Sport

Carbon Literacy Toolkit for Sport

Why Carbon Literacy® for the Sports Sector?

The Carbon Literacy Sports Kit uniquely provides sporting organisations with the tools and resources needed to deliver a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy training. Comprising pre-accredited, action-based and adaptable training materials, the Sports Kit supports your organisation’s carbon-reduction strategy by educating employees, generating pledges, prompting action, and providing learners with the skills to effectively communicate and act on the impacts of climate change.

The Carbon Literacy Sports Kit facilitates climate action at all levels of the sports sector, be it sports governing body, professional club, community team, or venue. It was developed with support from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organising committee and piloted with support from UK Sport and BASIS.

As Chris Boardman CBE so aptly wrote: “We need to be able to reach out into the world of business and down into the heart of communities to motivate and galvanise action. I believe only sport has the ability to do this.”

How Carbon Literacy can help your organisation meet climate goals

Global sporting events are a decarbonisation priority sector. Their sheer volume and reach produce significant carbon footprints due to factors such as spectator travel, construction and general operations. Noting the sector’s impact, many sports organisations and governing bodies have committed to net-zero targets, with 280+ signatories of the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action (SfCA) and the ‘Race to Zero’.

Carbon Literacy training helps the Sports sector to address its climate impact and, in doing so, uses sports as a unifying tool to drive climate awareness and action. The training ensures that everyone is batting from the same base level of knowledge about climate change, so learners are on the same playing field when addressing organisational and sector-wide challenges. The Sports Kit combines knowledge from specialists in sports sustainability and The Carbon Literacy Project’s expertise in creating sector-specific Carbon Literacy courses. It will enable the global sports community to improve its understanding of the importance and relevance of climate change within the sector.

Courses

Here you’ll find all of the courses and pathways within the Carbon Literacy Sports Toolkit. To find out more about each course, click on the individual tiles below.

Sports Toolkit

The sports sector has a powerful influence, reaching millions of fans, participants, staff, and volunteers. This unique Carbon Literacy course is designed to harness that influence, helping sports organisations reduce their carbon footprint while inspiring climate action at all levels — from governing bodies and professional clubs to community teams and venues. The Sports Toolkit was co-curated with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organising committee and developed with support from UK Sport and BASIS. It has been developed to ensure the latest science, policy, and sports-related content is included, with regular updates ensuring the content is current and impactful.

Audience
This course is designed for sports organisations operating in the UK; such as governing bodies, professional clubs, community teams, sports venues/facilities, media outlets and auxiliary agencies/organisations. For international adaptations of the Sports Toolkit, please get in touch.

Delivery Method
The Sports Toolkit is a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy learning that includes a full slide deck, facilitator notes, participant resources, and everything needed to deliver effective training. The course can be delivered in a single day or across multiple sessions and is available for both online and in-person delivery. While the core structure must be followed, there are flexible elements that can be tailored to suit your sport, location, and organisation type.

If you’re interested in using the Sports Toolkit, please contact sport@carbonliteracy.com.

Public Leisure Course

Perfect for people working in community leisure facilities, Community Leisure UK has developed a bespoke Carbon Literacy package for those working in this unique sector. The course has been tried and tested with Charitable Trusts and Social Enterprises who have given the course glowing feedback.

Community Leisure UK designed this Shareable Course incorporating elements from the Carbon Literacy for Museums Toolkit and the Sports Kit as well as their own experience of supporting Charities and Social Enterprises working in public leisure and culture across England, Scotland and Wales on environmental sustainability.

Audience
Specifically designed for charitable organisations managing facilities within the public leisure sector in England, Scotland and Wales.

Delivery Method
This training is a day’s worth of learning which can be delivered in a single day, or over multiple days. The sessions can be delivered online or face-to-face. This course includes a full slide deck, facilitator notes, additional participant resources, and everything else needed to deliver great Carbon Literacy training.

If you’d like to access the course, please contact sport@carbonliteracy.com

Australian Toolkit – Coming Soon!

This course was designed by Green Planet Sport, Let Me Be Frank, and Brisbane Sustainability Agency and accredited by The Carbon Literacy Project for wider use in the Australian market.

Audience
The Australian Toolkit has been specifically designed for organisations in Australia. This course is suitable for:
•Governing bodies
•Professional clubs
•Community teams
•Local and national venues
•Sports events
•Auxiliary sports organisations

Delivery Method
This training is a day’s worth of learning which can be delivered in a single day, or over multiple days. The sessions can be delivered online or face-to-face. This includes a full slide deck, facilitator notes, additional participant resources, and everything else needed to deliver great Carbon Literacy training. There are many elements and activities that can be modified and made more specific, depending on your sport, location, and organisation type.

If you’re interested in using the Australian Sports Toolkit, please contact sport@carbonliteracy.com.

Find a trainer or build a course

Find a Trainer
If you would like to access training for yourself or your organisation, there may be a training provider who can support this. There are currently training offerings for several audiences, including:
•Governing bodies
•Professional clubs
•Community teams
•Local and national venues
•Sports events
•Auxiliary sports organisations, e.g, media

The trainers delivering this Carbon Literacy training are external from The Carbon Literacy Project.

Build a Course
Building your own bespoke Carbon Literacy course could be the right option if:
•You want to deliver training in your organisation or setting, and a course isn’t available.
•You want to deliver a highly tailored or specific course in your setting.
•You want to become a freelance trainer and add Carbon Literacy training to your creative practice/offer.

Our team can support you with this process and provide access to resources. Using an existing course as a foundation for your course may be possible.

If you’d like to discuss creating your own course, or are interested in receiving training get in touch at sport@carbonliteracy.com

Key Questions

Who can use the Sport Toolkit?

The Sports Kit is designed to be used by anyone working, volunteering, or otherwise participating in the sports sector – you don’t have to be a climate change expert to deliver successful Carbon Literacy training. The trainer notes provide all information and instructions needed to deliver course content and activities.

Sector Toolkits are designed for specific sector audiences, and content matches a sector’s needs and roles. If you come from outside the British sports sector, you will need to adapt the materials to suit your specific audience and reaccredit them with us as a new Carbon Literacy course. Adaptations for the Australian market are due in 2025, with additional adaptions already in the pipeline.

Training organisations and consultants wanting to deliver or adapt the Sports Kit to specific sports/audiences should contact us at sport@carbonliteracy.com.

What is included in the Sports Kit?

The Sports Kit is a complete Carbon Literacy course – containing everything needed for Carbon Literacy training in the sports sector. This includes a slide deck with detailed trainer notes and interactive activity resources to support engagement.

Although the Sports Kit course must be delivered using the course materials supplied, there are many elements and activities that can be modified and made more specific, depending on your sport, location, and organisation type.

As a complete Carbon Literacy course, the Sports Kit eliminates the development time associated with course creation. Our team updates the Sports Kit regularly to ensure the latest science, policy, and sports-related content is included.

How do I get started?

If you’d like to access the Sports Kit materials or to find a trainer, please get in touch.
If you haven’t been in contact with The Carbon Literacy Project before, we’ll arrange an introductory call giving you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

I’m not a climate change expert - can I deliver training?

Absolutely! Carbon Literacy training provides learners with the foundations to start their low-carbon journey – you don’t need a science degree to deliver the material. Carbon Literacy training is an amazing opportunity for learners to share their ideas and their own knowledge. It’s ok for you to say, “I don’t know the answer to that question – but I can try and find out!”

A licence fee is applicable when using and delivering the Sports Toolkit. Purchasing a license provides you with access to the Sports Kit and annual updates within the licence period. Science, policy, case studies, activities, and resources are among the content that is updated. The cost for a toolkit is on a sliding scale, dependant on your organisation’s annual turnover. Get in touch to discuss license fees and details.

Sport in Action

Sports' Carbon Footprint

Read about the carbon footprint of the sport sector at both international and grassroots levels.

Read here

Creating the Sports Kit

Hear how the Sports Kit was co-created with Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.

Watch here

Climate Action in Sport

Learn about the variety of action that is being taken across the Sports sector to tackle climate change.

The Role of Sport

Watch the replay of 'The Role of Sport in Combating Climate Change' hosted by the United Nations.

Watch here

Delivering Organisations

The Carbon Literacy training was a good opportunity to learn and contribute to something outside of our business-as-usual activity. It was great to hear lots of examples of initiatives, big and small, which are being led by athletes and sport leaders to try and reduce the impact that sport can have on the environment. I feel a little more equipped now to discuss UK Sport's social impact and environmental strategies."

Amy Warburton, Performance at UK Sport

The Carbon Literacy training was informative, interactive and engaging, and both better equipped me to talk about the effects of climate change, especially with regard to the sports sector, and inspired me to take action at home and in work. Sport can – I hope – play a leading role in tackling climate change. The Carbon Literacy Project has an important role in informing and driving that, and the more people from across the sports sector that undertake the training, the better."

Cameron Yorston, Director at Sport & Recreation Alliance

I've already started making small changes to my personal and work life as I now have a much better understanding of what to do and how it'll make a difference. Hopefully many others across the industry will attend the training and we can start to shift the dial."

Tracy Power, Head of Social Impact for RLWC2021

I found it really interesting and informative. It's also really interactive, so a good opportunity to spend time with different colleagues from around the organisation."

Jess Whitehorn, Head of Communications & Engagement at UK Sport

I feel that it's really important that all of us, regardless of role, are able to talk eloquently and accurately about climate change and what we mean by carbon footprint. This training has equipped me with the knowledge (and confidence) to be able to undertake conversations in this space both inside and outside of work – this feels like a critical foundation to be part of change."

Anna Davison, Major Events at UK Sport

Get in Touch

To speak to our Sports team or request a course, please contact us at sport@carbonliteracy.com.

Please include the following in your email:

•Your organisation name
•List any courses or pathways you are interested in.
•How you heard about us?
•Your plans for rolling-out training (if any)

Sport Newsletter

FAQ

Discover more

Sport

Carbon Literacy Toolkit for Sport

Courses

Sports Toolkit

Public Leisure Course

Australian Toolkit – Coming Soon!

Find a trainer or build a course

Key Questions

Sport in Action

Sports' Carbon Footprint

Creating the Sports Kit

Climate Action in Sport

The Role of Sport

Delivering Organisations

Get in Touch

Sport Newsletter

FAQ

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