Sport Positive Leagues

Ranking top flight clubs on their environmental sustainability initiatves

Menu

Manchester City 2021

By

Policy and Commitment

Clean/Renewable Energy

  • The Club procures 100% of its electricity under a certified Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and has set targets for consumption reductions through efficiency and technology of 10%/annum
  • The Club is actively engaged in projects to develop  viable energy future options that include generation, storage and distribution
  • The electricity procurement and consumption represents around 82% of all energy used

Energy Efficiency

  • The control and management of energy and all lighting is via a centralised BMS provision covering both the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy
  • This is regularly updated to ensure appropriate efficiency and improved result
  • The Club’s energy efficiency has been reported under ESOS since 2016 and for the past two years in SECR
  • This is published in the annual Environmental Impact Report (within Game Plan) https://www.mancity.com/club/manchester-city-sustainability-1
  • In 2021 the Club completed the primary task of changing all facility lighting and the Stadium floodlighting to all-LED, this has reduced consumption by some 1.4m k/w hours and the stadium floodlights in 2021 completions saved circa 27 tonnes CO2 each season
  • In addition to capital investment, the Club is working across all functions to create positive behaviours in energy management and efficiency and in the regular maintenance and upkeep of all plant and mechanical fixtures.

Sustainable Transport

  • The Club has introduced a series of actions since 2017: A dedicated and activated Stadium-City Centre walking route; Car Share scheme and pricing advantages for multi-occupancy of cars
  • Cycle paths and storage on site remain a priority and the Club works with TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) to provide city centre shuttle buses to main transport hubs and for improved accessibility and reliability of the adjacent Metrolink tram system
  • In this there are now highly used park and ride provisions with TfGM at Ashton. The Club is working with TfGM and the City Council to identify and activate new options including walking routes, park and ride, active travel and shuttle links to additional tram and train lines
  • The Club has actively engaged the fan forum – City Matters – in the discussion for future transport and travel
  • In addition to fan travel, the Club has reduced its business travel (trend) by some 23% and continues to measure all travel across scopes 1,2 & 3 – including fan, player, academy and workforce travel/commuting – hotel bed nights and all handling.
  • This is reported in the annual environmental impact report (within Game Plan). The use of different transport types, distance travelled, geography and groups numbers are recorded and reported within this process
  • The Club recognises that event day travel is the greatest challenge and has established a priority focus group to find practical and sustainable future options – working in partnership with other venues and the city to realise this
  • MCFC have match by match assessment of fan travel – that aids better transport and our planning for the future
  • From January 2022 a dashboard is in place so match day travel responses can be reviewed from the Match Day Experience Survey match-by-match. (this replaces the spot testing that was used previously)
  • Continuous survey: – mancity.com/travel-survey – which is included in the confirmation email that fans receive when they purchase a ticket
  • As a development of the Sustainability Agenda for transport and travel an active working group involving fan representatives is now working for the future travel plan for our Club and Campus
  • The Club also collects data from TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) to collate passenger numbers of shuttle buses and trams

Single Use Plastic Reduction/Removal

  • The Club removed all single use plastics from the stadium operations in 2018 and from all of the business at the start of 2020; this includes cups, cutlery, sachets and wrappings
  • During the covid pandemic – some compostable items were used in replacement which included wholly compostable knives and forks in staff and stadium catering
  • The Club is now completing an action to remove all PET plastics (bottles) by the end of the 2021-2 season with the majority already removed
  • In 2021 – the Club trialled edible drinking cups (hot drinks) which created interest and options for future provision and sparked various opportunities across regional venues – this is an ongoing initiative that promote sustainable innovation and invention
  • All beer ‘glasses’ have now been replaced with wholly compostable beer cups – all sandwich, burger and related packaging is wholly compostable
  • Whilst meeting stadium security needs, the Club’s retail plastic bags – are transparent and also made from 100% recyclable polyurethane

Waste Management

  • Zero waste to landfill since 2011
  • The Club has measured and monitored waste for some years with an annual waste at source reduction target of not less than 15% year on year – this has been achieved throughout
  • The ambition to become a ‘zero-waste’ organisation by 2025 is on track – engaging all parties and contractors, reducing and where possible removing packaging, only accepting recyclable or compostable packaging where this cannot be removed
  • In addition, whilst reduction of waste at source is a priority – areas of food waste and now grass cuttings are worked through anaerobic digestion on site to create usable compost that is shared across soft landscape on site and a local farm where we also have option to procure resulting produce

Water Efficiency

  • The Club continues to operate a major water efficiency programme across City Football Academy where all surface and rainwater is captured, harvested and recycled over and over for irrigation and grey water use
  • A potable water borehole provides primary supply as required for all water use
  • In 2021, the Club also installed a major harvesting system under the pitch at the Etihad Stadium – storing 500cu/m of water for continual irrigation
  • This is the first phase of water efficiency improvement at the stadium where the Club has been working with partners to create practical solutions for water re-use and savings – from which trials have been extremely good and well received enabling further investment considerations
  • This project has been shared with fans, local schools and community and is bearing significant benefits in communities across City Football Group

Plant based/low carbon food

  • The Club provides a wide-range vegan options at all stadium concourse outlets, in several vegan-only forecourt concessions; across all hospitality and for its workforce, academy and player provisions
  • Locally produced and all-seasonal-only foods are now the priority across all operations
  • The Club is working with local start-up food vendors and producers to create new, sustainable food experiences from bespoke providers and as an example from a group representing former and current prisoners working on a joint project to produce and sell food which includes locally (prison) grown/baked produce

Biodiversity

  • The Club has a publicised and very active biodiversity and ecology programme which evolves year-on-year
  • Since 2014 when the Club changed a former brownfield site to City Football Academy, the programme of change has been immense and successes manifold
  • In 2021 – the Club identified several new species of wildlife on site (verified) including water/bank voles and at least one badger sett
  • Over 7 acres of wildflower meadow have flourished and around three acres of wild grasses in support of over three linear km of hedgerow and almost 300 mature trees
  • Bees, Bats, Butterflies, Moths and an array of invertebrates now reside on site and help create a wonderful training facility alongside a very real and tangible regeneration of east Manchester
  • Schools, colleges and community groups are fully engaged and the programme is expanding each year – also forming an important part of the Club’s CO2 mitigation programme
  • The Club is working with City of Trees; RSPB and others to ensure appropriate programming
  • In 2021, the Club produced its first ever CO2 Sequestration Plan for East Manchester enabling the very best for current and future biodiversity and ecology investment and the ability to share future results and benefits

Education

  • The Club has been working across workforce forums to ensure that all staff are engaged in the sustainability programme and that information and new actions are shared on its intranet
  • There are also inclusive programmes within the Academy education programme where sustainability and focus items are shared and developed
  • As the Club is an active (pioneer) member of the Manchester Climate Change Board/Agency – all actions and learning is regular shared and there is considerable learning for Club staff from the actions of the city’s key organisations so to work actively and practically for joint local and regional impact
  • The Club includes and invites Climate Board Youth Members to share in the understanding and journey of issues and options
  • Sustainability across all parts of the Club’s Game Plan agenda are shared with City in the Community so that programmes with schools and community can be built upon sustainable priorities and promotion

Communication and Engagement

Additional information

Information sourced directly from Manchester City F.C. staff, website and third party websites
Information updated 22 January, 2022
To view information from 2019 and 2020, click here