ClubLFC and The Red Way backs ‘Green Football Weekend’

The campaign – which aligns with the club’s pioneering sustainability initiative The Red Way – culminates on the weekend of February 3-5. Many teams across the men’s and women’s games are expected to wear sustainably-made green armbands and highlight how everyone can make a difference in protecting the environment.

Before then, LFC fans are being encouraged to join the Green Football Cup, where they can score green goals by taking climate-friendly actions, such as having two meat-free days per week, turning down the thermostat by one degree or cutting showers to four minutes long.

There will also be prizes for supporters that take part by signing up to www.greenfootballweekend.com and registering their 'goals'. An area of rainforest equivalent to 1,000 football pitches will be protected by Rainforest Trust UK in the name of the winning club.

The Green Football Weekend is backed by former Reds Jamie Carragher and Steve McManaman and also enjoys support from the FA, the English Football League and the Barclays Women's Super League.

Liverpool FC is already recognised as the greenest club in the Premier League thanks to its innovative The Red Way strategy, which was launched in January 2021.

The club set ambitious targets to achieve sustainability throughout its organisation to create a better future for its people, its communities and the planet. 

Last season it topped the Sport Positive Environmental Sustainability League and was named the Premier League’s greenest club, following a study carried out by BBC Sport and the UN-backed Sport Positive Summit.

LFC is one of just three Premier League clubs to become a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework on the Race to Zero.

The overall objective is for LFC is to be net zero across its sport operations by the end of the 2022-23 season, which means the club will be implementing its robust carbon-reduction plan and offsetting any remaining carbon emissions.

By 2025, the club also aims to have 100 per cent of club operations run on low carbon and clean energy sources, and by 2030 to reduce actual operational carbon emissions by 50 per cent. It now uses sustainable fuels in its team buses, which creates a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 90 per cent from regular diesel.

Ben Latty, LFC commercial director and executive sponsor of The Red Way, said: “Liverpool Football Club is very proud of the fantastic work that continues to be delivered as a result of our pioneering The Red Way sustainability initiative.

“Green Football Weekend aligns very closely with the ongoing work of The Red Way, and we’re delighted to give the campaign our official backing and encourage as many supporters as possible to get involved and make a difference.

“As always, we’re acutely aware of the responsibility we hold as a global football club to help inspire and encourage positive behaviour change and hope our supporters step up to the challenge set by Green Football Weekend.”

Other The Red Way sustainability highlights to date include the introduction of renewably sourced electricity and gas for the club’s UK-operated sites, and locally sourced food from the north west of England, which reduces food miles and supports the local economy. Home-grown vegetables from the Academy and Anfield allotments are used by club chefs to feed players, staff and fans. 

At the AXA Training Centre and Academy sites, inner-city nature has been given a helping hand with more than 900 trees, hedges, bushes and wildflower plugs planted, bug and hedgehog houses, bird boxes and bird feeders.

Liverpool FC also recently won two awards at the prestigious SEAL 2022 Business Sustainability Awards, in recognition of the club's positive and ongoing environmental leadership.

The Red Way was announced as winner of the Environmental Initiative Award, which honours the best environmental and sustainability campaigns and practices across global businesses.

LFC Retail also won the Sustainable Product Award – which honours innovative and impactful products purpose-built for a sustainable future – for its LFC 22-23 Home Bear.

The teddy bears, inspired by the 2022-23 LFC home kit, are manufactured and stuffed with polyester made from 100 per cent recycled plastic waste, with approximately 14 bottles used to make each eco-friendly toy.

Part of the entry submission for LFC included its innovative work with purpose-led club partners Quorn and SC Johnson, working together to make significant impacts beyond sport.

With Quorn, the meat-free food company on a mission to get more people into eating vegetarian or vegan alternatives, last season alone led to 86.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent savings across food offerings on LFC sites.

While alongside SC Johnson, a family company at work for a better world, LFC is helping to reduce single-use plastic, support initiatives around responsible waste management on all club sites, including Anfield, and education opportunities on this topic with the community, staff and supporters.