing expertise and insight from three of sport’s most knowledgeable and respected sustainability champions.Instead of the usual interview format, this episode features the recording from a panel at this month’s Sport Positive Summit in which Julie Duffus (Olympic Movement sustainability senior manager for the IOC), Omar Mitchell (the NHL’s VP of sustainable infrastructure and growth initiatives), and Jonathan Smith (founder and executive director of the GEO Foundation) discuss a topic many in sport are grappling with: data measurement and reporting.Duri...
2020-10-1442 minSustainability HuddleBringing the sports industry together around climate actionHosting a large conference is a challenge at the best of times. Logistics, marketing, speaker liaison – the list of tasks needed to be fulfilled for an event to run smoothly – let alone be successful – can appear to be overwhelming.Throw a global pandemic into the mix, and the challenge becomes a mountain to climb.That’s why the sport and sustainability movement – and sports industry in general – is lucky to have Claire Poole, who battled against the obstacles 2020 threw in her way to host a successful first edition of the Sport Positive Summit earlier this month.
2020-10-0635 minSustainability HuddleGamifying and simplify sustainability for small sports eventsThere’s only a handful of people to have ever lived who can claim to have competed at both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Oluseyi Smith is one of them.But even though he excelled as an athlete across multiple disciplines, his retirement from professional sport has brought him to what he believes is his true calling: engineering. Or, more specifically, engineering with a sharp focus on sustainability.However, during this episode of The Sustainability Report Podcast, Smith talks about one of the ‘extracurricular’ activities that have allowed him to remain in sport – the role of...
2020-09-2939 minSustainability HuddleCan sport be a genuine driver of sustainable innovation?Science. Technology. Ethics. Art and design. Culture. Media. Olympic sport.Just some of the topics that this week’s podcast guest, Professor Andy Miah, counts within his sphere of expertise and interests. Specifically for this episode, we’ll be focusing on innovation in the sports industry – primarily sustainable innovation – and what news tech and ways of thinking are best placed to help the sector generate engagement, become more financially sustainable, and less of a burden on the planet’s resources.Miah discusses the future of the Olympic Games, and how the current coronavirus pandemic an...
2020-09-2237 minSustainability HuddleSolving sport’s wicked problems with design thinkingNext year, Afridun Amu hopes to represent Afghanistan in the Tokyo Olympic Games’ surfing competition. Amu is already the first person to compete for the landlocked, war-torn nation internationally in the sport and, in doing so, has overcome a unique set of challenges. It’s no surprise, then, that Amu is also a thought leader and coach in design thinking – a concept that enables individuals and organisations to approach complex (or ‘wicked’) problems with a different thought process to the traditional analytical or linear method of problem-solving.To overcome wicked problems the emphasis needs to be on empat...
2020-09-1538 minSustainability HuddleLaunching a sport and sustainability start-upCovid-19 has had a devastating effect on several elements of public life, the job market included, with so many people being made redundant and businesses closing down.So it’s a nice change of pace to hear a story about someone who has recently started a new venture that is thriving. Particularly when that new venture brings together sustainability and sport.Vanessa Nord has done exactly that, and in a short space of time has brought sustainability to the forefront of the mind of organisations like FC Bayern Munich and the German Boxing Association....
2020-09-0834 minSustainability HuddlePromoting sustainability and innovation through a major sporting eventLegacy. Whenever the subject of a major sporting tournament – past, present or future – is brought up, the subject of legacy has to be explored.Traditionally, that legacy has tended to focus on economic impact of hosting a tournament and sport participation rates (if they’ve increased as a direct result). And while Jon Dutton, the chief executive of the upcoming Rugby League World Cup, would love for the 2021 tournament in England to have a positive impact on both, they’re not the be-all and end-all when it comes to legacy.Physical and mental health. E...
2020-09-0138 minSustainability HuddleWhat sport can learn from commercial real estateThe ‘well building’ is the new ‘green building’. Sustainability in the corporate real estate industry has gone up a notch and, rather than just focusing on the environmental sustainability credentials of a building, the way the building impacts the people that occupy it has become a serious consideration.Air quality, daylight, colour-schemes and healthy food options are important factors for workplaces to consider. There’s no shortage of data to demonstrate that a healthy working environment is conducive to productivity and performance.So why doesn’t sport take these factors into account as much?This week...
2020-08-2547 minSustainability HuddlePreparing athletes for a life after sportThere’s an old saying that many people in sport are familiar with: that athletes die twice instead of once – the first time, when their professional sports career is over.But although leaving their teammates, fans and coaches can be the most overwhelming and scary point of their lives, Danielle Berman is sure that transitioning sportspeople can thrive as they take the first steps into their new lives.Berman is the founder of Tackle What’s Next, a platform and community that helps athletes navigate life away from the field and have successful and fulfilling career...
2020-08-1834 minSustainability HuddleThe importance of being purposefulSince Nelson Mandela said that sport had the power to change the world, his words have been used countless times to illustrate sport’s potential to do good – to the point that his moving speech 20 years ago has almost become a cliché.But Neill Duffy, the founder of 17 Sport – the world’s first sports impact agency – is adamant that those words are as true today as they were two decades ago – but sport has to step up to fulfil that vision.Sport’s business model, he says, is complacent and lazy, and has been exposed badly by the co...
2020-08-1043 minSustainability HuddleTackling climate change, social injustice and the pandemic through sportsIn June this year, the Green Sports Alliance was meant to be celebrating its 10-year anniversary at its annual summit, this time hosted in Minneapolis. But, like so many events occurring in 2020, the gathering was curtailed by the Covid-19 crisis.The world – and the US in particular – is a different place and, in many ways, the remit of the Green Sports Alliance has grown as a result.While its original raison d’être revolved around the greening of teams and leagues it’s associated with (the organisation has more than 300 members), the coronavirus pandemic and the racia...
2020-08-0447 minSustainability HuddleBeing strategic and entrepreneurial about sustainability through challenging timesCast your mind back to 2008 – a year largely remembered for the global economic crisis that caused panic and uncertainty. With the economy in tatters, it probably didn’t seem like the best time to strike out and start a new business.But that’s exactly what Jaime Nack – this week’s guest – did. Not only that, but her fledgling consultancy, Three Squares Inc, specialised in something called ‘sustainability’ – a concept that was not even close to going mainstream yet.The year 2008 was also a year of hope. The US elected its first-ever African American president in November. And a...
2020-07-2843 minSustainability HuddleDeveloping a well-thought-out sustainability strategy for sportIn 2016, US publication Sports Business Journal reported that only 11% of sports organisations had a formal strategic plan in place. The number with a standalone sustainability strategy is probably even smaller.A significant proportion of companies on the stock market publish non-financial reports every year and, with many of these organisations involved in sport in some way (either suppliers or commercial partners), it’s becoming inevitable that sports entities will have to follow suit sooner rather than later.But there’s an art and a science to good strategy. Strategy is not a one-size-fits-all, and sustainability goal...
2020-07-2138 minSustainability HuddleInside Formula 1’s plan to become net zero carbonInnovation and ambition are two words that are synonymous with Formula 1. Sustainability not so much – at least until now.But that could all be about to change. Since being acquired by Liberty Global outright in 2017, the popular motoracing format has undergone something of a transformation, at least on the business side. Now, reducing its carbon emissions and becoming a bastion of sustainability within the sports industry is one of its aims.To be exact, Formula 1 has the explicit objective of becoming net zero carbon by 2030 which, with its extensive travelling around the globe and racing of...
2020-07-1439 minSustainability HuddleThe sports federation building an air quality research hubAthlete health and wellbeing has become a topic of growing importance in sport, particularly in the fields of mental health and safeguarding. However, one of the factors that has the potential to be truly detrimental to athlete health and performance is being overlooked by most.Poor air quality is responsible for the deaths of seven million people per year, according to the World Health Organization, with four million of those deaths attributed to outdoor air pollution. Athletes who train outside – particularly in big polluted cities – breathing in a larger amount of air than sedentary people could be putt...
2020-07-0740 minSustainability HuddleLeveraging sport and science to engage the masses in climate actionWhen ‘sport’ and ‘science’ are juxtaposed together in the same sentence, there’s almost an assumption that we’re talking about medicine, fitness or physiotherapy.But when Extreme E (the off-road electric car racing series and sister of Formula E) revealed its Scientific Committee to investigate the impact climate change was having on the race locations, the intersection of science and sport took on a whole other meaning.Alongside landmark projects in the Amazon Rainforest, Greenland, Senegal and Saudi Arabia being devised by the Scientific Committee, the actual race organisers have been working to make sure Extreme...
2020-06-3034 minSustainability HuddleInside the NFL team nurturing the workforce of tomorrow“There is not one problem that does exist or will exist that cannot be solved by a motivated generation of young people.”That’s probably the stand-out quote from this week’s guest, Jesse Lovejoy, who as the director of the San Francisco 49ers EDU programme designs and oversees a large-scale STEAM (science, technology, education, art and maths) education programme that engages thousands of children in the Bay Arena every year.STEAM education, he says, not only empowers young people but it helps them learn complex concepts through the prism of subjects that interest them or impac...
2020-06-2345 minSustainability HuddleNavigating away from the win-at-all-costs mentalityDespite the focus of the world being firmly fixed on the continuing coronavirus pandemic and social and racial divisions in the US, World Water Day last week was a good opportunity to acknowledge other major issues facing the planet, in this case the many crises being experienced by our largest bodies of water.After spending more than two decades as a competitive sailor, Damian Foxall is all-too-aware of the damage being caused to the ocean by plastics and climate change.Now after transitioning to become the sustainability manager of the 11th Hour Racing Team, which...
2020-06-1650 minSustainability HuddleWhy your sponsorship team needs a sustainability executiveEmbedding sustainability into organisational culture is made possible by empowering the individual. According to Terry Cecil, the same is true of creating sponsorships that are ethical and sustainable in every sense of the word.In this week’s episode, the president and chief executive of the International Sponsor Council makes his case for a sustainability professional being at the heart of each sponsorship team from the very inception of a project.That way, the sponsor can make sure it does a good job of aligning its brand values and business ethics with a sports property....
2020-06-0944 minSustainability HuddleThe evolution of cause sponsorship in sportIf you’d have mentioned purposeful/cause/sustainable sponsorship in the sports industry 20 years ago, chances are you would have drawn a number of blank looks.But this week’s guest, Kevin Bartram, did just that when, venturing out on his own in the late-90s, he decided that sport sponsorship should be about more than just money and exposure. There was a real chance, he saw, for brands and sports properties to do good while achieving their own objectives.During this episode, Bartram discusses how sponsorship has changed in the subsequent decades, using a part...
2020-06-021h 00Sustainability HuddleAuthenticity: an essential component for sport sponsorshipGreenwashing. Pinkwashing. Wokewashing.Nobody wants their brand to be accused of anything to do with -washing. But it’s not just about what an organisation does itself – it’s also about the activities of the companies and individuals that organisation is associated with. Money, of course, is what primarily drives sponsorship, but increasingly sponsored properties (such as sports teams, leagues and federations) are beginning to understand that being financially lucrative cannot be the sole criteria of commercial partnerships. Values have to be aligned in some ways, or other stakeholders – such as fans, media and high-profile members o...
2020-05-2641 minSustainability HuddleBuilding engaging sponsorship activations around purposeWhen marketing executives of major brands start putting together sponsorship campaigns and activations, they should take a leaf out of Benjamin Franklin’s book and ask: “What good shall I do this day?”That’s according to John Balkam, the author of 3-Win Sponsorship, a book that plots the history of modern sports marketing to its present era, which revolves around purpose and values.According to Balkam, only those brands that have evolved to focus on the three-win model of sponsorship – a win for the brand, a win for the sports property, and a win for the co...
2020-05-1946 minSustainability HuddleThe environmental and economic impact of mass-participation eventsIn 2003, when the Cardiff Half Marathon was first established (alongside a marathon event), 1,200 people turned up to the starting line aiming for a shot at glory. Fast-forward to 2019, and that number has mushroomed to around 20,000.From half marathons and marathons to Iron Man contests, the popularity of mass participation events has surged over the past few years although, in the current environment, it’s difficult to predict when it will be safe to host another one.Nevertheless, while the increasing number of runners has generated a positive economic impact for the Welsh city of Cardiff, th...
2020-05-1242 minSustainability HuddleReframing sustainability to get non-environmentalist fans on-side“Keep the tree-hugging hippies out of the stadium!"“Let God handle the environment.”“I appreciate the (team’s) environmental initiatives, but I think (if you go) too far on environmental issues, things start to get political.”These are just some of the responses provided by highly-identified fans of a well-known US sports franchise when asked about their view of the team’s environmental initiatives.The study, conducted by Tim Kellison and Beth Cianfrone of Georgia State University, found that – unsurprisingly – fans who identified as non-environmentalists were, generally, sceptical at best and hostile at worst w...
2020-05-0541 minSustainability HuddleManaging your sports organisation’s vulnerability to climate changeWhat do baseball and cross-country skiing have in common? Nothing really, apart from the fact that both sports are facing significant challenges – even existential threat – because of extreme weather brought on by climate change.Research undertaken by Sport Ecology Group co-director Madeleine Orr paints an uncomfortable picture for both sports. But the fact is that baseball and skiing are not alone – practically every sport (and, by extension, every sports organisation) is being impacted, and will continue to be impacted negatively by the increasing number of heatwaves, storms and floods caused by climate change.We’ve establis...
2020-04-2839 minSustainability HuddleHow to build deeper fan relationships through sustainabilityBecause of sport's intrinsic relationship to the natural world, many of us assume that fans of sport will care more about the environment and be more aware of the dangers it faces.But a piece of research conducted by Seattle University professors, Brian McCullough and Galen Trail, has found that differences between sports fans’ and non sports fans’ approach to the environment is “non existent”.Surprising, right? And for those trying to use sport as a tool to engage the wider population in environmental responsibility, those findings appear, at first glance, to be a kick in...
2020-04-2146 minSustainability HuddleFormer Great Britain hockey player Joie Leigh on transitioning from sport to a sustainability careerTwo years ago, The Sustainability Report featured an interview with this week’s guest in which she described her first sustainability gig – voluntarily greening the Women’s Field Hockey World Cup in England.Since then, Joie Leigh’s career in sustainability has gone from strength to strength. She has successfully transitioned from elite sport to life as a sustainability professional with strategic firm Carbon Intelligence, with a stint implementing sustainability operations at the Netball World Cup in 2019 in between.During this episode, Leigh discusses her journey from elite hockey player – in which she was part of the suc...
2020-03-3138 minSustainability HuddleFootballer Katie Rood on the environmental and athletic benefits of going veganLast year, 19 current and former elite athletes wrote an open letter to The Guardian newspaper calling on other sportspeople to follow the example set by Greta Thunberg and use their platform to demand strong climate action from governments and industry.Katie Rood, fresh from signing for Lewes Community Football Club (the only club in the world to allocate the same resources to male and female football), was one of the signatories.Rood has consistently used her online (and offline) presence to educate and raise awareness about climate change in an easy-going and personable fashion. But...
2020-03-2432 minSustainability HuddleReece Pacheco on World Surf League’s environmental leadershipMost surfers will tell you that their pastime is far more than a sport. It’s a way of life. A way of being.Surfing’s intimate relationship with the ocean and environment is clear. So it’s no surprise that its premier competition, the World Surf League, is winning plaudits for its impactful and innovative sustainability initiatives.Through its nonprofit arm, WSL Pure (which has its own podcast), the World Surf League has committed to carbon neutrality, eliminating all single-use plastics from its events, and partnering with communities to conserve the coastal areas in which...
2020-03-1831 minSustainability HuddleForming partnerships to address climate change, with the IOC, Dow and EDFIt’s fitting that in Paris, the home of the landmark 2015 Climate Agreement, sports contribution to addressing the evolving climate crisis was one of the standout discussions during the inaugural Global Sports Week.More than that, it was a chance to discover how major sporting institutions like the International Olympic Committee and a major events like the Paris 2024 Olympic Games could work with commercial or strategic partners to find solutions to the environmental challenges we are all facing.As the senior sustainability manager for the IOC, Julie Duffus is seeing first hand how climate change is...
2020-03-1042 minSustainability HuddleGreen sports pioneer Scott Jenkins on engaging fans in sustainability through stadium innovationIn the first episode of the second series, The Sustainability Report talks to Scott Jenkins – one of the founders of the green sports movement in the US.Throughout his career working on the operational side of sports management, Jenkins has made it his mission to make the stadiums he has been responsible for as sustainable as possible, and leverage that innovation to engage with fans and other important stakeholders.After spending time at Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field and Safeco Field of the Seattle Mariners, Jenkins now oversees operations at the newly-build Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atla...
2020-03-0329 minSustainability HuddleForest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince on creating the most sustainable sports club in the worldThis week’s episode of The Sustainability Report Podcast is the last in the current series. And what better way to end this run than by talking to one of the pioneers of the sport and sustainability movement, Dale Vince.Almost a decade ago, Vince was asked to invest in a cash-strapped, poorly-performing football club in the south-west of England. After reluctantly dipping his toe in, Vince decided to become its chairman and went about transforming Forest Green Rovers from a perennial struggler to one of the most recognisable sports br...
2019-11-1229 minSustainability HuddleNobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus on growing social businesses through sportIn 2006, Professor Muhammad Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for establishing the Grameen Bank, which offered capital to people who were too poor to apply for bank loans so that they could start their own businesses and break out of poverty.Thirteen years on, the social entrepreneur and economist is attempting to use sport to stimulate the social business model through the Yunus Sports Hub alongside its co-founder and director Yoan Nogiuer.During this episode, Professor Yunus and Nogiuer explain the concept of social business, and how it relates...
2019-11-0536 minSustainability HuddleKarina LeBlanc on empowering women through footballWhen The Sustainability Report first met Karina LeBlanc, she shared a platform with Prince Albert II of Monaco at COP24 in Poland, urging the sports industry to “wake up” and be part of the solution to climate change.It’s a subject that became very close to her heart after her home country of Dominica (she moved to Canada when she was eight) was decimated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. During this episode, LeBlanc discusses the role sport can play in addressing climate change, and reveals details about a...
2019-10-2935 minSustainability HuddlePopulous’ Christopher Lee on the sustainable stadium of the futureShortly after Christopher Lee was interviewed by The Sustainability Report Podcast, his firm Populous revealed its vision for the stadium being planned by the two big Milanese football clubs – Internazionale and AC Milan. Although the design competition is still in its bidding phase, it’s fair to say that a number of people in the sports industry and connected to the city of Milan were blown away by what was being put forward. Apart from being stunning, ambitious and very expensive (an estimated €1.2bn), the vision appears to be at the ver...
2019-10-2228 minSustainability HuddleMary Harvey, the first chief executive of the Centre for Sport and Human RightsJust under a year ago, the Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi stepped off an aircraft – which flew from his adopted home Australia to Bangkok in Thailand – to celebrate his honeymoon. Before he could reach the terminal building, he was picked up by Interpol and thrown in a Thai prison, on the authority of the Bahrain government, for speaking out against the alleged persecution of footballers at the hands of the ruling regime during the 2011 uprising.A few weeks later, Mary Harvey was unveiled as the first chief executive of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, walking into an o...
2019-10-1531 minSustainability HuddleEndurance running icon Paula Radcliffe on air quality and athlete performancePaula Radcliffe is, indisputably, one of the greatest athletes of the modern era. During her peak in the early noughties, it seemed like every time she took to the road to compete in a marathon, another World Record tumbled.That’s not to mention the dozens of medals (mostly gold) she picked up running in cross country and stadium events during a stellar two-decade career. Radcliffe’s achievements are all the more astonishing once you factor in that she has exercise-induced asthma – a condition she has lived with since she was 14-years-old.Her occupation and her co...
2019-10-0823 minSustainability HuddleJürgen Griesbeck on the Common Goal movement and engaging high-profile athletesIn September 2019, Common Goal’s website crashed. It crashed because, during his acceptance speech for Best Male Coach of the Year at the 2019 FIFA Awards, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp used his platform to encourage everybody to check out the growing football for development movement. And, as the Common Goal IT team quickly discovered, the affable German is a pretty persuasive guy.More significantly, Klopp – who led his team to victory in the UEFA Champions League last season – announced his commitment to the Common Goal cause, pledging to donate 1% of his salary to sustainable development projects...
2019-10-0125 minSustainability HuddleOcean advocate and skipper Emily Penn on the ocean plastics crisis – and how sport can help to halt itEmily Penn’s appearance on this week’s edition of The Sustainability Report Podcast couldn’t be more timely. Next month, the ocean advocate and skipper will embark on her most ambitious project to date: sending 300 multidisciplinary women around the world to conduct scientific research on the growing ocean plastics crisis.The eXXpedition crew will experience 30 voyages (equating to 38,000 nautical miles) over a two-year period attempting to find a solution to the declining health of the Earth’s waters, that are being impacted massively by the ubiquity of the material in our everyday lives. It’s estimated that eight...
2019-09-2423 minSustainability HuddleOlympian Chris Mazdzer on climate change and the power of the athlete voiceTwo years ago, you may have struggled to find people outside of the winter sports scene who knew the name Chris Mazdzer. But following a stellar 18 months, in which he became the first American to win an Olympic medal in the sport of luge – and a subsequent appearance on the hit TV format Dancing with the Stars – Mazdzer found himself in the spotlight.Now he’s using his rising profile to get winter sport, and the wider Olympic Movement, to think more seriously about climate change – an issue posing a huge threat to many outdoor activities.In thi...
2019-09-1726 minSustainability HuddleEpisode Zero: Introducing The Sustainability Report PodcastWelcome to The Sustainability Report Podcast! The place for inspiration and insight from sport and sustainability champions.In Episode Zero, the platform's founder and editor Matthew Campelli explains why we've launched the podcast and what you can expect from future editions. Matthew will also reveal the sport and sustainability champions who will feature over the first few episodes, and what topics they'll cover.To get future episodes straight to your device, don't forget to subscribe.Enjoy.
2019-09-1701 min
Keep the Flame AliveOlympic Sustainability with Matthew CampelliThis week we wondered just how well the IOC is doing in its sustainable initiatives -- they talk the talk, but are they walking the walk? To help us understand the issues better, we're joined by Matthew Campelli, editor of The Sustainability Report, an online publication that looks at sports and the ways major events and teams are adding sustainable elements to combat climate change and improve working conditions around the world. Matthew tells us when the IOC's and various Games Organizing Committees sustainability efforts really got off the ground and shares some of the interesting ways...
2019-04-1150 min