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TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2022/23

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Policy and Commitment

Clean/Renewable Energy

  • Approximately 30-50% of energy is provided from renewable sources across all sites.
  • The solar installation on the carport generates enough electricity to cover the daily requirements of the neighbouring facilities around the PreZero Arena.
  • Solar systems on the PreZero Arena (10,000 m2) and the training center (2,500 m2) generate approx. 1.3 million kw/h per year and save approx. 743 tons of CO2.
  • The stadium has a pellet heating system.

Energy Efficiency

  • Building Management Systems are used at the training centre, the headquarter as well as in the PreZero Arena.
  • A building management system is used to switch off lights centrally.
  • The club uses numerous meters to record and track energy consumption.
  • Converted lights in rooms and the parking lot to LED technology.
  • Motion detectors are used for lights in the toilet facilities.

Sustainable Transport

  • The tickets for football matches in the PreZero Arena are also valid as public transport tickets for round trips in the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN) and the Heilbronner/Hohenloher/Haller Nahverkehrs (HNV).
  • E-charging station at the office building.
  • In 2021, the club conducted a fan survey on travel, the results are as follows: – Car 64% – Public transport 28% – Walking 4% – Motorbike 2% – Bicycle 1% – Electric Car 1%.
  • In April 2023, the club started a new mobility survey which will finish in May 2023.
  • Establishment of an environmental/energy team to develop travel guidelines, mobility concepts and other potential for improvement.
  • The club has compensated its carbon footprint (Scope 1 and 2 plus travelling within the club) in the last two seasons with an efficient stove project in Rwanda (20/21) and in Kenya (21/22), which is certified with the Gold Standard. In addition to the club’s own footprint, TSG use this project to compensate for the journeys made by the visiting team and the referees (each with a flat rate of 11 tons).

Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal

  • Internal sustainable guidelines are in place to reduce single use plastic.
  • At the beginning of 2020, cups were switched from disposable to reusable. The reusable cups can be reused up to 400 times and save up to 500,000 disposable cups per season. The cups are cleaned 30km away. Seasonal motifs have been removed to ensure cups are not replaced after one season.
  • The 22/23 Home and Away Jerseys are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Waste Management

  • All waste from all of the club’s sites is diverted from landfill.
  • The club has advised that the PreZero Arena is the first Zero Waste certified stadium with a recycling rate of more than 85%. Beginning this year (2023), the club will start to include all other facilities.
  • Grass cuttings from the PreZero Arena are used to make autograph cards.
  • Grass recycling project has seen clippings from the stadium’s pitch used to manufacture mobile phone covers.
  • Containers are set up in many areas of the stadium in which paper, plastics and residual waste can be disposed of separately.
  • Waste containers for employees and in fan areas are labelled and have instructions to ensure waste is sorted correctly.
  • In the future, TSG seat cushions for the stadium will be made from old reusable cups which cannot be recycled and have reached the end of their life.

Water Efficiency

  • Water from a rainwater cistern is used to irrigate the pitch and to flush toilets.
  • A cistern in headquarters suppliers water to the training fields.

Plant based/low carbon food

  • Vegan food options are available everywhere in the stadium.
  • Food in the stadium is sourced regionally and seasonally as far as possible.
  • Local providers are used wherever possible for canteen food which is offered to players and employees. Vegan/vegetarian options are available.

Biodiversity

  • The club does not yet have a strategy to strengthen local biodiversity. This summer (2023), the club will look into new strategies.
  • Since October 2019, the club offers a “climate ticket” when purchasing a ticket, which enables the buyer to book any number of tree seedlings for 1 euro each.
  • Support for the Alliance for Development and Climate of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). As part of the alliance, the club offset the previously unavoidable CO2 footprint of TSG Hoffenheim through a reforestation project in Uganda.

Education

  • Training courses on recycling, environmental protection and circular economy are provided to employees.
  • Through a combined initiative between the HOFFEXPRESS (a TSG 1899 Hoffenheim fan mobile that tours the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region) and PreZero, a “Sustainability” project day was held at a school which covered topics such as recycling, upcycling and waste separation.
  • A partnership with the Climate Arena in Sinsheim sees TSG’s academy teams (from U12 to U15 level) going to the Climate Arena for annual visits. These visits will include workshops in which the team coaches and support staff also take part.
  • TSG Hoffenheim worked with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to publish a handbook entitled “Environmental Education through and with Football”. The handbook is available for all interested parties to download free-of-charge. https://www.tsg-hoffenheim.de/en/news/overview/2021/07/football-and-environment-team-up/

Communication and Engagement

  • Corporate Social Responsibility strategy “TSG is movement” can be found on the main website: https://www.tsg-hoffenheim.de/tsg/der-club/tsg-ist-bewegung
  • A dedicated Ecology page on the website focuses on the club’s ecological responsibility and initiatives. https://www.tsg-hoffenheim.de/tsg/der-club/tsg-ist-bewegung/oekologie/
  • Through an initiative called “Common Value Approach” the club has changed its approach to sponsoring and internationalisation by developing sustainability topics with its partners. Examples include:
    • PreZero – Zero Waste certified stadium
    • Hep Solar – partner of the club’s ‘climate ticket’ offered to fans
    • MVV (energy supplier) – the club works together on mobility solutions and charging infrastructure.
  • Attended COP27 in November 2022 to share TSG Hoffenheim’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations.
  • TSG 1899 Hoffenheim helped initiate the Sports for Future project, which unifies the power of sport to work on the challenge of climate change.
  • Formed a “Common Value Club Alliance” with FC Cincinnati and Accra Hearts of Oak –  holistic development platform for the partners that encourages excellence on and off the field while creating value for people, planet and society.
  • In June 2023, the club will present its “Common Value Approach” and Zero Waste concept to its partner FC Cincinnati and are invited to do the same at the Green Sports Alliance Summit in Seattle, where all major US Leagues and many clubs are attending. Additionally, the Africa Football Foundation would like to establish ESG criteria more firmly in African football and has asked TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for coaching. The club will offer a presentation and workshop on the subject at the Africa Football Business Summit in Kenya in September.
  • A “Climate Arena, Grass Paper, Umoja and Co. – The ecological Bundesliga club” video on YouTube is a documentary which focuses on TSG Hoffenheim’s ecology and sustainability activities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnrpENInxxk&t=22s
  • Created a series of YouTube videos titled “PreZero Nachspielzeit” with first team players Sebastian Rudy, Kevin Akpoguma, Oliver Baumann, Stefan Posch, Kevin Vogt and Christoph Baumgartner which focused on the club’s environmental sustainability efforts. Topics covered: autograph cards made from the stadium’s grass cuttings, reusable cups and the club’s waste separation system.
  • A “Zero Waste Arena” page on the club’s website raises awareness of the club’s goal of making the PreZero Arena the first certified Zero Waste Arena in Germany.

Additional information

Information sourced directly from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim staff, website and third party websites

Information updated May 15 2023