PRESS RELEASE: GARFIELD Project Launches to Address Greenwashing and Sustainability Reporting in Football
GARFIELD Project Launches to Address Greenwashing and Sustainability Reporting in Football
Pisa, Italy, 21 January 2025: The first meeting of the GARFIELD* project took place today in at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, to outline the roadmap for the 30-month EU-funded project.
GARFIELD, an acronym for Greenwashing avoided through reporting: a football initiative for environmental leaders to develop, aims to address greenwashing in the football and sports sector, via Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Six European partners are involved:
- ARIS AC Thessalonikis – Greece
- FC Porto – Portugal
- Real Betis Balompié – Spain
- TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – Germany
- Sport Positive – United Kingdom
- Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Italy
GARFIELD will support the development, transfer and implementation of innovative management tools and practices, and bridge knowledge gaps in sustainability reporting of football organisations, at a time when CSRD is raising challenges.
Through this work, football clubs and organisations of all levels will benefit from increased knowledge and understanding, which will reduce the risks of greenwashing in their environmental communications, claims, and marketing activities.
Key areas of focus for the project include the creation of tools to support around CSRD and reduce greenwashing, training and education on key concepts of sustainability reporting activities and the development of “No Greenwashing in Football” Guidelines. The GARFIELD project envisions the sports sector as a leading industry in environmental reporting and communication. By supporting football organisations in implementing clear, concise and reliable sustainability reporting, GARFIELD aims to inspire change across the sports industry at all levels.
For more information about the GARFIELD project, contact [email protected]
* Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
