Wolves championing sustainability initiatives

Article posted by Coliseum, February 10^th, 2023

Image: Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. (UK) has launched the club’s new One Pack, One Planet project featuring four key commitments to environmental sustainability.

‘Wolverhampton Wanderers’ stated that the project was publicly launched on February 4^th during the Green Football Weekend as the Wolves defeated its peer team Liverpool F.C. 3-0 at the former’s home ground – the Molineux Stadium in West Midlands, England (UK). Plant-based food options were available on the concourse at Molineux, with supporters receiving a 20 percent discount on the spicy bean roll and Bombay potato pie.

Furthermore, in a Premier League first, Wolves players and the match officials wore Green Football Weekend sustainable green armbands to highlight the initiative and put the conversation about climate change and sustainability on the world stage.

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One Pack, One Planet branding also featured on the Liverpool matchday program, on pin-badges worn by the staff and on LED perimeter advertising around Molineux, with Wolves’ new project broadcast across the globe.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England (UK), which competes in the Premier League. The club has played at the Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889.

The 32,050-capacity Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England (UK) has been the home ground of the Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. since 1889.

‘Wolverhampton Wanderers’ further stated that the pledge sets strong foundations for the club to launch and deliver an ambitious new phase of its sustainability journey.

As well as the commitment to net zero by 2040, the key goals focus on addressing waste, protecting the natural environment and embedding sustainability across the club.

One Pack, One Planet focuses not only on continuing and expanding the club’s ongoing work to minimize environmental impact, but also the role the club can play to educate, communicate and engage fans on climate change and sustainability.

The campaign’s four headline commitments in full are:

Carbon – We will work towards becoming a net zero football club by 2040;
Waste – We will embrace a circular economy, minimizing waste, and maximizing reuse;
Nature – We will protect our natural environment and support a wilder future; and
Culture – We’ll embed environmental sustainability across the club while engaging, educating and communicating around sustainability.

The commitments follow a recent fan survey on environmental sustainability, which was completed by more than 1,000 Wolves fans.

Of the supporters who took part, 85 percent said they care about environmental sustainability and climate change, with more than 80 percent feeling Wolves had a responsibility to reduce its own environmental impact and the same number agreeing supporters had a responsibility to make more sustainable choices.

As a result, Wolves have committed to establishing a fan focus about sustainability and the environment. The club will utilize this forum to further consider fan views, feedback and suggestions which will be supplemented by surveys designed to understand fan values.

Observed Dan Bentley, Wolves goalkeeper and One Pack, One Planet Ambassador, “Climate change, and how we can tackle it, is one of the most important conversations we can be having at this time, and I am really pleased Wolves are playing their part by launching One Pack, One Planet. Sometimes climate change can feel overwhelming, but if we all make small changes in our lives and contribute to help the future of the planet in little ways, over time it will make a big difference. I am really pleased to become an Ambassador for One Pack, One Planet, and am proud to play our part in raising awareness of the subject by being the first Premier League teams to wear green armbands on Green Football Weekend.”

In addition to the new One Pack, One Planet pledges toward a more sustainable future at Wolves, the club has already begun putting many positive practices into action.

Wolves are supplied by 100 percent renewable electricity and have been running an ongoing energy efficiency program over the last five years, with extensive LED lighting replacements across Molineux including the floodlights.

The club’s catering partnership with Levy UK has ensured vegan food options are available on concourses and reusable drinks cups have been trialed.

Furthermore, Wolves have strengthened their relationship with Reconomy Group, a global tech-led provider of circular economy focused services who became a sustainability partner ahead of the 2022-2023 campaign.

The Wolves Foundation have partnered with Planet League, encouraging young fans to take Green lifestyle actions, and the majority of old kit from the club is donated via the Foundation to various charitable causes, rather than being sent to landfill.

The launch is the culmination of a year-long partnership with Football For Future (FFF). Senior leaders across Wolves have been working in partnership with the FFF to deliver a range of sustainable activity at the club.

This included a training workshop for the club’s senior management, covering the relationship between football and climate change, and a comprehensive review of the club’s environmental footprint and current performance.

London (UK)-based Football For Future (FFF) is a not-for-profit organization building a more environmentally sustainable culture in football. The organization does this by raising awareness of the relationship between football and climate change, and supporting the football industry to become more environmentally sustainable.

FFF then helped Wolves develop a clubwide environmental sustainability strategy, underpinned by departmental action plans and including a headline club commitment to environmental sustainability, leading to the launch of One Pack, One Planet.

Stated Steve Sutton, Wolves’ Facilities, Safety and Security Director, “We know there is still much work to do, but we’re proud to lay out our environmental sustainability commitments today in One Pack, One Planet. We hope that, in working towards the four goals pledged here, Wolves can become leaders in football’s transition to global net zero.”

Commented Thom Rawson, Football For Future (FFF) Sustainability Manager, “The results of the fan survey shows that seeing Wolves take action on environmental sustainability is a priority for the club’s fans. Reflecting on the feedback, we co-created One Pack, One Planet with senior leaders across Wolves to not only ensure the positive work the club already does to minimize environmental impact is continued and expanded, but to also ensure that Wolves use their platform to communicate, engage and educate on climate change and sustainability.”

Added Barney Weston, Football For Future (FFF) Co-Director, “The FFF is really proud to have supported Wolves to complete their environmental sustainability commitments, and to launch them on the first Green Football Weekend. Becoming environmentally sustainable doesn’t just mean going net zero. It also means championing nature and, in football’s case, using its unique global influence to inspire climate action.”

The Wolves 1877 Supporter Trust has been a longtime advocate for greater focus on sustainability and net zero carbon pathways, and welcomed the One Pack, One Planet initiative, alongside the partnership with Football For Future and Planet League.

Trust Chairman Daniel Warren said, “The introduction of the One Pack, One Planet project is a great step forward for the club and its fans, and we look forward to working with all the project partners in delivering real change.”

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