Save Today, Play Tomorrow
WELCOME TO SAVE TODAY PLAY TOMORROW - THE AMBITIOUS GOAL OF LOW CARBON FOOTBALL
Birmingham County Football Association is committed to pioneering the way in which football minimises the impact of its activities on the environment.
In February 2021 the Association was accepted as signatories of the UN’s Sport for Climate Action Framework, joining some of the most recognisable sporting establishments from across the globe in supporting the five key principles that will help reduce the carbon footprint in the game.
Not doing anything is not an option and we have seen from recent high level campaigns the power football players, clubs and fans can have in influencing positive societal changes.
Watch the video below for an insight into everything we are doing as part of the Save Today, Play Tomorrow programme:
Planet Mark Certified
We’re proud to announce that we’ve achieved the Planet Mark Year 2022 Business Certification. This is an incredible achievement involving the entire business.
The Planet Mark Business Certification is an internationally recognised sustainability certification for business acknowledging continuous progress, encouraging action and building an empowered community of like-minded individuals.
In this crucial #DecadeofAction, measuring our own carbon footprint has been a critical step in reducing our impact on the planet and society and through the findings and recommendations from the report we are on the right track to meet our Net Zero ambitions by 2030.
Read our 2022 planet mark report here
read our 2021 planet mark report here
Environmental Policy
Birmingham County FA accepts responsibility for the harmful effects its operations have on both the local and global environment and is committed to reducing them.
We are now taking steps to measure our impact on the environment and set ambitious targets for ongoing improvement, and will comply with all relevant environmental legislation.
We will implement a training for our staff to raise awareness of environmental issues and enlist their support in improving the County FA’s performance. We will also encourage the adoption of similar principles by our suppliers & partners.
Richard Lindsay,
Business Insights Manager
What changes have Birmingham County FA made?
The offices at Ray Hall Lane were assessed by the Carbon Trust, and the following changes were recommended, with some changes made:
• More efficient water heating system installed for changing facilities
• Partnered with Veolia Waste Management to make the facility 100% not to land fill, and 89% of waste recycled (download the report below)
• Installed two grant-funded electric vehicle charging points
• Moved to digital programmes for cup finals and presentation evenings
• Installed roof array solar panels
• Installed two new external hydrations stations for public use (added to the Refill app)
• BCFA employees moved to agile working practice to avoid unnecessary car journeys, reducing emissions by 65%
2022/23 Carbon Neutral County Cup Finals
Birmingham County Football Association is committed to pioneering the way in which football minimises the impact of its activities on the environment. This is why we are working with our carbon reporting & accounting partners Planet Mark, and the venue owners to ensure all 14 of this season’s County Cup Finals will be carbon neutral events. Data will be collected on travel, food & beverage, energy & water consumption, and waste to plan and measure the overall emissions generated. These will be independently assessed and verified to meet robust PAS2060 standards and gold standard or VCS offsets will be procured for the finals to be Carbon Neutral events, as we look at more long-term solutions to reduce the impacts.
Follow our new #SaveTodayPlayTomorrow social channels for updates, or sign up to the monthly newsletter to receive the latest information:
Twitter – @WeAreSTPT
Instagram - @savetodayplaytomorrow
Email: SaveTodayPlayTomorrow@BirminghamFA.com
Digital Asset Pack for Partners – Download link
Register for the Save Today, Play Tomorrow Monthly Newsletter at the bottom of this page.
Find Out More
As associate members (through the County FA) your club are able to access resources, education courses and support from the team at BASIS
WM Net Zero Business Pledge
Birmingham County FA are proud to have joined over 50 organisations across the region in committing to the WM Net Zero Business Pledge!
Alongside BT, Arup & National Express WM, the West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge encourages companies and other organisations to commit to reducing their carbon emissions, whilst providing them with practical support and guidance on how to achieve those targets.
Find out more and make your pledge at https://lnkd.in/dpbUfP7
About Pledgeball
Pledgeball is a way to encourage millions of people in the football community to make a small, easy change to their lifestyle to collectively have a big impact on our planet. Fans, players, clubs, grassroots teams – everyone can get involved.
Not interested in football? That’s cool. You can get involved anyway! We just started with football because it’s, well, awesome!
FIND OUT MORE
British Association for Sustainable Sport
We are the sustainability hub for the UK sports industry with a fierce belief in sustainable sport: a not-for-profit committed to delivering a positive impact for sport at every level, and harnessing the power of sport to make a difference for all.
SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP WITH BIOPAK
This initiative will offer football clubs in the region the exclusive chance to gain a 10% discount on switching their cups, burger boxes and other packaging to BioPak’s environmentally friendlier range. Clubs of all sizes are being encouraged to take part in the initiative, from grassroots to the professional level.
ABOUT CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
CTM is a Global Travel Management company with offices all over the globe. Our Sports Travel Management division leverages the team travel, VIP, and event management expertise of the global CTM group to provide winning travel solutions to the sports industry. As such, we are the travel management provider of choice for some of the largest and most successful sports organisations and associations around the world. Our global teams understand the pressures, unique requirements and nuances of the industry. CTM’s Climate+ initiative provides tools to help CTM’s customers better understand the environmental impact of their travel, and solutions to facilitate their carbon neutrality goals, including a choice of sustainability projects to support.
SPORTS FOR CLIMATE ACTION FRAMEWORK
Birmingham County FA have been accepted to join the UNFCCC's Sports for Climate Action initiative as a signatory to the Sports for Climate Action Framework.
The Sports for Climate Action initiative calls on sporting organisations to acknowledge the contribution of the sports sector to climate change and our responsibility to strive towards climate neutrality for a safer planet.
ABOUT FOOTBALL FOR THE GOALS
Save Today, Play Tomorrow has been accepted as members of #FootballFortheGoals
This is a United Nations initiative, launched on 6 July 2022, that provides a platform for the global football community to engage with and advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is an opportunity to build on football's powerful and influential reach and to work together to become agents of change by aligning messaging, strategies and operations with the aspirations of the SDGs.
Birmingham County FA
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