Policy and Commitment
- The club has an Environmental Policy Statement which can accessed on the website here: https://cdn.wba.co.uk/sites/default/files/2022-08/Environmental Policy 2022 to 23 160822 (002).pdf
- Will try and work with suppliers to ensure that they recognise and reduce the environmental impact of their products and transportation.
- The club continually looks at the materials purchased by both the maintenance and cleaning departments to ensure they are sourced from sustainable sources (e.g., wood) where possible or contain chemicals that do not damage the environment (e.g., paint or cleaning fluids).
- West Bromwich Albion will continue to assess and reduce where possible its environmental performance during the planning of refurbishment works and redevelopment of all of its facilities. This will include ensuring all works reduce the current energy footprint (e.g., use of LED lights) as well as ensuring that the contractors used both adhere to the Club’s policy as well as have their own.
- Is an EFL Green Club Member.
- Sourced a range of unisex clothing made from re-generated cotton and are currently working with other suppliers to extend this across a larger range of products.
- The club has formed a WBAFC Cross-Departmental Sustainability Working Group, with a direct board representative, terms of reference, representations from all departments and an action plan.
Clean/Renewable Energy
- Electricity supply to stadium is now from fully renewable sources.
- Where financially sustainable, renewable energy will be bought from energy suppliers for its other facilities.
Energy Efficiency
- In line with its Energy Policy Statement, the club will aim to use energy as efficiently as possible. The Energy Policy Statement can be found here: https://cdn.wba.co.uk/sites/default/files/2022-02/WBA Energy Policy -21 to 22 210222.pdf
- Usage of all energy will be kept to a minimum with various control measures put in place to reduce where practicable.
- Replaced conventional lighting with LED fittings.
- Installed motion sensors where practical rather than switches.
- Introduced Building Management Systems to reduce energy where possible.
- Installed timers on “automatic lighting” e.g., car park lights.
- The club is looking to increase the use of its Building Management System (BMS) to help reduce energy costs, increase use of LED lighting where possible and increase the use of motion sensors in place of switches and explore voltage optimisation.
- This season, the club has obtained a new and more fuel efficient tractor and Verti-Drain Machine. These have been selected for their green credentials as opposed to price.
- Is actively exploring ways to replace its Grounds Maintenance Plant & Equipment with more energy/fuel efficient items.
- Will continue to audit and monitor its operations via its ESOS submissions and through meeting its requirements under ESOS and SECR legal obligations.
- The club’s 2023/24 SECR Report has now been published and confirms that it is minimising its energy consumption, whilst its carbon intensity ratio is falling year on year.
Sustainable Transport
- Public transport (rail, metro and bus) travel to The Hawthorns is promoted on the website.
- Train travel to the club’s training ground is promoted on the website.
- The West Midlands Metro service – including lines to and from The Hawthorns – is suspended until further notice in order to implement repairs. Replacement bus and train services are in operation with Metro tickets and passes valid on alternative modes of transport including certain bus services and all train services.
- For supporters that attend away games, the club has 52-seater coaches that take fans from The Hawthorns to the opposition stadium and back after full time.
- In a ‘Fans Return after COVID’ survey, a question on modes of transport used by fans was included.
- Works closely with all external travel partners ensuring that there are suitable public transportation opportunities to get to the stadium both on match days and Monday to Friday.
- Will endeavour to minimize fuel consumption and exhaust emissions by encouraging staff to walk or cycle to work and to only travel to meetings where absolutely necessary.
Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal
- All stirrers have been removed and replaced with spoons for conference, events and catering. All plastic stirrers from the concourse have been replaced with wooden stirrers.
- All plastic straws have been replaced with paper alternatives.
- All sachets have been removed from use and replaced with refillable sauce bottles.
- The club has stopped the purchase of single use plastic carrier bags in-store and now offers a reusable cotton tote bag.
- Old plastic Gift Cards have been replaced with a cardboard alternative which are compostable and recyclable.
- Mailing bags for online orders are now made from 100% recycled materials.
- Replica shirts this season have been made from 100% recycled polyesters which is ethically sourced.
- The club has formed a WBAFC Cross-Departmental Sustainability Working Group and the drafting of a single use plastic removal policy is on the agenda.
- The club is looking at reusable cups on concourses for beer/soft drinks, replacing plastic bottles with “box” products and removing plastic bags from kit supplies.
- The club is looking to give Academy players reusable water bottles, remove all disposable cups from use and replace them with reusable alternatives across media/stadium/Academy.
- The Foundation is to explore distribution of water bottles to match day packages that can be used on the concourses.
Waste Management
- Looks to recycle materials wherever possible and to reduce the production, use and disposal of any material that is not reusable.
- Separates waste into “general waste” and “mixed recycling”.
- Separates and recycles glass.
- Separates and recycles green waste e.g., grass cuttings.
- Recycles all old IT equipment.
- Recycles all waste oil.
- Boots and gloves are handed down from the first team to the Albion Foundation
- Is looking to:
- Increase separation of waste (food, cardboard, bottles etc)
- Install a cardboard compactor.
- Have a system where match day media accreditation lanyards are re-used.
- Reduce paper items sent to supporters.
- Ensure programme is fully recyclable.
- Encourage use of print at home tickets and use of mobile tickets to reduce need for paper tickets.
- Where possible, West Bromwich Albion will source materials that are “environmentally friendly” or contain a high amount of recyclable/recycled material.
Water Efficiency
- Usage of all water will be kept to a minimum with various control measures put in place to reduce where practicable.
- Installed push taps instead of conventional taps and waterless urinals/water management systems.
- Introduced Building Management Systems to reduce water where possible.
- Reduced water during flushes.
- The club Is looking at systems to harvest rain water.
- Is looking to install water coolers on concourse and around Academy site (install of polypipe on site).
Plant based/low carbon food
- For catering, all suppliers are within a maximum of 50 miles of the club with the nearest being three suppliers at 6 miles and the furthest being one supplier at 49 miles. The remaining eight suppliers are between 10 and 35 miles.
- All food purchased is currently and will continue to be bought from sustainable sources e.g., fish.
- Successfully incorporated DOPSU’s no-chicken, no-pork, no-duck and no-beef products into its non-match day catering functions, for those who request vegetarian or non-meat dietary requirements.
- Jacket potatoes are served in the refreshment outlets at The Hawthorns.
Biodiversity
- In 2022, the club was awarded a shipment of saplings from The Woodlands Trust. This initiative was to encourage tree planting in schools and communities. The club planted some trees at the training ground, some at the stadium and then donated the remaining saplings to its fans in the Memories Group (Dementia) and its Baggies Hub (for people feeling isolated in the community).
- The club has also selected external grassed areas of both the stadium and the training ground where it actively seed with wild flowers, allow the areas to grow wild and do not undertake cutting/mowing activities.
Education
- An environmentally friendly culture will continue to be developed amongst all staff and will form part of the new staff induction process.
- The Albion Foundation’s “Eco Albion” initiative delivered six to 12-week school programmes designed to educate schoolchildren around single-use plastics and its impact on the world. Albion chose ‘Plastic Free Day’ as the launch date for the project.
- The Foundation held practical workshops to increase the pupil’s plastic awareness, providing children with knowledge to help not only the local community but impact on a wider scale.
- The Albion Foundation and Litter Watch joined forces to educate youngsters about plastic waste. The partnership worked alongside the Eco Albion project, enabling further education and promotion of environmental awareness to school children.
Communication and Engagement
- The club has an Environmental Policy Statement which can accessed on the website here: https://cdn.wba.co.uk/sites/default/files/2022-08/Environmental Policy 2022 to 23 160822 (002).pdf
- Looks for opportunities to promote environmental best practice and encourage its customers to take positive action in areas such as transportation and recycling.
- The club will attempt to maximize the awareness of its staff regarding environmental issues by using internal mail, posters and the staff intranet.
- Staff will be encouraged to participate in the environmental work undertaken by the club and to make suggestions as to how the club’s environmental performance could be improved.
- The club will use communication channels to try and assist supporters to use products and services in an environmentally sensitive way.
- The Albion Foundation engages families in climate action through its partnership with Planet League. The project aims to help families cut their carbon footprint and live more sustainable lives as they represent their organisation by completing sustainable challenges.
- Participated in Planet League’s ‘Planet League Cup’ competition.
- Supported WWF’s 2023 #WorldWithoutNature campaign by removing the nature elements from the club’s crest for the day.
- Has formed a WBAFC Cross-Departmental Sustainability Working Group and communication will be on the agenda.
Additional information
Information sourced directly from West Bromwich Albion F.C. staff, website and third party websites
Information updated 07 March, 2023.
