The Red Way (TRW), which was launched in 2021, is the club’s award-winning sustainability strategy, and its third annual season report marks an important milestone in the club’s ongoing journey to becoming a more sustainable organisation.
Aligned to 16 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the strategy outlines the progress made on the club’s long-term commitment to driving positive change through governance, innovation and strategic and collective action.
The 2023/24 season saw TRW recognised with nine major sustainability awards in a 12-month period, including the Front Office Sports’ Most Sustainable in Sport award and the Sports Industry Awards for Environmental Sustainability. These accolades reflect the demonstrable progress being made across all areas of the club from Operations to Retail and Travel.
Environmental sustainability remains a central focus under the Planet pillar, with 96% of all energy used at club sites coming from renewable or low-carbon sources. During the 2023/24 season the club offset 100% of its football operations emissions, reduced its overall carbon emissions by 12.5% compared to the previous season (2022/23) and achieved a 15% reduction on its 2019/20 baseline.
Significant steps were also taken to reduce emissions from travel, including eliminating 100% of carbon emissions from domestic team flights through investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The club also continue to utilise Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to fuel its team buses, which creates a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 90 per cent from regular diesel.
Biodiversity efforts have flourished under the club’s award-winning grounds team with over 1,000 trees and hedges planted. Further initiatives include the installation of honeybee colonies and solitary bee habitats, the club now has 60,000 bees across all its sites. This helps to support local pollinators, attract new wildlife and plant species and the continued success of the club’s allotment, which produced half a tonne of food used within its busy kitchens.
The legendary Anfield pitch is now fully recyclable and has already been put to good use making benches for the club’s new orchard at the AXA Training Centre.
Liverpool FC also remains the first Premier League club to achieve ISO20121 (sustainability) and holds both ISO45001 (health and safety) and ISO50001 (energy) certifications – which reflects both its commitment and governance credentials in this space.
Under the People pillar, LFC continues to champion equality, diversity and inclusion through its Red Together initiative. The club hosted its first ever Iftar event at Anfield, welcoming over 2,800 people to break fast together during Ramadan. The club also created powerful and engaging content for International Day of Disabled Persons, with 12-year-old super fan Dáire Gorman helping to raise awareness of Crommelin Syndrome, leading to a surge in public interest and a 12-month high of worldwide online searches for the condition.
The club’s work in its local and global communities continues to expand through the club’s official charity, LFC Foundation. Last season, the Foundation supported more than 127,000 people and delivered an impressive social return of £13.70 for every £1 spent. More than 60% of participants came from the most deprived areas of the country, demonstrating the Foundation’s commitment to making a real difference where it matters most.
Jonathan Bamber, Liverpool FC Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer and Executive Sponsor of The Red Way, said: “Understanding the impact that we do – and can – have is critical if we are to continue to succeed, on and off the pitch.
“The landscape we work in, and the challenges we are facing, are increasingly complex and regularly shifting. Despite this, we remain as ambitious, determined and optimistic as ever. We do this work because we believe it is vital if we are to be the football club that we want to be. Our commitment to The Red Way is stronger than ever.”
The club has also played a key role in global sustainability conversations, attending 24 international events across the 2023/24 season, including COP28 and the UN’s Global Eradicate Hate Summit. This global engagement reinforces LFC’s growing influence as a sustainability leader not only in football, but across the wider sports industry.
Rishi Jain, director of impact at Liverpool FC, added: “The Red Way is more than a strategy – it’s a key priority for the club and is embedded into every aspect of the business. This is our third annual report and it’s incredible to see the progress that has been made and that we continue to make, thanks to the support from our fans, staff, partners, and communities who help us achieve our ambition to be a truly sustainable football club.
“We have set ambitious targets, including achieving net zero by 2040, and we understand that we are on a journey and there is still much more to do. This report is a celebration of how far we’ve come and confirms our commitment to go even further.”
To learn more about The Red Way and view the full 2023/24 season report, visit www.liverpoolfc.com/theredway.
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