The 2024 World Floorball Championships (WFC) has become the first floorball championship in the world to receive the Sustainable Event certification. The certification was announced when the championship organisation, together with the city of Malmö and Malmö Arena, fulfilled all the mandatory requirements of the certification.
Becoming more sustainable is an important development for both the championships and the sport as a whole. The organisers are now looking forward to completing the final steps to ensure that the sustainability goals are met during the tournament. Magnus Nilsson, Event Director, shares more about what the Sustainable Event certification* means and why it is necessary for the future.
– This is an important step for floorball and a fantastic example of how we can align the values of the sport with sustainable development. We are proud to be the first floorball championship in the world to achieve this certification, says Nilsson.
The Sustainable Event certification is a third-party certification run by Greentime. To receive the certification, the organiser must meet a number of sustainability requirements and be reviewed by independent auditors, both before and during the event. Greentime is available during the process to keep the organiser on course and support the work along the way. With this acknowledgment, the championship’s sustainability certification becomes a unique achievement for the sport.
– In preparation for this championship, the organiser has placed sustainability at the forefront from an early stage and, in an exemplary manner, involved both partners and suppliers to take action as well, says Simon Strandvik, CEO of Greentime AB, and continues, prioritising sustainability for the world championships shows that the federation is taking its responsibility and leading the way – that’s a big deal. I hope that visitors will also be able to appreciate this excellent work.
The certification is part of a larger trend in the sports and events industry to work towards a more sustainable future. When it comes to creating a more sustainable event experience, it’s not just the big, visible actions that matter. Even the small details contribute to the whole, as Amanda Emet, who has led the sustainability work, has experienced.
– Among other things, the certification includes presenting a sustainability policy, communicating digitally, and only using eco-labelled cleaning products for the event. Visitors will also have the possibility to contribute to a more sustainable event, for instance by sorting their waste in the various sorting bins found in the arenas.
When the WFC 2024 takes place, it will not only be the game on the field that takes centre stage. By putting sustainability at the forefront, the organisers aim is to inspire other sports and events to follow the same path – to play for a greener and more inclusive future.
– This will be a clear statement that the World Floorball Championships is not only offering a celebration of sport but is also leading the way in other areas, says Magnus Nilsson.
*The certification for the 2024 Floorball World Championship is preliminary. The final certification will be issued when the auditors have conducted a final review at the arenas during the championship. During this review, auditors will verify that the sustainability goals and plans set by the city of Malmö, Malmö Arena, and the event organisers have been implemented in practice. The Women’s World Floorball Championships 2015 in Tampere, Finland achieved the EcoCompass, another green certificate.
