From Social DNA to an Integrated Sustainability Strategy

Founded in 1910 and long known as the “workers’ football club”, Malmö FF’s identity is built on social purpose and community connection. The club operates under the unique Swedish 50+1 rule, meaning it must be a minimum of 51% owned by its members, a democratic structure that currently boasts almost 15,000 members. This governance model places a high premium on transparency and accountability to its stakeholders.

Taling to Global Sustainable Sport departing CEO Niclas Carlnén describes this heritage as core to the organisation’s character:

“We are very strong on the social side… working with the society in so many ways. That’s the DNA of our club.”

By 2021 the club recognised the need to expand this approach and match social leadership with environmental ambition, accelerated by the responsibilities that come with owning their own stadium, Eleda Stadion. Carlnén explained:

“Stadium ownership brought both opportunities, but also responsibilities, especially on the environmental side.”

This shift led to the appointment of Head of Sustainability Magdalena Nour, who developed a comprehensive strategy with the management team, board and division heads. Carlnén continued:

“The difference is that we take conscious decisions — sustainability is now a natural part of our business.”

Measuring Impact: Life Cycle Analysis and Emissions Reduction

Malmö FF’s ambition saw it not only adopt the UN’s Agenda 2030 goals, specifically SDG 4, 5, 8, 12, and 17, but also actively seek international verification and certification. They are one of the world’s first clubs to undertake a full Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to determine the climate footprint of a sold-out match at Eleda Stadion.

The analysis found that:

• 59.1% of total emissions come from supporter travel
• 25.2% from food and beverages
• 9.6% from energy consumption

Nour said the process was transformative:

“In the life-cycle analysis we made together with Italian scientists, it was very obvious that our largest negative impact, CO₂ emissions, comes from the mobility of fans going back and forth to the stadium, even if mobility is relatively low here because so many people bike or walk.”

The club has already acted, implementing new stadium lighting that reduced energy consumption by 60% without compromising performance. In the kitchen, a focus on sustainable choices has led to 13% of food sales being plant-based, exceeding the KPI target of 10%.

Raising Standards Through ISO Certification and European Collaboration

To ensure credibility and structure, the club is pursuing ISO 26000 (social responsibility), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and EMAS (EU Environmental Management and Audit Scheme) certification through the EU-funded Free Kicks project with FC Porto and Real Betis.

Nour emphasised the significance of this work:

“We now have ISO 26,000 for social engagement and ISO 14,001 for environmental management, and we are working through EMAS, which focuses on transparency and accountability. These standards mean an accredited external auditor guarantees that we are in control of what we’re doing — that we have strategy, targets and real follow-up.”

She highlighted that certification is not a bureaucratic exercise but a competitive asset:

“We could actually use these standards much more, because they attract partners. Our events manager now sends links to our certifications when bidding for conferences — people choose our venue because they want those standards.”

Reflecting on their involvement in the Free Kicks programme, she said:

“When it comes to governance and environmental work, we realised we had to go abroad to learn. Through Free Kicks we worked with researchers and leading clubs, and that changed our speed completely.”

Leveraging Soft Power for Local Change

Malmö FF wields significant “soft power” in its local community of Malmö, which is noted for its diversity and entrepreneurial spirit. This influence is actively deployed to drive social change, particularly around education and employment.

• Quality Education (SDG 4): Their School Academy combines football training with education, seeing 98% of graduating students achieve eligibility for upper secondary education in 2024. A separate programme, Football Against Racism in Primary School, has involved over 17,000 children since 2009, educating them on the Children’s Convention, human rights, and anti-racism.
• Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): The 10-year-old Career Academy uses the club’s partner network of over 80 companies to connect long-term unemployed citizens with jobs. In 2024, 65 participants were offered employment.

Nour captured the essence of this soft power:

“We have an enormous soft power, and we want to use it to do good by doing well — doing well by doing good.”

Internal Engagement and Future Outlook

Internally, Malmö FF has mandated e-learning for all employees and hourly staff to embed the sustainability strategy. A dedicated group of Sustainability Ambassadors, volunteers from across departments, meets monthly to drive practical improvements, and every division manager has a sustainability KPI linked to their performance goals.

Looking ahead, the club is set to undergo significant leadership changes with both Carlnén and Nour moving on to new roles. Carlnén is departing to become the head of the Swedish Football Federation, a move expected to influence the broader Swedish football landscape. Nours successor, Emma Bauer, will consolidate the ISO standards and ensure the continuity of the structured work.

Malmö FF’s journey demonstrates that for a football club, sustainability is more than a side project; it is a core business strategy that leverages its immense soft power to be a “good citizen” and an undeniable force for good in its community and across European football.

Nour reflected:

“We’re a small club in European football, but we have proven you can do serious sustainability work with limited resources if you have access to people, consistency and a clear focus from leadership.”