ENGSO participates at the Sustainability Strategies in Sport workshop in Monaco
Jointly organized by World Athletics, the International University of Monaco and EASM-European Association of Sport Management on the 15th-16th of February 2024, the workshop emphasized best practices, challenges and ways forward for sport organisations to prioritise sustainability.
While particularly, presenters highlighted practices related to environmental and social sustainability, it was also acknowledged that the two other pillars of sustainability (economic and institutional) should be prioritized to achieve the overall sustainable development of sport organisations and the communities they serve. This workshop forms part of the Erasmus+ co-funded research project namely “Sustainable Sport Management” that aims to explore how national and international sport organisations interpret and implement sustainability strategies. The consortium includes the universities of KU Leuven (Belgium), Brunel London (UK), JAMK (Finland), Malmoe (Sweden), Drexel (USA) and the European Association for Sport Management (EASM). Project’s iindustry partners include World Athletics, the International Federation of Match Poker (e-sport) and The European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO).
ENGSO was represented by Dr Niki Koutrou who also presented the sustainability related projects for grassroots sport that are currently ongoing or recently concluded such as BAGS, CHANGE and PlayGreen, the activities introduced by partners and participants, best practices in addressing environmental and social sustainability and key learnings for future grassroots-based projects emphasizing sustainability.
H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics made opening remarks highlighting the bi-directional role of sport and the environment and the responsibility of sport organisations to address and make concerted efforts to move the sport sustainability agenda forward. Other eminent speakers representing academia and the organized sport sector included Professor Vassil Girginov President of the EASM, Bob Ramsak the Head of Sustainability at World Athletics, Professors Paul Hardy and Fréderique Reynertz from the International University of Monaco, Professor Joel Maxcy from Drexel University, USA, the President of Match poker Association Patrick Nally and Mike Laflin, CEO of Global Sustainable Sport.
Speakers emphasised the importance of addressing sustainability holistically in and through sport, recognise the importance of collaborations and partnerships alongside communication to both raise awareness among their participants, members and wider communities but also in advocating for consistent tools and mechanisms and concerted efforts in addressing institutional viability, social inequalities, environmental degradation and responsibility in sports.