Procuring Sustainability Technology in Football: Reporting Duties, Greenwashing Risk, & Contractual Pitfalls

In the last few years there has been an increased focus on environmental sustainability from all organisations in the UK, and football governing bodies and clubs are no different. Regardless of the legislated reporting requirements that UK companies must comply with, there remains a growing pressure from investors, fans, employees, and other stakeholders for governing bodies and clubs to be transparent about their environmental impact.^[1] We are seeing football clubs and other rightsholders increasingly respond to this challenge through the use of technology.

This article examines the growing environmental sustainability obligations facing football governing bodies and clubs in the UK, and the role that technology can play in meeting them. It begins by surveying the publicly announced sustainability commitments of FIFA, UEFA, the FA, the Premier League, the EFL, and the WSL, before turning to the UK legal framework for environmental reporting, including streamlined energy and carbon reporting, climate-related financial disclosures, and the greenwashing risks that arise when organisations make public statements about their green credentials. The article then considers the practical and contractual issues that clubs and rightsholders should address when procuring technology solutions - such as building management systems and sustainability data platforms - to support compliance, covering interoperability, milestone delivery, service levels, and intellectual property ownership.

Article Overview

• How football approaches environmental sustainability
• Greenwashing risk and UK reporting obligations
• Procuring technology to support compliance
• Key points and next steps for clubs and rightsholders