Liverpool FC hosts panel about the role of sports in sustainability in New York

As part of its participation in New York Climate Week (NYCW) Liverpool FC hosted a panel discussion on Thursday on the role of sports driving change through sustainability.

Alongside US sports organisations, including representatives from the National Hockey League (NHL), National Football League (NFL) and The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the event took place in the heart of Manhattan and was supported by the club’s official digital transformation partner, Orion Innovation. Rishi Jain, director of impact at Liverpool FC, represented the club in this important conversation and discussed its pioneering sustainability strategy – The Red Way – and the strides that it has made to date and the ambitious journey it is on.

He was joined on the panel by Riley Nelson, head of sustainability at NASCAR, Omar Mitchell, VP sustainable infrastructure and growth initiatives at NHL and Marissa Shorenstein, chief of external affairs at BSE Global.

This special panel also coincides with Global Goals Week, and to mark this the club will also make a significant visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York with two LFC legends Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel to highlight the club’s sustainability efforts and its support of 14 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Rishi Jain, director of impact, Liverpool FC, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve accomplished through The Red Way, and this panel provided a unique opportunity to discuss best practice and how sports can be a powerful force for change.

“Through The Red Way, the club has made sustainability a priority and ensured its integration into all core business operations. We as a club are dedicated to creating a better future for our people, planet and communities and through our fans, staff, partners and suppliers we will continue to work collectively to achieve The Red Way’s ambitious targets and make a real impact.”

The Red Way continues to make strides on its journey to achieving net zero by 2040 from running 94 per cent of club operations on clean energy to increasing fan awareness and positive behaviour change resulting in plastic bottle waste recycling on matchdays from 25 per cent to 90 per cent to offsetting 100 per cent of emissions from its football operations.

The Red Way continues to set a benchmark across the sporting industry and has received a plethora of awards and recognition since its launch in 2021. The Red Way was recently named ESG Programme of the Year at the Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024, one of the top 10 most sustainable sports organisations by Front Office Sports and as the most environmentally sustainable Premier League club for the second consecutive year in the Sport Positive League.