Striving to maintain a balance between proactively playing its part in protecting the environment while running a complex, heavily regulated and high profile business, the club is very aware that its actions are scrutinised by tens of millions of people across the world each week.
As such, the club is fully committed to reducing single-use plastics, removing plastic drinking straws, spoons and stirrers, while selling water in bottles that are 100% recyclable. Staff are encouraged to switch to reusable coffee cups and water bottles for use at work. The club has a zero to landfill policy on its waste.
At the stadium, plastic-free sanitary products are also available to female supporters and staff free of charge with the club being one of the first in the Premier League to sign up to the On The Ball initiative.
The club solely uses “green electricity” and has taken a number of steps to carbon offset its gas usage, including working alongside local schools to plant 1,200 trees in the area surrounding the stadium.
The club’s grounds staff only use electric mowers to maintain the pitches at the American Express Community Stadium while an ongoing programme to use LED lamps in the club’s buildings, at both the stadium and American Express Elite Performance Centre, helps to further reduce energy consumption.
“Grow lights” are used sparingly to replicate sun light lost during winter months and to stimulate pitch growth, necessary to ensure the club discharges its duty of care to players, whilst also supporting the league’s regulations regarding the quality of the stadium playing surface.
The club has introduced segregated streams for both cardboard and paper further enhancing its commitment to recycling, while also working on new litter and recycling initiatives with the Premier League and Coca Cola to further reduce waste output.
Our matchday catering suppliers are working on reducing their use of single-use plastics and the packaging and processes used in the development of their products. This summer we will be focussing on finding the most sustainable products to serve our food in.
Our sustainability commitment extends to travel to and from the stadium, with the club continuing provide a subsidised matchday travel scheme to all fans since the Amex stadium opened. More than 80% of matchday visitors used a sustainable means of transport in the 2021-22 which included 40% via trains, 15% by park and ride service, 16% by Coaches/Minibuses, and scheduled city buses 9%.
Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman Paul Barber said: “Everyone at Brighton & Hove Albion will continue to work closely with our various partners and stakeholders to ensure we are as environmentally sustainable as possible. We know there is much more still to do.
“Everyone at the club is highly conscious of the issues surrounding climate change and environmental sustainability. As a club, we know we can make a difference with our own initiatives, both now and in the future, and we are totally committed to doing so.”