What Sports for Nature’s founding signatories did in 2023 

More than 90 per cent of Sports for Nature (S4N) signatories have made first-ever annual reports of their progress in reducing their impacts on nature and biodiversity.

“We are pleased at the high level of compliance, with 22 out of 24 signatories reporting’’ said Meredith McCurdy, S4N Programme Leader at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “We were also delighted to see the scope and variety of the activities our signatories are undertaking, and congratulate them on their achievements.”

Each signatory report was reviewed by two members of the S4N Advisory Group comprised of various IUCN Commission Members and IUCN Secretariat staff. The evaluations provided technical feedback, recommendations, and encouraging remarks to help signatories accelerate their nature journey.

2023 was the first time that the 24 signatories that joined the S4N Framework in 2022  were required to report on their actions. Those organisations that committed to the Framework in 2023 are not required to report on their 2024 activities until end of 2024. Nonetheless, four organisations submitted voluntary reports for 2023.

Sports for Nature is a joint initiative of the IUCN, International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.. The Framework that underpins S4N’s work asks sports organisations of all sizes, levels, capacities and locations to commit to reducing their impacts and reporting their progress against four key principles: nature protection, nature restoration, sustainable practices such as green procurement, and education and communications.

Sports organisations, known for their global reach and committed fan bases, have huge potential to be champions for the natural world in which they function, from playing fields and arenas, to oceans to surf in, snowfields to ski in, and mountains to climb in.

“With its unique capacity to inspire and drive change, the sports community bears a significant responsibility to protect the health of the nature it so deeply relies on,” said Dona Bertarelli, an accomplished sailor, IUCN Patron of Nature and executive chair of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

Some 69 per cent of signatories reported having drafted a plan for their work on nature, and the same percentage had committed the necessary resources. And, though 62 per cent said they had the internal resources for what they planned, 15 per cent said they had not yet started the work.

Examples of the work reported include:

Principle 1: Nature protection

• Conducting environmental/biodiversity impact assessments.
• Establishing partnerships with local conservation groups.
• Avoiding construction of infrastructure in protected or ecologically sensitive areas.
• Developing sustainability guidelines, checklists and frameworks.
• Focusing on biodiversity in planning and selecting venues.

Principle 2: Nature restoration

• Collaborating with reforestation and climate-offset projects.
• Restoring coral reefs and coastal areas.
• Working with local communities to restore mangroves.
• Maintaining wildflower areas and providing wildlife habitats.

Principle 3: Sustainable practices

• Putting in place measures to reduce carbon footprint and promoting the circular economy.
• Implementing sustainable sourcing policies, such as prioritising renewable and recyclable materials and ensuring suppliers follow detailed sustainability plans.
• Adopting event guidelines on waste management, energy use, and sourcing of local products and services.
• Developing collaborative initiatives to improve procurement practices.

Principle 4: Education and communications

• Organising workshops, webinars, awareness-raising campaigns, and training sessions on best practices in environmental sustainability.
• Collaborating with schools, NGOs, and community groups on nature-related projects and education.
• Using online platforms and social media to educate and inspire global communities on conservation and sustainability.
• Encouraging volunteerism and employee participation in environmental projects and sustainability initiatives.

The summary report of signatories’ activities including case studies from Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) , World Surf League, IOC, and The Ocean Race is available here.