The Irish Football Association’s environmental credentials have been recognised in the 2023 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey.
Northern Ireland’s most sustainable organisations were revealed at an event to announce the results of the benchmarking survey, which is organised by responsible business network Business in the Community (BITC).
The Irish Football Association achieved bronze level in the survey, a self-disclosure exercise that offers organisations a way to be externally assessed and scored on their environmental efforts and performance.
Participating organisations are provided with a Gap Analysis Report to help them to identify areas that need action and highlights where they are performing well.
Sponsored by Moy Park and supported by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the survey scores, recognises and rewards organisations that are going above and beyond their legal environmental requirements.
More than 120 organisations from a range of sectors, including general manufacturing, local authority, education, utilities, construction, ICT and food and drink, were involved in the benchmarking process in 2023.
The participants measured and reported environmental impacts as part of a pledge to pursue a sustainable future for Northern Ireland’s communities and the environment.
Dr Lisa McIlvenna, Deputy Managing Director of Business in the Community, emphasised the significance of the survey as a valuable benchmarking tool.
She stressed its important role over the last 25 years in bringing attention to critical environmental issues that organisations here must consider and act on.
Dr McIlvenna pointed out: "In an era where stakeholders, suppliers, buyers and the public at large are actively seeking assurances of businesses' dedication to environmental wellbeing, participation in the survey serves as tangible evidence of their commitment to a more sustainable future."
Graham Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer at the Irish FA, said: “One of the goals in our association's corporate strategy is to become a leading organisation in sustainability.
“As a member of the Business in the Community network we have started our journey with this independently assessed award and will continue to go above and beyond in our sustainability work to achieve our goal."
The BITC award comes after the Irish FA launched its first Sustainability Strategy last year.
The strategy focuses on five goals: Health and Wellbeing, Safeguarding, Equality and Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Anti-Sectarianism, and Climate.
Various initiatives at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park are a focus of the sustainability work related to our climate, such as the renewable energy which powers the stadium, rainwater harvesting, the locally produced food used by caterers and the LED lights in general use around the ground.
To view the BITC Environmental Benchmarking Survey visit www.bitcni.org.uk/niebs.
