Manchester United

CLEAN/RENEWABLE ENERGY

• Renewable energy onsite generation full renewable energy review with viabilities for employment with assessments for wind turbines and biomass CHP at our training facilities along with optimum solar PV generation have been undertaken
• Manchester United is certified to the Carbon Trust Standard for Carbon, which recognises the Club’s achievement in managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Club has successfully  certified and achieved accreditation to the standard for five consecutive periods covering a ten year period, and is currently the only sports club in the UK to achieve this accolade. The next accreditation will be in January 2020 and this will be the sixth consecutive period if successful.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

• Building energy management in place, elected ‘Lead Representatives/Energy-Champions’ promoting good behaviours, striving to achieve 20% energy reductions
• ‘United to Switch Off and Save’ promotes energy efficiency and engages with staff throughout the Club
• The Manchester United Energy & Carbon Reduction Programme has achieved a 31% reduction in energy use
• The Club’s energy and carbon reduction programme has also successfully achieved 12 year-on-year annual measurable energy reductions.  These reductions have been achieved whilst the Club has grown during this period
• Since the launch of the carbon reduction programme, the Club has reduced annual carbon emissions by over 2,000 tonnes, a reduction equivalent to emissions produced by 400 homes for a year
• Manchester United achieved joint number 1 status during the launch year of the Carbon Reduction Commitment National league table. The achievement was acknowledged by a visit from the Secretary of State for the Environment to Old Trafford Stadium
• The Club’s energy and carbon reduction programme has featured in several national and international events and was acknowledged by an external auditor for being a worthy guide for other organisations to consider and adopt
• Manchester United recognises the importance of minimising its environmental footprint and has designated energy conservation as a key organisational objective. Reflecting its importance, responsibility for the development of an energy policy and programme has been designated to board member and Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

• Advocates public transport and cycling
• Runs a ‘cycle to work’ scheme for staff to reduce and spread the cost of purchasing a bike and accessories

SINGLE USE PLASTIC REDUCTION/REMOVAL

• All single-use plastics at concourse condiment stations have been replaced with wooden forks, stirrers and paper straws. Throughout hospitality lounges, paper straws are also used
• There has also been a reduction in plastic packaging in retail Megastore such as key ring packaging and plastic covering on football kit
• The club supports single use plastics (SUP) reduction and is working alongside the Premier League to help drive this important initiative. 2019 environmental objectives focus more heavily on SUP reduction across the club and we are engaging with our suppliers to help achieve this

WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Zero waste to landfill, non-recyclables are used for energy, waste food is composted
• ‘Reds Go Green’ is focused on waste and recycling
• We recognise the need to move towards an economy that keeps valuable resources in circulation. We have taken steps to reduce the amount of waste we produce and divert all operational waste from landfill
• We also aim to minimise the use of non-renewable materials, improve our recycling rates and use more recycled materials
• We currently separate most of our waste on site such as plastic bottles, glass, cardboard, WEEE and metals maintenance waste

WATER USE

• Rainwater collected at Old Trafford and used for irrigation, dirty water recycled and used for irrigation at Carrington (now AON Training Complex) and a borehole helps to maintain self sufficiency
• We have installed rainwater harvesting and taken steps to manage our water use
• We will continue to strive to reduce our water consumption across all sites, whilst maintaining pitches and other facilities to a standard expected of a world class sporting venue
• The Club monitors and reports on water use and the progress reports are reviewed by senior management Environmental Management Action Group quarterly

PLANT BASED/LOW CARBON FOOD

• Vegan option – spicy potato and cauliflower pie – available around the stadium and  a dedicated vegan menu is available in all hospitality suites.
• Vegan options at red café

COMMUNICATION/ENGAGEMENT

• Environment and Sustainability page on the website
• Dedicated internal website for staff where all our environmental policies and initiatives are promoted

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Manchester United is committed to reducing its environmental footprint wherever possible, which is demonstrated through sustainable business and practices
• Manchester United’s Museum, Red Café and Megastore collectively have achieved the Green Tourism Business Award Gold Standard which recognises the environmental achievements of the Club’s visitor attractions
• Manchester United has an environmental management system (EMS) which has been certified to the ISO14001 international standard since 2012. Minimisation of resource and energy use and the generation of waste are key objectives of the EMS, and the Club continually seeks new opportunities in support of these initiatives
• As part of the Club’s drive for improved sustainability, and in alignment with ISO14001, Manchester United has a Sustainable Procurement Policy in place. The Club is developing a sustainable procurement process which seeks to identify those suppliers who are more environmentally aware and responsible, recognising that pro-active engagement with suppliers will support the Club’s drive to reduce the use of materials and protect the environment
• As a world class sporting business, we have a strong relationship with both our commercial partners and our supporters. We will look for ways in which we can leverage our position to influence their environmental activities and encourage them to help us to improve our environmental performance

Information sourced directly from Manchester United staff, website and third party websites. Information updated January 24th 2021