Formula E and Borussia Dortmund have emerged as the leaders in sustainability within the sports industry, according to the annual Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports (GSBS) Report. The report assesses the sustainability performance of sports organizations across four key pillars: corporate, environmental, social, and governance.
The GSBS Report, now in its third year, invited over 500 sports organizations to participate this year, assessing 55 of them. Formula E and Borussia Dortmund secured the top spots, marking the second consecutive year they have been recognized for their sustainability efforts.
The GSBS is an independent organization based in the UK that aims to promote transparency and sustainable practices in the sports sector. Its annual report is highly regarded and assesses organizations based on international standards and performance indicators.
The report collects data in two ways: through publicly disclosed information and direct reporting from sports entities themselves. This data-driven approach ensures transparency and helps identify greenwashing practices.
The purpose of the annual report is twofold: to grade organizations on their sustainability performance and to provide a comprehensive picture of the entire industry. This allows organizations to benchmark themselves against their peers and identify areas for improvement.
To encourage transparency, the GSBS ratings system awards 70% of an organization's score based on data performance and 30% based on data completeness. This incentivizes organizations to collect and report their data accurately.
While the average corporate sustainability performance improved compared to last year, the environmental pillar remains the weakest area. Many organizations lack publicly available emissions data, and indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and waste generation are on the rise.
Despite this, there are organizations making notable efforts to reduce their environmental impact. VfL Wolfsburg, for example, aims to decrease its emissions by 37% by 2025 and provides customers with detailed carbon emissions breakdowns for merchandise. Atletico Madrid has implemented a remote management system to monitor water consumption, while Real Betis is building a new training center with solar power, water collection systems, and cork-based artificial turf.
In the social sustainability category, most organizations demonstrate strong engagement with local communities and actively address human rights and LGBTQ+ issues. However, there is room for improvement in leveraging their status to drive positive change throughout their supply chains.
Governance sustainability saw improvement overall, but there is a need for increased female representation in the boardroom and stronger anti-corruption measures within the sports industry.
The GSBS Report serves as a wake-up call for the sports industry to prioritize environmental sustainability. It highlights the need for carbon accounting, sustainability strategies, and annual reporting to address the growing challenges of climate change.
While sports organizations have made strides in economic and social sustainability, there is still work to be done. The GSBS Report sets a baseline and calls for action to ensure sports align with sustainable practices and tackle climate change effectively. It is time for the industry to take responsibility and prioritize the environment for a more sustainable future.
