Policy and Commitment
- Manchester City has a clear policy for sustainability that states its commitment to credible net zero by 2030
- This includes action targets for annual reductions across all scopes of 14% and since 2022 includes all new and retrospective embodied carbon.
- In 2021-22 the overall CO2 reduction was 31.8% with 18% of this being from within scope 2 alone.
- The policy (Game Plan) embraces social, environmental and economic sustainability across operations, development, events and planning
- MCFC publicly report their scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and for 2021/22 season they were 22,000 tonnes (see page 8 of Sustainability Game Plan)
- Updated policy requirements are included in the annual report/appendices and presented to both MCFC and CFG leadership teams to ensure total buy-in and to share updates, change and challenges.
- Manchester City is accredited to ISO 45001 and at the time of publication (March 2023) is in the process of completing ISO 14001; due summer 2023.
- Manchester City also produces a live and updatable Environmental Risk Register
- The Club’s Game Plan is publicly available on the dedicated sustainability page on the Club’s website and is shared with local and regional agencies – search ‘man city sustainability’ or click here
- The policy and agenda is an essential part of new staff induction and a business-wide staff training (CPD) plan.
- In 2022 the Club engaged in an over-arching Environmental Risk Register which was activated in December 2022 and is a live, updatable process.
- Sustainability is a standard agenda item on the monthly global Group Operations Meetings.
Clean/Renewable Energy
- Since 2010 Manchester City has bought its energy (electricity) under a PPA with a certified supply of 100% renewable energy
- The Club’s academy facilities, stadium, store and offices are all supplied through this
- Energy supply and consumption is monitored daily to ensure best supply options and to promote efficiency of use
- The energy programme also ensures that there is an efficiency drive throughout all operations and there is an added focus on the reduction in the use of gas – with all new projects and developments excluding new gas installations
- The ‘essential requirement’ for diesel back up generators are now supplied only with ‘green fuel alternative’ from Crown Oil HVO
- An estate-wide programme of installing EVCs has been completed, the success of which will see further growth as both fleet and staff and visitor vehicles are electric
- Currently, 8% of Club spaces are provided with EVCs with less than 1% on match day public/fan parking. The process under way is to build this access to 10% across all parking facilities by 2027
Energy Efficiency
- All Club properties are managed via a high efficiency BMS programme and have been recognised by both LEED and BREEAM certification ESG form part of the overall annual business report and since 2023 the Club has also engaged with TCFD.
- In addition to the overarching Game Plan strategy, the Club’s facility managers engage staff and contractors on a regular basis, from daily, to weekly and monthly, to identify and address areas which benefit the whole scale energy efficiency
- The Club completed a stadium and estate wide replacement of all light fittings to LED including stadium floodlighting which now saves over 1.8m kw/h against the 2018 -19 season
- Existing (low energy) floodlighting at City Football Academy is managed on reduced timings whilst some indoor lux levels have been reduced within the realms of good welfare and safety
- PIR settings have been changed to be more efficient and in 2021-22 the Club reduced its warm air temperature by just over two degrees and cool air flows to respond to more moderate temperature changes
- Manchester City reports its energy information annually via SECR and within the ESOS programme – 2023 being ESOS 3 and already under way
- Greater emphasis has been placed on the timings and periods of essential industrial lighting to reduce consumption whilst protecting the needs of our business. Staff behaviours have also been included in this programme.
Sustainable Transport
- Manchester City endorses its sustainable travel and transport planning through the Game Plan Agenda – this is approved through the leadership team (LT) with annual submissions monitoring the affects the actions and needs of all club functions including staff, academy and player travel. It also promotes best practice in sustainable travel and promotion of for fans both home and away.
- The sustainable policy for staff travel is included in Game Plan (pages 41-42) – this it’s imperative that all staff travel is undertaken with due regard to need, to the most efficient and sustainable modes and that there must be consideration first of all other options, such as conference calls
- The Club directly operates very few vehicles and in 2021-22 began the fleet replacement of tractors and grounds machinery with electric options where available
- The Club began the promotion and engagement of fans and supporter clubs in ‘walk to the match‘ in 2019 and restarted this again in 2022 following the covid lockdowns
- According to the 2021-22 fan surveys – only 3% (1600) of City fans walk all the way to the match, with around 16% (8,400) walk at least the first and last mile
- The Club’s future travel plan is to grow walking and active travel with practical and sustainable solutions with and for fans
- All player travel – domestic and international is fully measured, recorded and reported
- This includes all modes and classes of travel, hotel bed nights, baggage and food provisions
- In domestic team travel, where practical, coach and train travel are employed
- Air travel is used when needed, ensuring the welfare and care of players and staff and the need to meet fixture deadlines and the preparation and/or associated rehab safely
- This is fully covered in Game Plan and is incorporated as part our emissions as strive to be carbon net zero by 2030
- Working with the City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester City has developed new cycle parking and access to the ‘Beryl Bike‘ loan scheme taking fans from city centre to stadium – see also the promoted walking route from Man city web site – whilst all visitors and fans to the stadium are asked to consider walk, cycle, public transport and to avoid single occupancy cars wherever this is possible and practical – including cost incentives
- In Game Plan, the Club reports the tracking and survey of over 800 different fans attending every match day to understand travel modes, origins, passenger types and numbers and experiences – This helps manage existing travel options and to work proactively in the promotion of practical, sustainable options and to plan better for the future
- With forthcoming developments and the opening in 2023 of a new 23,000 capacity concert venue – parking spaces on site will reduce and there is a clear policy not to increase numbers. Therefore, a new active travel plan is already in the making with uplifted walking routes, cycle storage and hire and public transport options.
Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal
- All single use plastic was eradicated in 2018-19 from stadium and match day operations and from the whole business and across all sites by the summer of 2022
- Manchester City has removed all single use plastic from its match day and general operations – single use cups, cutlery, sachets etc. We have also removed PET bottles from match day with a programme to fully eliminate by end 2023 from all operations. Whilst we are working to eliminate ALL single use plastic, there are of course items that come via delivery and some wrappings and tags in retail, therefore, it cannot be said that every aspect of operations across the Club have removed SUP and some is brought in by visitors. Where we find plastic of course, it is recycled if it cannot be reused.
- The Club is now engaged in a major eradication of all PET bottles from stadium and hospitality operations (such as those containing drinking water, soft drinks, alcohol etc have moved to post mix only for soft drinks, card board water boxes (compostable)) which was completed in January 2023 with all other parts of the business on course to complete the process by the end of the current season
- This has meant major changes for our suppliers and fans and all drinks and food products are served in re-usable items only, or in fully compostable packaging that is managed on site as part of a full-circle process
- Water refill stations will be introduced throughout the stadium (summer 2023)
- In retail, single use plastics have also been removed – bags, if required, are multi use and made from 100% recycles products and are in turn 100% recyclable
- The Club’s departments and partners have committed to a total review of packaging of all kinds to reduce levels and waste
- All ticketing and mailing operations have moved to digital (except by exceptional need, such as supporters with access requirements)
- There is no single use plastic within the fan’s match day experience, for example there are no plastic covers on any match day items or programmes and we have been working with all suppliers to remove over-covers etc. Condiments (sachets) were partly re-introduced in the immediate post-covid period but have again been phased out. All food packaging and any one-use cutlery etc is 100% compostable which is undertaken on site
Waste Management
- Since 2002 Manchester City has not sent any waste to landfill
- This remains a key policy in the waste reduction drive and the Club’s target to become a zero-waste organisation by 2025
- Reducing waste at source is a priority whilst any that is generated is 1) upcycled 2) re-used 3) recycled
- Every effort is made to segregate waste and work with the Greater Manchester Waste Authority to ensure appropriate salvage and waste streams are engaged on site
- The Club has developed a ‘unique’ grass, food, paper and card composter which takes and churns all these items in one energy-efficient process into new and usable compost which is then used on CFA landscapes around 97%
- The full-circle composting project has been trialled for two full seasons and proven very successful
- Early trials are underway to ascertain the quality of food produce using this compost which can then come back to our Club operations from local growers
- Additional (partner) initiatives include Re:jersey with Puma, while Water Heroes with Xylem has seen our sustainable efforts support communities across the globe
Water Efficiency
- Manchester City is around 97% self-sufficient for water through two major rainwater harvesting projects – one at City Football Academy (CFA) and one at the Etihad Stadium, installed in 2021
- All of the CFA buildings also have localised water attenuation and there is a potable water borehole making both drinking water and back up irrigation available across the site
- To ensure continued progress the redesign of major water storage is underway to ensure greater, future efficiency
- Reduced flow taps and shower heads (saving c40% flow) have been installed across Club properties with new programmes underway to manage water pumps and piping junctions and to quicky identify and rectify leaks
- The Club is working with its partners to promote water solutions both in Manchester and globally as part of a major health and sustainability initiative, including booth social and environmental impacts – in Manchester and around the world
- Through the partnership to date, the clubs and Xylem have already reached more than 1 billion people through water awareness, education and volunteerism initiatives that advance their shared mission to create a more sustainable world
- In this next phase, the partnership aims to accelerate action on critical water challenges by driving a further 100 million people to participate in water-related initiatives in their communities.
Plant based/low carbon food
- Every food concession inside and outside of the stadium and all hospitality suites and staff and player refectories offer vegan menu options with universal offers for vegetarian foods and beverages
- There are also several wholly-plant-based concessions available for fans on match days
- One in five GA food sales during the 2021/22 season was vegan
- Sustainably sourced coffee is also a key feature across the entirety of our operations
- In staff, player and academy refectories, there are vegan options at all times and regular promotions of meat and dairy free days, menus and options to try at home
- Local produce supply remains a priority and the Club continues to evolve all its menus into principally seasonal products. Meat and dairy-free days have been introduced with the sharing of menus and home cooking ideas
- The Club is working with a direct prison and ex-offender programme to train and create opportunities in food provision and sales with home-grown produce – creating positive future pathways. This is just one example of sustainability in action that actively crosses environmental, social and economic sustainability
Biodiversity
- Biodiversity and ecology a high priority features of Game Plan, and we continue to identify new ways to incorporate biodiversity across our campus, building on the success of CFA green corridors and wildlife habitats
- See Policies and Procedure Appendices on ‘Biodiversity and Ecology’ for full detail in Game Plan, and search ‘biodiversity’ in Game Plan for integrated approach to ecology: https://www.mancity.com/meta/media/fb5jh5fd/man-city-2022-sustainability-game-plan.pdf
- Since 2018, over six acres of all-new wildflower meadow and wild grasses have been established, new tree planting and orchards across CFA and the development of a series of bug hotels and beetle banks – new wetlands have taken shape and created an all-new project ‘Mancgroves’
- Mancgroves realises new, safe wetland (bogs, ponds, swales) and hayfields in the city, working with fans, staff, schools and communities to create and maintain high (CO2) absorption spaces and places, supporting our city’s ecology and achieving significant net biodiversity gain year on year
- This is an exciting, unique and totally engaging initiative. Working through our community programme and with neighbours’ fora, Mancgroves is approved and ready to roll out through the spring and summer of 2023 and beyond, the results of which will be available to future reviews
Education
- In 2022 – Manchester City launched a new education and training programme for all staff and new starters – this sustainability CPD course works across the whole workforce and in the year will embrace players, scholars and staff
- As of March 2023 approx 30% of staff have undertaken in group learning sessions by staff
- The promotion of the programme was undertaken by the Club’s U-15 academy players who were keen to ensure this remains priority topic
- It’s initial roll out will continue through 2023, with departmental and functional workshops and will have a new update in 2024
- It’s a universal learning programme that extends across all staff and during 2023-4 will further extend to players, scholars and permanent contractors
- There is a significant focus in the programme on Climate Change and actions and around environmental impact, actions and sustainability.
- In the Club’s Supporter Charter, shared with all season ticket holders and match-by-match buyers (circa 80,000 people), there is a dedicated section highlighting the Club’s sustainable efforts
- Manchester City has also residents through its neighbours’ meetings and with the wider community, schools and colleges through the Club’s charitable foundation – City in the Community
- City in the Community also published its own unique and first sustainability reports at the end of 2022 sharing its priorities, reach and commitments to the Club’s agenda and road to net zero 2030.
- As a pioneer member of the Manchester Climate Change Agency, Manchester City works with and collaborates with other city organisations to share information, promote good networking and to be active in knowledge exchange.
Communication and Engagement
- There is a dedicated sustainability page on the Club’s website which features the Game Plan report, as well as highlighting some of the work taking place across the Club
- Sustainability forms a key part of the Club’s narrative with content shared across all of its platforms
- This includes content with first team players, which are shared on our social media channels, helping to educate a global audience while encourage better behaviours
- In addition to this, we share our Supporter Charter with all season-ticket-holders and match-by-match buyers before attending matches to highlight the Club’s sustainable efforts
- We also encourage they take sustainable travel, with the options available well-documented such as the ‘walk to the match’ activity
- The Club also took part in the Green Weekend (2023) campaign and signed up for Planet League’s competition which encouraged supporters to take more sustainable actions
- Away from our fans, the programme is regularly shared with representatives the communities and neighbourhoods of East Manchester and more widely through the Manchester Climate Change Agency which carries various case studies.
Sustainable Procurement
- Sustainable Procurement policy is fully covered in Game Plan (Search ‘Procurement’ on the PDF to see all info)
- In addition, there is a clear and up-front statement of aims for all supply tenders which covers all aspects of sustainability, environmental risk and protection, human rights, bribery, CRS, local employment, EDI
- For over a decade, there has been a clear and open practice to promote and engage in local procurement – with new projects targeting 85 %.
- Collaborating with major contractors to the Club, eg F3 (catering) they now also target and produce data to show local engagement, employment, training and opportunity in a range of roles and skills – this is included in Game Plan
- The Club’s procurement policy and process seeks to establish clear geographical goals and the assessment of suppliers and contractors having in place appropriate sustainability strategies, equality standards and an open and clear supply chain of their own
Sponsorship/Ownership
- OWNERSHIP
- Ownership: 100% by City Football Group/ Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Information: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family and the majority shareholder of CFG, the company that owns Premier League club Manchester City.
- Country: Abu Dhabi
- Source of Income: Investments/Oil and Gas/Media
- Links: https://www.cityfootballgroup.com/our-business/ownership/
- SPONSORSHIP
- Click link here for more information on your club’s sponsors and sustainability efforts. Scroll along the sheet to find your club, they are in alphabetical order
Information sourced directly from Manchester City F.C. staff
Information updated March 14th 2023
To see information from 2021, click here