Policy and Commitment
- The club’s Environmental Policy has recently been updated. An updated Policy Statement will be uploaded on to the club’s website in March 2023.
- The club has regular environmental meetings and is currently forming an Environmental Action Plan across both the club and Community.
- Consumption of energy, water usage and waste is recorded throughout the sites and regularly audited and evaluated to ensure that objectives and targets for reduction are determined.
- Is an EFL Green Clubs Member.
Clean/Renewable Energy
- The club uses some renewable energy at the stadium and training ground. This is less than 40%.
Energy Efficiency
- New sub-metering has been installed throughout the stadium for electricity, gas & water. This is accessible via an online Portal to ensure the club can monitor and reduce its usage.
- LED lamps have been introduced throughout the sites to reduce energy consumption.
- Movement sensitive lights have been introduced, thus ensuring that they are only on when required.
Sustainable Transport
- Public transport (rail and bus) to the University of Bolton Stadium is promoted on the club’s website.
- Official lift partner SKOOT has an app that connects Wanderers fans who want to travel to matches together.
- Members of the Senior Leadership Team have been provided with electric vehicles.
- The club has installed 4x EV charging points on Car Park A (Hotel car park).
- A subsidised bus service is in place for Home fans which provides Double Decker buses per game. This measure significantly limits the numbers of cars that visit the stadium and thus reduces the club’s carbon emissions.
Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal
- New Base-Flow units (drink dispensing systems) have been installed at the stadium and use reusable cups. Cup drop-off points have been installed on concourses to ensure the cups are reused.
- There is no plastic cutlery on match days. Wooden forks are available from concourse kiosks. Silver service is used in hospitality areas.
- Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers in the Community have launched an initiative to offer free period products at the University of Bolton Stadium. The club has opted for plastic-free Aunt Flow period products, made from 100% organic cotton (no synthetics, chemicals or dyes) and designed to use minimum packaging.
Waste Management
- In accordance with DEFRA legislation (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), all waste is separated to ensure recyclable materials are removed, prior to it leaving the club.
- All general waste is removed by DEFRA approved and Registered Waste Carriers.
99% of all the waste collected is recovered, recycled or diverted from landfill. - Office paper is recycled at all of the club’s sites.
- Glass is segregated and recycled.
- Cardboard is segregated from the general waste and then collected for recycling.
- Cooking oils are segregated out and recycled.
- In the last year, the club removed 624 x 240L of biodegradable kitchen waste from its sites.
- Hazardous waste is only removed and disposed of by companies that are licensed by DEFRA, thus ensuring that this is safely disposed of.
- There is an on-going review of current waste removal procedures to consider methods of further increasing recycling and thus reducing the club’s impact on landfill.
Water Efficiency
- Ureco devices have been installed in Level 0 concourse and administration area urinals respectively. In the first four months since the installation, the club has recorded an 8% reduction in water usage.
- A smartflush system has been installed in Level 3 concourse urinals. This system has stopped uncontrolled urinal flushing between match/event days and has resulted in a +20% reduction in water usage.
Plant based/low carbon food
- The training ground Chef provides plant-based food to the first team.
- The hotel offers both vegetarian and vegan options, as well as locally sourced produce. Some of the food on offer includes a Lancashire Cheese & Southport Leek Tart.
- Vegetarian options are available from concourse kiosks.
- Pasties/pies are provided by a local company, Carrs, who are based in Bolton.
- Vegan options are to be rolled out to staff under an initiative called ‘Vegan Monday’, to encourage staff to switch to a vegan diet for 1-day per week.
Biodiversity
- At the training ground, the club has newt protection fencing and a hedgerow protection programme to safeguard nesting birds.
- Tree planting has been carried out around the new Nat Lofthouse Statue installation in front of the stadium’s West Stand.
- A wildflower planting plan is currently being created for the outer areas of the stadium site and where the natural corridor for wildlife is located (Middlebrook).
Education
- The club’s Premier League Primary Stars programme continuously runs ‘Social Action Projects’ that are centred around environmental sustainability that last for six weeks per cohort. These run in partnership with ‘Planet League’, a nationwide sustainability project that aims to engage and inspire children to help make positive choices to save the environment.
- The ‘Sustainability Social Action Project’ is comprised of six weeks, all with a different theme including; ‘Saving Water’, ‘Recycling’, ‘Reducing Waste’, ‘Food Miles’ and others. The Project engages children with interactive and fun sessions to give them a more rounded understanding of the world around them, the issues that we face and how this could impact our local community.
Communication and Engagement
- The club’s Environmental Policy has recently been updated. An updated Policy Statement will be uploaded on to the club’s website in March 2023.
- The club participated in Planet League’s ‘Planet League Cup’ competition.
- Bolton Wanderers in the Community participated in a smart meters project in partnership with Smart Meters GB and the EFL. The club promoted the use of smart meters and the benefits of having them by engaging with participants of the club’s programmes, displaying posters in stadium concourses, regular social media posts, handing out information leaflets in the Fan Zone and chatting to fans on match days.
Additional information
Information sourced directly from Bolton Wanderers F.C staff, website and third party websites
Information updated 07 March, 2023.