RESPONSIBLY TOWARDS THE FUTURE

We are sometimes asked the question why it for us as a football club is relevant to work with sustainability? While the immediate answer could be “Why not?”, the right answer is that we like any other company need to try to prevent the damage caused to our planet by our business activities. Indeed, our position and function in the society, as a catalyst of passion, engagement, and community, only adds to that sense of responsibility that we as club uphold. 
 
However, what does it actually mean that we want to be a responsible football club? Well, in 2021 we signed the UN Sports for Climate Action framework, committing to;

1) strategically reducing our emissions, and 2) actively promoting climate action. As of now, there are only 275 signatories of the framework worldwide, so it could be said that we are at the forefront of this agenda in the sports industry. But AGF is not a club that aims to take a back seat waiting for others to do the work. We push forward. 
 
To deliver on no. 1 in the Sports for Climate Action framework, we need to know what our emissions are. This is done by registering and calculating the CO2e footprint. So last year, we had our first climate calculation done – to find our baseline.

It includes emissions from day-to-day operations as well as events and matchdays – from electricity and heating consumption to F&B sales and merchandise production. The club’s own travel is included, while fan travel to matchdays is not included, thus far.

This year, we are aiming to have the calculation updated and be able to set some more long-term goals.

But CO2e-emissions is not our only focus point. To deliver on no. 2) the framework, we look at sustainability and the SDG’s holistically, and our Responsibility Strategy covers both environmental and social responsibility, as well as partnerships for change and community work for action.

We have made a commitment to sustainability and responsibility as a corporate culture, implementing it in all decision-making processes, and using our platform as a strategic lever to drive change. 
 
This is not something that we do by ourselves. We are fortunate to have a large sponsor network and a passionate fan community around the club, and the reactions thus far have only been positive.

We might not know the exact route that we need to take on this journey, but AGF is characterized by a winning mentality and hard work, and we are not afraid to take a stand, as we push forward – step by step.  
 
In a non-chronological order, the most important focus areas for us as a football club, are the following: 
 
- To take a stand and make our position clear, and use our power as a community platform to drive a sustainable change.

- To reduce our energy consumption; the area where our emissions are the biggest 


- To focus on our procurement – for instance our jersey made of 100% recycled materials is an important signal, as well as a big environmental impact 

- To document, calculate and evaluate our footprint regularly 

- To work holistically with environmental strategy and social responsibility, never forgetting our community and the people around us. 

 
Selected actions: 

• Since 2020, AGF has used 100% power from renewable sources. 
  
  
• Since 2020, AGF's home jersey has been made of 100% recycled materials.
  
  
• Since 2020, fans at Ceres Park have been able to separate their waste into 4 different bins. 
  
  
• In 2021, AGF signed the UN Sports for Climate Action, becoming the very 1st signatory club in Denmark. 
  
  
• In 2022, AGF has committed to climate compensate all air travel

You can read about our strategy and the actions that have been taken so far right here