Policy and Commitment
- Under the club’s Environmental Policy, Manchester United recognises its responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy environment and endeavours to maintain sound environmental performance
- This policy is implemented by maintaining legislative compliance and having clearly outlined objectives, targets, management responsibilities and employee involvement to continually improve our performance
- Operational implementation of the policy is overseen by a cross-departmental Environmental Management Action Group, which meets quarterly
- The club’s environmental management system (EMS) has been certified to the ISO14001 international standard since 2012 and was recertified in 2021. Minimisation of resource and energy use and waste are key objectives of the EMS
- Under the club’s Sustainable Procurement Policy, all major suppliers are asked to complete a range of declarations covering issues such as environmental performance, modern slavery & human trafficking, staff welfare and food safety, before orders are placed with them
- Audits are conducted on a sampling basis to ensure that the declarations are being adhered to and action is taken where the right standards are not being met. We place particular emphasis on suppliers’ use of single use plastics to support the club’s efforts to reduce SUP usage in our supply chain. We also ask for a declaration that suppliers have an environmental policy in place
- Manchester United’s Museum, Red Café and Megastore collectively have achieved the Green Tourism Business Award Gold Standard which recognises the environmental achievements of the Club’s visitor attractions
- Carbon reduction goals are currently being developed and appraised within a Carbon Management Plan (CMP). These include short, medium and long-term goals, including a net zero target. The Club has maintained a minimum 2.5% year-on-year carbon reduction over the past 13 years to maintain the Carbon Trust Standard Accreditation. Manchester United are the only sports Club within the UK to have achieved six successful CTS accreditations
Clean/Renewable Energy
- Over half (50.4%) of the club’s energy supplies were derived from renewable sources between April 2020 and April 2021
- The Manchester United Energy & Carbon Reduction Programme has achieved 13 consecutive years of energy and carbon reductions, despite the club having grown significantly during that time. Since the programme’s launch in 2008, the club has reduced annual carbon emissions by over 2,700 tonnes, a reduction equivalent to emissions produced by 540 homes for a year
Energy Efficiency
- Under the club’s Energy & Carbon Reduction Programme, Manchester United has achieved a reduction in energy use in excess of 31% since its launch in 2008, despite significant growth in the club over that time
- A new LED floodlighting system was installed at Old Trafford in summer 2021 reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent compared with the previous lighting
- Other energy-saving initiatives include the installation of LED car park lighting, the replacement of neon signage and the expansion of building management systems to control heating, air conditioning, lighting and power management
- Additional investment has been made into a sub-metering programme to monitor, target and reduce energy consumption across Old Trafford
- The Manchester United Energy & Carbon Reduction Programme has achieved 12 consecutive years of energy and carbon reductions, despite the club having grown significantly during that time. Since the programme’s launch in 2008, the club has reduced annual carbon emissions by over 2,700 tonnes, a reduction equivalent to emissions produced by 540 homes for a year
- The club has achieved the Carbon Trust Standard certifying the club’s successful commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions annually for the past six years
- In the past year, the club’s ground staff has begun a trial of cleaner electric mowers as an alternative to petrol mowers in pitch maintenance
Sustainable Transport
- Free cycle racks are available in three club car parks around Old Trafford for fans and staff cycling to the stadium
- Staff are encouraged to use public transport and cycling, including a ‘cycle to work’ scheme to reduce and spread the cost of purchasing a bike and accessories
- Manchester United works closely with Transport for Greater Manchester to support the use of public transport by fans on matchdays and align messaging and communications
- Fan surveys are conducted to understand fans’ travel to and from matches at Old Trafford
Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal
- Reduction of single-use plastics (SUPs) usage across all club operations is one of Manchester United’s key environmental objectives and the club is engaging with suppliers and partners to help achieve this through our Sustainable Procurement Policy
- The club has removed all SUPs from kiosk condiment stations on matchdays and replaced them with wooden forks, stirrers and paper straws
- Use of plastic packaging is being progressively reduced in the Manchester United Megastore and the club is continuing to actively work with suppliers to widen the range of products where plastic is reduced or eliminated altogether
- Apparel suppliers have been challenged to deliver products using bulk packing of garments instead of separate plastic bags for single garments
- The Megastore has replaced plastic carrier bags for customers with paper bags where possible
- The club’s kits are made using adidas’s Primegreen fully recycled polyester
Waste Management
- Manchester United has a zero waste to landfill policy as part of its Environmental Management System; annually, 388 tonnes of waste are recycled and 674 tonnes converted to energy
- Food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion facility and recycled to produce biogas which is ultimately used to generate renewable electricity for the grid
- Food waste is kept to a minimum by menu engineering and good food management
- Unused perishable food, which would otherwise go to waste, is donated to local food banks after game
- Waste cooking oil from the stadium is collected and taken to a plant where it is turned into bio-diesel fuel for vehicles
Water Efficiency
- The Club operates water management programme in a similar way to our Energy & Carbon Management Programme. Water use across all our sites is monitored and reported to our Environmental Management Action Group
- The Club’s Group Property Services department has many ongoing water reduction programmes and initiatives to conserve water use, including the deployment of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) to the Old Trafford water supplies to allow review of water use, leak detection and assessment out of out of hours water use. Automatic water closure valves have been installed throughout the stadium to prevent water use to concourse urinals during non-match days. Water monitoring has been provided to pitch water systems and is closely managed by the club’s ground staff
- The club monitors and reports on water usage as part of its Environmental Management System
- Rainwater is collected at Old Trafford for use in pitch irrigation
- Harvested and recycled water is also used at the Carrington training ground, where a borehole helps to maintain self-sufficiency
- Club sponsorship partners are engaged with water minimisation programme through proactive installation of water saving devices, taps and other measures; our hygiene services partner, Ecolab, on measures to reduce water usage when laundering textiles.
Plant based/low carbon food
- A vegan option – spicy potato and cauliflower pie – is available to fans around the stadium on matchdays
- A dedicated vegan menu is available in all hospitality suites and in the Red Café, which is also open on non-matchdays.
- The club has increased availability of sustainably-sourced and vegan foods in its staff canteens at Old Trafford and the Carrington training ground, and a meat-free burger has been trialled and promoted to staff
- A variety of sustainably-sourced Faretrade products are used across the club and food is sourced locally wherever appropriate
Biodiversity
- Manchester United co-operates with local conservation groups to support biodiversity in the wetland nature reserve adjacent to its Carrington training ground
- The club has a litter management programme, including the provision of two street sweeping machines, to protect the environment around Old Trafford
Education
- In February 2021, Manchester United Foundation teamed up with advocacy group The Climate Coalition to provide virtual workshops on climate change for over 20 partner high schools across Greater Manchester
- The Foundation held a #GreatBigGreenWeek competition for its partner primary schools with prizes for the best environmental initiatives in their local communities
Communication and Engagement
- The club’s Environmental Policy is on the main club website and can be found online here
- The Sustainable Procurement Policy can be found online here
- In July 2021, Manchester United launched a partnership with Renewable Energy Group, a US biofuel producer, “with a shared mission to tackle climate change and create a cleaner world”. The launch was accompanied by video content promoting sustainable fuels
Additional information
Information sourced directly from Manchester United F.C. staff, website and third party websites
Information updated 21 January, 2022.
For 2019 and 2020 information click here
