Manchester City

Clean/Renewable Energy

• All of the Club’s properties are provided with its electricity from a PPA that ensures a zero carbon footprint (externally accredited).
• Electricity represents c72% of all energy used, gas used is made most efficient via a tri-gen CHP energy centre
• The Club has completed a review of energy use and distribution via its CHP energy centre to realise uplifted efficiency and reduced consumption
• Air source heat pumps installed

Energy Efficiency

• Energy efficiency are now embedded in all planning and development and in their day-to-day and match day operations
• The Club has reduced energy consumption overall by 8%/annum for the past five years. In 2019/20 this was at 11% through a planned programme of engaged behaviour
• The Club reviewed its BMS to update and ensure appropriate efficiency across CCTV, lighting, HVAC, Access Control)
• The Club completed its ESOS report and its SECR Data Reporting in 2020 to ensure that all energy, fuels (and related transport) was reported in accordance with regs
• Energy and water efficiency are now embedded in all planning and development and for day-to-day and match day operations
• In 2020, the final phase of moving the Club to all-LED and low energy lighting was completed with the installation of match day LED floodlights at the Etihad Stadium
• The Club introduced a reduction of 1 degree in air temperatures and a reduction of circa 5% in building lighting lux levels via the BMS/lighting control
• LEED Gold became the City Football Group (CFG) benchmark for all properties and venues
• Combined heat and power systems (CHP), tri-generation systems and absorption chillers have been incorporated into the club’s energy systems to help export electricity internally and externally to the grid
• LED lighting – 5,272 LED lamps have helped reduce energy use in the stadium by nearly 1 million kilowatt hours (kWh)
• City Football Academy has reached the highest possible environmental standards – the gold standard under L.E.E.D. guidelines. Low carbon, low water and low waste measures were employed to minimise impact on the environment and encourage local biodiversity. Through the creation of extensive wildlife corridors, land is now home to various types of moths, butterflies and bats, whilst 2000 mature trees and 5km of hedgerow provide cover and nesting places for various birds, including kestrels. By using the latest technology, each hectare of the City Football Academy’s turfgrass absorbs 6.5-8.5 tonnes of C02

Sustainable Transport

• Cycle2Work and events with Transport for Greater Manchester such as Cycle September have increased staff cycle travel by around 27% in the past year and the impetus is extending to fans and visitors with new cycle parks and future hubs
• All the Club’s actions to promote active travel and reduce car and local congestion are part of the Club’s commitment to clean air and net zero Manchester – shared with supporter clubs and match day travel info via multiple media sites.
• The Club’s ‘BeCity’ workforce activity programme has encouraged and engaged staff in active lifestyles which includes walking and cycling.
• The Club now measures and has verified all travel impacts including fans, workforce, visitors, contractors, all player and related travel – including hotel bed nights, baggage etc.
• There are regular (up to four time per season) assessments of the comprehensive match (and concert) day CO2 impacts.
• In addition to cycle routes and parking, the Club introduced ‘walk to the match’ in 2002 with city centre muster points and accompanied walking routes with activation, bands and food/drink incentives – this is helping form plans for new, activated, permanent walking routes.
• Travel and Transport is a regular part of the Club’s fans’ insights and review to ensure they engage and support positive, practical actions that support real change. In this, the Club seeks to measure and respond to walking, cycling, public transport and car travel needs, challenges and opportunities.
• Reduced cross-venue vehicle travel and has promoted (pre-Covid) greater use of technology to reduce overall travel miles for business meetings etc – resulting in a reduction of travel times, costs and importantly, related CO2 footprint
• Car Share was introduced in 2019/20 with locations and cost benefits for fans sharing cars
• Electric car charging was increased on site by 30% with free to charge available across the Campus
• The Club is working with Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester to ensure that its own activities are part of the wider plan and that these also benefit the neighbourhood and city
• A new Etihad Campus transport and travel plan – with working group is now progressing sustainable travel and transport options locally
• Advocates walking, cycling, buses and park and ride before cars
• Trialled car sharing scheme
• 120 cycle parking spaces and a number of electric charging points across the campus

Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal

• The Club removed all single use plastic from across the business in 2018/19 – this has been further developed with a phased removal of all PET plastics. All SUP beer cups have been removed, cutlery, sachets etc – and the Club has engaged with staff and fans to consider further, practical opportunities
• Plastic packaging has been removed and being discouraged from al suppliers alongside a further reduction in overall packaging both inward and outward
• Trials of stadium-secure, transparent compostable retail bags is underway
• A reusable beer cup scheme has been introduced at the Etihad Stadium, capable of being used 100 times, the cups can also be fully recycled at the end of their life
• As a result of this new initiative, an average of 29,000 single use plastic cups will be removed on each match day and it is anticipated this will save 800,000 per season
• The scheme also helps reduce the Etihad Stadium’s seasonal plastic waste by 2.4 tonnes
• Other in stadium changes include the removal of all plastic straws, sauce sachets, knives, forks and spoons, while Joe’s, one of the match day bars, has become the first area within the Etihad to be completely free of single use plastic
• Sustainable initiatives have also been extended to the Club’s training ground, City Football Academy. All single use plastic has been removed from the Academy building that houses youth team players and staff

Waste Management

• The Club continues for its 15th year to send no waste to landfill.
• Working across all Club functions the stadium and facilities operations teams have set clear targets to become a zero-waste organisation – this is work in progress that now engages all their contractors and suppliers.
• Overall, the 2019-20 programme has been to reduce waste at source via smart ordering and processes, working to achieve
• In 2019-20 all printing and printed materials reduced by around 32%
• The Club’s sustainable waste facility separates all waste into 1) re-use streams and then into recycle streams
• Managed waste system
• Recycling and reuse means that zero waste is sent to landfill

Water Use

• Water and energy efficiency are now embedded in all planning and development and in their day-to-day and match day operations
• The Club continues to manage its City Football Academy grey water needs through a rainwater harvesting system and its potable water, ensuring that the CFA site is entirely water-self sufficient.
• In 2020, the Club was able to share across its workforce and in its annual report, that an addition 136,000 baths-full of water were saved via behavioural efficiencies (approx. 240,000 cu/m)
• Working with key Partners, the Club has trialled water capture and recycling at the stadium for refill drinking bottles and for the brewing of beer. Work is in progress to maximise this opportunity so that all Club venues and facilities benefit from water recycling and save this precious commodity
• With Partner (Xylem) the Club produced a schools and community water efficiency booklet and a 2020 updated video “The End of Football” to highlight the needs for greater water efficiency and conservation
• Water recycling systems in place to use rainwater and rainwater is harvested
• 83% reduction in mains sourced water from the Club’s training ground, City Football Academy, in 2018

Plant based/low carbon food

• The Club now has vegan and vegetarian options across all its GA Concourse concessions with several (3) additional dedicated vegan plant-based food units on the stadium forecourts
• With the Club’s caterers, the reduction of food waste and smart ordering has made significant improvements to best practices in food management and contributed to the Club’s overall reduction in waste handling.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are mainstream across all hospitality
• Within the Club’s BeCity programme – menus and recipes with visual aids from chefs in the sourcing of products and the preparation of meals has been well received and has also been a significant part of the club’s schools outreach programme through City in the Community (Foundation)
• Whilst vegan and vegetarian options are now a main part of their food programme, the sourcing and preparation of all foods to ensure full engagement is part of the club’s programming
• The Club is working constructively with local agencies to reduce and eradicate food poverty and has continued throughout 2020 to build on its school holiday meals programme in Manchester
• The Club is working with its catering contractors to secure good quality, local suppliers and growers of all its food needs including the vegan menu
• As part of the programme, fair prices and best practices are important and robust so that the Club positively contributes to the local economy, sustainable food supply chain and also measure food miles as part of the overall sustainability agenda
• Food miles, local sourcing, positive engagement of suppliers and all staff including match day catering staff in the sustainability agenda is crucial in order that the Club can widely share and celebrate best practice through all those who work within and in partnership with Manchester City
• Vegan burgers, pasties and Loaded Corn available stadium wide
• Work happening to reduce the amount of food miles and increase the number of local producers

Communication/Engagement

• No dedicated sustainability/environment page on Club website
• The Club produced its first sustainability action plan (in true form) in 2015 and ensures regular updates with an annual report each year, outlining both results and impact, but also forward panning and options to ensure continued success and impact
• The Club also produces an annual Environmental Impact Report, which in 2020 was the seventeenth annual such report, comprehensively reporting its actions and the CO2 footprint which includes scopes 1,2, 3 and also from 2019, embedded carbon
• The Club’s sustainability agenda and news, the environmental and social value initiatives are updated weekly and monthly, ensuring that staff and community are part of the activation
• The Club remains an active member of the Manchester Climate Change Board and the lead of sustainability ahs actively engaged in local, regional and national sustainability events and conferences (mostly virtual)
• The sustainability action plan and environmental impact reports are freely available to all. The headlines for each are also contained in the Club’s Annual Report
• The Club engages with its fans via fans’ fora, through webinars and presentations and with community groups, schools and colleges through direct activity – the sustainability agenda is high on the list of discussion and actions with high levels of inputs and engagement in all groups
• Above and beyond fan forums, working with key Partners has enable the Club to share some of tis sustainability opportunities (eg water, active travel, waste reduction) and ensured that the issues are both topical, practical and engaging
• In 2020, the Club’s Sustainability Agenda became a Group (City Football Group) programme , to develop the Manchester (UK) initiative across CFG’s ten clubs and all activity
• In 2020, the Club (lead for sustainability) founded a local sustainability networking group to develop the agenda across sport and leisure providers, venues, promoters etc – SALSA – Sport and Leisure Sustainability Alliance is now a reality and a significant networking opportunity to promote best practice, opportunities and learning withing= the sport and leisure sector. In 202, some 30 unique organisations are represented
• Dedicated section in Club’s Annual Report
• No sustainability/environment page on website
• Stories covered in club news articles, social media, across Club match days and third parties

Additional information

• Part of Show the Love campaign to raise awareness on climate change and nominated for the ‘sustainability in sport’ award by the Climate Coalition in 2018
• City Football Academy is on a regenerated former industrial site – cleaning the soil of pollutants and creating Green corridors with the planting of over 2500 trees, 5km of Hedgerows and 7 acres of wildflower meadow to encourage biodiversity

Information sourced directly from Manchester City FC staff, website and third party websites
Information updated January 23rd 2021