Search

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have investigating improvement opportunities in the area of branding and signage.

Among the various sustainability topics associated with event delivery, reducing the environmental impact of branding and signage solutions has proved a challenging task do date. Few commercially available solutions meet the needs of event organisers in terms of quality, ecology and cost. Besides, ecological claims are rarely supported by credible data based on product lifecycle evaluations, and few products are certified according to recognised ecolabels.

Branding and signage materials are not only a very visible aspect of events; they are often the number one source of single-use plastic, a large part of which is still being landifilled or incinerated.

In this context, the IOC and UEFA commissioned Anthesis, and independant consultancy specialising in environmental impact assessment.

This guideline covers over 40 materials, both commonly used materials as well as more innovative ones, and is a first attempt at improving the knowledge base on this topic.

In January 2020, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy was published, with five commitments, 22 strategic objectives and over 70 initiatives. The strategy was developed jointly by FIFA, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. This unique tripartite collaboration means that the strategy considers all of the tournament organisers' activities, including those of the host country, and builds on the experience and standards of previous FIFA World Cups.

The strategy was developed in three steps: (1) A thorough analysis of the current context and existing strategies and requirements, then (2) the identification of strategic priorities through a materiality assessment and a human rights salience analysis, with both results eventually combined through an innovative process, and finally (3) the definition of concrete objectives and actions. Throughout this process, FIFA and the organisers engaged with internal and external stakeholders to shape an ambitious, meaningful and robust strategy.

Click here to download the case study