Liverpool FC first Premier League club to be awarded sustainability certificate

Liverpool FC has just been the very first Premier League team to receive the sustainability certificate from the British Standard Institute for their actions for a healthier planet. The certification follows several awards for the renowned The Red Way Initiative, through which Liverpool FC has set clear strategies and goals for minimizing their carbon footprint. 

After an independent assessment, Liverpool FC was the very first Premier League team to be awarded a sustainability certificate from the renowned British Standards Institute (BSI). The certificate marks the club as one of the most sustainable brands in British sports. 

A history of sustainable partners, including online casinos and more 

The sustainability focus within the Reds club has been going on for quite some time before their BSI certificate. Apart from their The Red Way Initiative, they have also been partnering with sustainable partners and markets, they have for example previously held partnerships with gambling companies. Despite their controversial standing as sports marketing, the online casino market is known to implement a mixture of cut-edge technology with sustainable innovations. 

The Red Way Initiative

A large part in why Liverpool FC was awarded the certificate had to do with the way they have built up and implemented their Red Way initiative, which is the club’s sustainability policy and goals. According to the initiative, the club wants to take care of the people, the community, and the planet. 

There is a long list of goals from the Red Wave initiative, which include:
• Net zero across operations by the end of 2022-2023 season
• 100% of all club operations to be run on low carbon and clean energy sources by 2025
• 50% of all actual operational carbon emissions to be reduced by 2030

The sustainability focus and policy has taken several physical and practical measures. For example, the club aims to use 100% reusable energy, and are already working with biodegradable products and reusing rainwater to nourish the football pitch. Some of the other strategies that Liverpool FC is using to reach these goals include using sustainable fuel in their team buses and thereby causing a 90% reduction in carbon emissions, installing solar panels on the Stand, using low energy lighting, recycling 55% of waste, and completing regular reviews for both match days and non-match days.

Other awards and acknowledgements

The BSI isn’t the only organization to recognize the sustainable work that Liverpool FC has been implementing. The club has previously also topped the Sports Positive Environmental Sustainability League in 2021, been awarded the 2021 Seal Business Sustainability Award, and been named the greenest club in the Premier League prior to the BSI certificate. Furthermore, LFC has chosen to not only keep their sustainability focus directed inwards, but have also been one of the head endorsers of events such as the Green Football Weekend, which is an initiative to raise climate questions within the world of football.

The BSI and the 20121 certificate initiative

The BSI initiative to award sustainability certificates to businesses was inspired by and produced in concert with the 2021 London Olympics, as a way to encourage sustainable event planning and management. As a result, the certificate is named ISO 20121. Any business can apply for an independent assessment of their sustainable event management practices. Interested parties can partake in trainings, reviews, and seminars on the ISO 20121 on the BSI webpage. The BSI team has been active for more than 100 years, and helps over 80,000 businesses in more than 180 countries worldwide. 

Written by Alan Spencer