What a month of sport we have had, and it is only going to continue through September. From the return of the premiership, test match cricket, warm-up matches for the Rugby World Cup, not to mention the cycling world championships and now The Vuelta. As a sports fan, I am in heaven.

But one question that is being increasingly asked is are these international sports sustainable, the carbon footprint of hosting events is massive, not to mention the impact of teams and supporters travelling to events, often flying.

So, when I read this article on the BBC website this morning discussing how Edgbaston has been working to become the “Go Green” game, it made me think that maybe, just maybe, there are some sporting bodies that are genuinely trying to think about the future and not just the present.

For their last international, the T20 match against New Zealand, the entire stadium was run entirely off wind, hydro and solar power. Fan cards for them to hold up when a four or six was scored were made out of “seed paper” which you can plant and will grow into wild flowers. All their stadium catering removed red meat and all the lawnmowers and rollers are now electric powered.

Whilst there are still some elements that need addressing such as the “fire eruptions”, although it seems this is down to the T20 roadshow as opposed to Edgbaston, this is a fantastic step forward.

The key for me is the efforts they are taking to work towards achieving net zero, no business will be able to suddenly flick a switch and become net zero but we all need to start the evolution now. Putting a framework in place will allow your organisation to not just measure your current carbon footprint, but to also work to reduce this in the future. A good #CSR framework will also ensure that your organisation can deliver its #ESG reporting requirements and become more socially responsible at the same time.

The benefits to the business can be huge, not least it will help you raise your profile for the right reasons and can be integrated into your marketing strategy, helping to win new business as well as attract new staff.

To find out more about how to establish a CSR framework contact me.

As a footnote, if anyone from #Edgbaston is reading this piece, they should contact #CSR-Accreditation, they deserve to get recognition for all their work.