Carlisle United are proud to announce that we have been awarded EFL Green Club Bronze status, following our work over the last two years and an assessment in May.
EFL Green Clubs is a League-wide voluntary scheme, delivered in partnership with GreenCode, that supports clubs to improve their environmental practices and operations. It was first launched in 2021 and was updated for the 2024/25 season to introduce a new assessment cycle that awards participating Clubs with a status of “Participant”, “Bronze”, “Silver” or “Gold”.
The refreshed scheme presents a more rigorous assessment process that requires participating Clubs to exceed standard sustainability measures, meaning all levels of the award represent a concentrated effort to implement environmentally sustainable practices at the Club.
Some of the initiatives by the club have included:
- Working with local business North West Recycling on improving our waste management. Our waste is now converted to high-quality renewable fuel sources with the added ability to dispose of food waste separately to our general waste.
- Continuing to replace lighting throughout the stadium with new more efficient LED lighting working with EEC.
- Introducing recyclable drinking cups for both warm and cold beverages with our caterers John Watt & Son.
- Adding retail products in Blues Store made from recycled materials.
- Hosting the annual green football weekend where fans were able to save kit from going to landfill and had stalls giving out energy advice with Future Proof Cumbria.
Carlisle United Executive Support Officer and Operational Lead for Sustainability, Peter Dunn said: "We are delighted that we have been able to make progress by increasing our score in this year’s audit. We will use the feedback given to help us improve further this season. We are always looking at ways to decrease our carbon footprint which, as well as being good for the environment, helps keep costs down.”
EFL Environmental Sustainability Co-ordinator, Ben Fisher said: “Everyone at the EFL is delighted to celebrate Carlisle United’s commitment to environmental sustainability and it is brilliant to have GreenCode on board to help us support the Club at each stage of the assessment cycle. The Club has worked hard to reduce their carbon footprint and make a positive impact on their local environment, and thoroughly deserve to be recognised for their efforts.
“EFL Green Clubs is one of several ways in which the EFL supports Clubs to improve their sustainability practices. Throughout the season, we also deliver a full training and support package that enables us to share best practice across the League and to collectively tackle shared challenges in this area.”
Dale Vince, Chairman of FGR and founder of the Greencode said: “It’s great to see the progress EFL clubs the are making on the vital issue of sustainability. The beauty of GreenCode is that it’s both achievable and impactful for clubs of all sizes. Together we’ll show that sport and the environment are a winning combination.”
EFL Green Clubs currently has more than 30 EFL Clubs signed up to the scheme, which is delivered in partnership with GreenCode, the environmental accreditation organisation run by the Green Britain Group. The assessment cycle takes place across two seasons with a development season during which Clubs identify key priority areas and begin to implement environmental sustainability measures and protocols, such as a published environmental policy and a baseline carbon footprint.