Helios Sports Sustainability Partnership introduces clear guidelines and unique action plans for sports events, venues and properties to reduce their output of greenhouse gases and achieve verifiable carbon neutral status, the company claimed.

 

Through an alliance with Verus Carbon Neutral and Sustainable Methods Consulting (SMC), Helios is now able to provide sports events and properties with the opportunity to address their environmental impact and reduce their operational costs via a programme that implements sustainability action plans, carbon offset purchases, and innovative “green value-in-kind” sponsorship offerings that enhance the sponsor relationship and consumer goodwill, they claimed.

 

This will provide an enhanced value proposition to the growing number of stakeholders whose support and patronage are contingent on environmentally sound practices.

Terrence Burn, the President of Helios Partners, who have offices in Atlanta, London and Beijing, and specialise in sports property, sponsorship and bid city consulting, has pioneered the scheme.

 

He said: “The cultural institution of sport has long been at the forefront of social change in service to humanity, and we believe it can provide similar leadership in addressing climate change.

 

"We see this Partnership as the intersection of the sports industry and the green economy and we’re excited about the role Helios will play to move it forward. Increasing the equity of a sports property is one of our core capabilities, whether through brand development, strategic positioning or innovative marketing programs, and this initiative is perfectly in line with that goal.

 

"We believe carbon neutrality will be the minimum standard for sponsorship and consumer support in the future.”
 

The Helios Sports Sustainability Partnership will offer sports properties the strategic and systematic means to leverage their environmental performance and generate new sponsor relationships, he said.

 

Through the Partnership, sports properties will have the opportunity to attain and promote tangible achievements, such as certification by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), carbon emission inventory and offset status, and certification for sustainable event management system standard BS8901.

 

The value that will be delivered through these efforts will include reduced costs, increased attraction of consumers and sponsors, and new sponsorship opportunities for event organisers, Helios claimed.

 

Burns said: “Having played a key role in the successful past Olympic bids for Sochi 2014, Vancouver 2010 and Beijing 2008, we see this programme as a fundamental component for cities that bid for major sports events such as the Olympic Games and World Cup."