GREENCOACH: Incorporating sustainability in the governance of sports organisations

Background The GreenCoach approach comes from a need to improve good governance of European sport organisations through the implementation of a plethora of solutions in the field of environmental management, non-formal education, and awareness campaigning. Including sustainable practices on sports centres enhances their good governance by 1) enhancing the sense of community by working under the same goal and 2) connecting and strengthening different staff members in having to monitor environmental factors. Objectives O1: Incorporating monitoring and benchmarking activities in football clubs’ management, for them to be aware of their environmental impact and the available actions to monitor and reduce it.O2: Incorporating sustainability as a cross-cutting element in the daily management of sports organisations, as a base to promote good governance from lower to higher organisational levels. Implementation I1: Developing an online tool for football clubs to calculate their environmental footprint, monitor improvements, compare with peers, and receive a progress sealI2: Producing educational training modules for players & staff, and managers & educators of football clubs based on a non-formal education approachI3: Elaborating national campaigns promoting sustainable transport solutions and attitudes of sportspeople, spectators and staff.I4: Providing an Action Plan towards sustainable practices. Achievements R1: Use of the Green Tool and the Green Seal by 58 sport organisations.R2: Decrease of the environmental footprint of sport organisations, based on the baseline and final measurements.R3: Incorporation of green skills and commitment amount sports people, through the creation and sharing of the educational and training modules.R4: Evidence-based report and Action plan developed and implemented for the incorporation of environmental SDGs in sport organisations.