Funded by the Interior and Environment Ministries, the project “sustainable [major] sporting events in Germany” has been implemented
The digital platform www.nachhaltige-sportveranstaltungen.de was officially launched today, marking the successful conclusion of the project “sustainable [major] sporting events in Germany”. The platform will support organisers of sporting events in making their events more sustainable.
The project “sustainable [major] sporting events in Germany” was funded in equal parts by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) with a total of around 680,000 euros. It was implemented in partnership with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), the German Sport University Cologne (DSHS) and the Oeko-Institut.
Juliane Seifert, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community: “Germany is a strong sporting nation that embraces sustainability. We proved this during the 2024 European Football Championship. We are committed to sustainability at all levels and in all aspects, from carbon footprint to good social standards for employees. We also believe in the power of volunteerism and in sport’s capacity to bring people together, no matter where they hail from or how much money they have. Our new online portal for sustainable sporting events offers a wealth of information on responsibilities for human rights and sustainability. Rather than having to start from scratch, organisers of sporting events in Germany will find valuable tips and recommendations that can be put into practice easily. The project team’s work has paid off. I would like to thank the project team from the Federal Interior and Environment Ministries, the German Olympic Sports Confederation, the German Sport University Cologne and the Oeko-Institut.”
Dr Jan-Niclas Gesenhues, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection: “Sporting events should minimise damage to the environment, ensure social equity and be economically viable. For major international sporting events such as world cups, European championships or the Olympic Games, this is already a must today, and it is what the EU demands. But we think it is important to make sure sustainability gains traction at regional and local level as well. The portal for sustainable sporting events will be a helpful tool for associations, sports clubs and organisers. This is why it was developed with broad participation from relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, it is based on a scientific evaluation of all aspects of sustainability. Our goal is to enable sport to make a difference when it comes to delivering environmentally and socially just sporting events.”
A key feature of the new platform is the wealth of recommendations and support services developed by the project partners to assist in planning sustainable and values-based sporting events. The portal showcases transformation areas, action areas and specific measures for sustainability action. It proposes an array of tangible goals and suitable indicators, helping organisers implement efficient and tailor-made outcomes without losing sight of the overall process. The tool stands out in Europe for its approach and depth of information.
Prof. Dr Ralf Roth, Director of the Institute of Outdoor Sports and Environmental Science at the German Sport University Cologne: “Our aim was to create a tool that assists organisers, whatever their size, in integrating sustainability into their events in a straightforward and practical way. By collaborating with athletes, organisers, NGOs and countless other institutions, we were able to develop a platform that is genuinely practice-oriented and customisable for individual users.”
Michaela Röhrbein, Director of sports development at the German Olympic Sports Confederation: “The new online portal provides sports associations and clubs in Germany with an innovative tool that makes it much easier to deliver sustainable sporting events. It is good to be leading by example, helping to ensure that social issues like diversity, gender equity and participation are established as core elements of sustainable development alongside environmental aspects. We find it particularly important to enable smaller or less experienced organisers, not just the big ones, to integrate sustainability into their events.”
Dr Hartmut Stahl, Senior Researcher at the Oeko-Institut: “There is a lot of talk about sustainability in sporting events. But what does it mean in practice and how can sustainability be assessed? This portal is the first of its kind, giving organisers guidance on the way forward. Across all sustainability action areas, it proposes tangible goals, measurable indicators and a host of measures for putting it all into practice.”
The platform is one of the outcomes of the National Strategy for Major Sporting Events, published in 2021. As set out in its guidelines, the strategy aims, among other things, to develop a basis for transparent government funding for major sporting events and to secure minimum standards in the fields of environment, integrity, security and human rights. Thus, the platform acts as a catalyst for greater sustainability in sporting events in Germany while providing a starting point for aligning future funding for such events more closely with sustainability criteria.