A holistic approach to a more sustainable future


Back in 2021, Eintracht Frankfurt put their own actions to the test, with the results helping the club to further develop their strategic approach in terms of sustainability. They devised an all-encompassing sustainability strategy, focusing on three pillars: environment, social and governance (ESG). It was a way for the club not only to fulfil its duty in terms of social responsibility and in particular its role as a model for others, but at the same time guaranteeing that the club can remain competitive in a climate of global challenges.

Transparency and measurability a decisive part of the ESG strategy

Transparency and measurability enable objective evaluation and comparison and ensure the credibility of the sustainability strategy. To be able to evaluate the sustainability of the club’s business operations, Eintracht Frankfurt worked with external partners back in early 2021 to develop an independent ESG tool and rating system tailored to the sports and entertainment sector. The rating system was put together using over 300 robust sustainability criteria based on global standards and which are monitored externally as part of the rating generation process. The results then help Eintracht Frankfurt to identify not only strengths and progress made, but also weaknesses and areas to be improved.

After more than 300 pieces of sustainability data were collected across the entire company in 2021, with the help of a firm by the name of DeKoBe ESG, the ESG Book company then drew up the first independent ESG rating in spring 2022. In the 2021 pilot phase, an initial result of 59/100 points was generated, and this was already marginally improved to 66/100 points after the second phase of data collection in 2022.

“Today, we are beginning a process which also involves us holding a mirror up to ourselves and coming to terms with the sheer scope of the challenges that we face, on the basis of clear facts, figures and data,” explained Axel Hellmann, CEO of Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG. “We are also creating a certain level of measurability, which is why a data-driven ESG rating is an important milestone for us. The results to date show that we are on the right track in terms of social and governance, with the club’s position and values coming to the fore. It has also become very clear that we are still just at the beginning of the journey and have plenty to do, most notably regarding the idea of ecological sustainability. We are interpreting this as a clear message that we have to continue to develop in every aspect.”

Driving force for critical advice

An important measure in further anchoring sustainability in the club has already been established, with Eintracht Frankfurt having created a sustainability advisory board featuring established experts from the fields of finance, science and politics. The aim of the board is to establish a platform to enable critical exchange between the members of the board and Eintracht Frankfurt, while at the same time creating ideas for new directions. The board is made up of five experts:

• Omid Nouripour (party chairperson of Alliance 90/The Greens), chairperson of the advisory board
• Prof. Benjamin List (Nobel prize winner and head of the department of homogeneous catalysis at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mülheim, Germany)
• Prof. Veronika Grimm (holder of the chair for economic theory at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg; head of the research field of energy market design)
• Jörg Eigendorf (Chief Sustainability Officer at Deutsche Bank)
• Ferdinand Huhle (Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Mainova)

“Football encompasses all social strata and has an incredible reach,” said Omid Nouripour, chairperson of the advisory board. “Sustainability in football touches many people and helps to create the necessary awareness. It is an important step towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future.”

Independent of the sustainability advisory board, a whole host of ESG measures have already been implemented. These include the building of the new ProfiCamp at the Deutsche Bank Park to passive-house standards and the recent switch to LED floodlights; the development of an upcycling product range from old jerseys in the area of merchandising; the conversion of the vehicle fleet over to electric vehicles; and the clear public stance against racism and discrimination. Another decisive factor is the linking of innovation and sustainability – as part of the ‘Arena of IoT’ project, a sensor-based system for the smart watering of the training pitches has been installed which is designed to significantly reduce water consumption.

“We are aware of the challenge posed by the fact that professional football, in large stadiums with tens of thousands of visitors and the use of resources in terms of mobility, facilities management, media consumption and much more that these entail, is coming into ever greater conflict with the idea of sustainably optimised business development,” Hellmann concluded. “These conflicts are what are pushing us to make sure that sustainable thinking and acting are an even more integral part of the club. The development of our ESG strategy, setting up a rating system and creating a sustainability advisory board are an important foundation that we have put in place. What we now have to do is to consistently follow up with this theme, implement concrete measures to improve our performance and become a role model when it comes to ESG.”