Sustainability round-up: January 25
Western Australia is looking to remove barriers for women in sport, while our latest round-up includes news from AS Roma, Lenovo, Garmin and UEFA…
Computer manufacturer Lenovo, which boasts numerous partnerships with sports organisations including Formula 1, has set itself the target of reaching net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. The commitment will cover the companies’ full value chain and has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which is a partnership between the UN Global Compact, CDP, World Resources Institute and World Wide Fund for Nature. Lenovo is the first PC and smartphone maker and one of only 139 companies in the world with a net-zero target validated by SBTi.
Serie A club AS Roma’s Business Club not only focuses on the development opportunities off the pitch, but also sustainability. An initial group of companies joined together to work on government organisation Roma Natura’s themes of environment, sport, sustainability and solidarity, and cleaned a green area in the city of Rome. The work also covered more social initiatives, with a nearby play area being resurfaced and apparatus replaced for children to stay active.
Eight Western Australian women’s sports National League teams have received grants totalling Aus$320,000 to help drive growth and development, while also removing barriers to female participation. The Women’s National League Grants Program funding will benefit a number of sports organisations including hockey, basketball, wheelchair basketball, football, ice hockey, netball, volleyball and water polo. The money will be used towards the costs associated with operating a women’s team, such as competition entry fees, court hire, contracts, insurance and medical fees, as well as funds for travel and accommodation.
Leiden University and technology company Garmin have collaborated on a project that is focusing on predicting depression. The WARN-D study is a five-year research project led by Associate Professor Dr. Eiko Fried at Leiden University, who is using the Garmin vívosmart 4 fitness tracker to monitor 2,000 students in the Netherlands for warning signs of depression. It is hoped that the research could lead to preventive measures in the future.
UEFA and Football Supporters Europe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the relationship between the European football governing body and the group that represents the interest of football fans at European level. The MoU outlines key support for the organisation and functioning of the sport, as well as football’s social and educational commitments. According to UEFA, the agreement aims to safeguard and enhance fan experiences while attending football matches in UEFA club and national team competitions.
Image: John Torcasio on Unsplash