Sustainability and sport at Loughborough

A unique sporting ecosystem with a responsibility to lead

Loughborough brings together participation, performance, research, education and partnerships in one place. More than 6,000 students take part in sport each week across over 60 sports, while our campus supports elite athletes, professional teams, national governing bodies and global sports organisations.

We are proud of this role and recognise the opportunity it creates. Through our sustainability work, we are embedding environmental responsibility and social impact into the way sport is played, delivered, studied and experienced at Loughborough.

Our approach is shaped by the University’s organisational theme of Climate Change and Net Zero, and by feedback from our community that sustainability must be central to the future of sport at Loughborough.

Vision, mission and goals

Our vision

To harness the power of sport to create a thriving, inclusive and sustainable future, where environmental responsibility and social impact are embedded in every aspect of the sector.

Our mission

We are driving climate action and social sustainability across sport by reducing carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity and empowering communities through collaboration, innovation and leadership.

Our goals

We aim to:

  • Champion low-carbon practices and sustainable infrastructure in sport
  • Promote biodiversity through nature-positive initiatives
  • Foster inclusive, resilient communities by leveraging sport’s social influence
  • Engage students, staff, partners, athletes and sector stakeholders in meaningful climate and sustainability action

Featured projects and campaigns

The Climate Cup

A flagship sustainability engagement programme that turns climate action into a competitive, team-based challenge for Athletic Union clubs

Developed in partnership with Carbon Jacked, The Climate Cup helps students understand the environmental impact of sport and take practical action across climate, nature, pollution, wellbeing and careers.

kitround

Loughborough is the first university in the UK to partner with kitround, helping reduce textile waste and extend the life of sports kit.

The partnership supports better circulation of unused or discarded kit, improves access to good-quality equipment for community clubs and uses data to understand

BUCS to branches

BUCS to branches connects sporting success with nature recovery. For every 10 BUCS points earned by Loughborough Athletic Union teams, one tree is planted.

The initiative transforms student sport performance into tangible ecological benefit, with a target of at least 10,000 trees planted during the

Pool decarbonisation

Loughborough has delivered a major decarbonisation project to move its world-renowned swimming pool away from fossil fuels.

By replacing gas-fired boiler plant with modern air-source heat pumps, the project is expected to reduce emissions by around 350 tCO₂e each year and cut Loughborough Sport’s Scope 1 emissions by 13%.

Sport, Climate Action and Nature Research

Loughborough Sports Climate Action and Nature, known as SCAN, is a vibrant research cluster bringing together expertise across sport sociology, physiology, nutrition, management, ecology & engineering

The cluster supports evidence-led action on sport, climate change and nature, helping shape a more sustainable future for the sector.

Embedding sustainability into the way we deliver events

Loughborough is certified to the ISO 20121:2024 sustainable event management standard, helping us reduce environmental impact and promote better event practices across our campus event portfolio, including sports events.

The standard supports us to:

  • Reduce the environmental impact of sports events
  • Promote sustainable practices in campus event management
  • Respond to growing demand for eco-friendly event solutions
  •  Support compliance with environmental regulations and the University’s sustainability objectives

Help shape the future of sustainable sport

Whether you are a student, athlete, researcher, partner, supplier or member of the local community, there are opportunities to get involved and help build a more sustainable future for sport.