City earn GreenCode Accreditation first

GreenCode is an environmental accreditation company which assesses clubs across 26 environmental and sustainability criteria, with 76 points required to gain GreenCode accreditation.

Following a recent audit, Bristol City achieved a score of 80, making the club the first to earn GreenCode Accreditation since the launch of the EFL Green Clubs Scheme in 2021. EFL Green Clubs sees clubs initially assessed on their operations, before being given bespoke guidance and practical advice on how to implement change in their environmental operations.

Bristol City are the first club to achieve the accreditation since EFL Green Clubs launched, while Forest Green Rovers, widely acknowledged as the greenest club in football, have also held the standard since the launch of the scheme.

The awarding of GreenCode Accreditation is recognition of a remarkable first year for the Bristol Sport group-wide sustainability initiative, Project Whitebeam.

Project Whitebeam is a joint initiative between Bristol City, Bristol Bears, Bristol Flyers, Ashton Gate Stadium (pictured above) and Bristol Sport to recognise, measure and mitigate impact on the environment. The clubs have signed up to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework with Race to Zero targets of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and being net zero by 2040.

Ashton Gate now generates over 100,000kWh of electricity though solar panels, uses energy efficient lighting, has water saving devices and has zero waste to landfill.

Over 50% of the food and drink served in the stadium has been sourced from less than 12 miles away, with vegetarian and vegan food available at all concessions, while surplus matchday food is donated to a women’s homeless shelter less than a mile away. For games away from home members of club staff deliver food from the team hotel to shelters for the homeless and refuges in the local area of the opponent City are playing against.

Subsidised bus travel has also significantly cut the carbon footprint of supporters traveling to the ground, while the club’s fans have won the Pledgeball League for the second successive year for their individual sustainability efforts.

Bristol City has received further recognition for their environmental efforts, winning EFL Green Club of the Year in 2023 and the Football Supporters’ Association Climate Action Award and were ranked as the Championship’s most sustainable club by Sport Positive.

Head of Change and Sustainability at Ashton Gate Peter Smith said: “We’re delighted to gain GreenCode accreditation following a thorough audit process. This shows that clubs can make system-level changes which will have numerous benefits for them, the community and the environment.”

Bristol Sport CEO Gavin Marshall said: “This is a wonderful achievement and one that we’re very proud of. It caps a very positive first year for Project Whitebeam and gives us a great foundation to work from as we continue to make positive changes.”

EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch said: “Since the EFL Green Clubs scheme was launched with GreenCode to help Clubs improve their environmental sustainability, we have been delighted with the enthusiasm and uptake of the scheme across the divisions. It is fantastic to see Bristol City’s efforts recognised for work, which is not only improving club operations, but also making a real impact on the environment and local community.”

GreenCode said: “We’re delighted to award Bristol City FC GreenCode certification as part of the EFL Green Clubs initiative. Through Project Whitebeam, Bristol City have demonstrated a real commitment to reducing their impact on the environment and being a really positive force for change in football. It has been a fantastic collective effort by so many people to achieve this standard and the GreenCode Mark is recognition of that hard work.”

For more information on Bristol City’s award-winning efforts please visit Project Whitebeam and watch the following video.