Sustainability round-up: March 16
This week’s round-up includes a new report from Deloitte, the International Canoe Federation’s efforts to increase the number of women in the sport, Rwanda’s implementation of FIFA’s Football Schools programme, Formula E’s sustainability-focused summit, and the growing marketability of female athletes.

A new report from professional services provider Deloitte has outlined the evolving ‘Power’ sustainability pillar in the context of increasing investment in the sports sector. The report states: “As more capital flows into the sports sector, sustainable investment models that balance financial and operational viability with spending on performance are front and centre and gaining traction. What’s more, new investments are often the trigger to organisational transformation aimed at driving increased returns and success.”
Announced on International Women’s Day earlier this month, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) is aiming to increase the number of women involved at every level of canoe sports. The Federation will aid this initiative with a two-day symposium in Dublin later this year. The ICF Women Symposium will discuss issues around leadership, coaching and increasing female participation.
The Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) has become the 50th member association to implement FIFA’s Football for Schools programme. The initiative was launched at a recent event in Kigali attended by Ministers and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, as well as over 100 schoolchildren. Football for Schools was first conceived in Kigali in 2018, and one year later FIFA and UNESCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding to put the programme into action. Some 50 countries have now rolled out the programme.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s innovation summit ‘Change. Accelerated. Live’ has held a number of events alongside races in Hyderabad, India and Cape Town in South Africa recently. At the inaugural Africa Green Economy Summit in Cape Town, the future of smart cities and net zero goals were discussed in a discussion panel.
The increasing marketability of top female sports stars was captured in an engaging feature by World Athletics after US cable sports channel ESPN featured Olympic and world champion in the 400m hurdles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
Image: Kalen Emsley on Unsplash