Here at British Wrestling, we’re incredibly excited to announce the launch of our new two-year Environmental Sustainability Action Plan 2025-27! This isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s a genuine commitment to understanding our environmental footprint and playing our part in creating a more sustainable future for our sport and beyond.
As the National Governing Body for wrestling in the UK, we recognise the urgent reality of the climate crisis. We believe sport has the power to build a sustainable future, and we’re dedicated to taking meaningful action to protect the natural world for generations of wrestlers to come.
Our Journey So Far: Supported by UK Sport
We’re at the beginning of this vital journey, and we’ve already taken some important steps. Over the past 18 months, during the renovation of the British Wrestling Academy, we’ve implemented energy-saving systems, waste management processes, and water efficiency measures.
This new action plan represents our next big step, and we’re incredibly proud to be supported by the UK Sport Accelerator programme. This partnership is helping us establish a long-term commitment and a planned approach to environmental responsibility, ensuring we continue to meet our funding requirements while making a tangible difference.
To truly understand our impact, we’ve completed our carbon footprint modelling for the financial year ending 2023. While we’re a small organisation, with a mix of remote and office working from our Academy in Salford, we’ve identified that the majority of our emissions come from indirect sources, particularly travel, with international flights for training and competitions being a significant factor. This initial understanding is crucial for us to strategically shape our future initiatives.
Our Four Key Ambitions
Our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan is built around four clear ambitions to guide our efforts:
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Enhance Our Understanding of Environmental Impact: We’ll continue to consistently track our emissions and refine our data collection to ensure accuracy.
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Embed Sustainable Practices Across Our Operations: This involves weaving sustainable choices into everything we do, from creating a Sustainable Events Toolkit for our competitions and training camps to implementing robust sustainable procurement guidelines. We’re also investigating the feasibility of incorporating renewable energy sources at the British Wrestling Academy.
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Collaborate to Amplify Our Impact: We know we can achieve more by working together. We’ll be actively contributing to the United World Wrestling (UWW) Sustainability and Legacy Committee and seeking partnerships with organisations that share our values.
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Educate, Advocate, and Empower Our Community: We believe in equipping our wrestling community with the knowledge and tools to champion sustainability. We’ll develop and deliver accessible training and guidance for clubs and members, and showcase inspiring examples of good environmental practice.
Read our full Environmental Sustainability Action Plan here.
Craig Anthony, Chief Executive of British Wrestling, shared his thoughts on this important plan: “I’m pleased to introduce our new two-year Environmental Sustainability Action Plan. This plan isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about understanding our footprint and playing our part, however small. We recognise that British Wrestling is a relatively modest organisation within the broader sporting landscape. However, every effort counts. It’s a commitment to learning, adapting, and contributing to a more sustainable future for everyone. Let’s work together to make a tangible difference.”
Join Us in Making a Difference!
This action plan marks a significant step forward for British Wrestling. While our journey will require ongoing dedication, we’re confident that with these actions, we can make a meaningful difference.
We invite all our members, clubs, and stakeholders to join us in this vital endeavour. Your support, no matter how big or small, is crucial to our collective success. If you’re interested in working with British Wrestling on implementing this plan or have ideas to contribute, please do get in touch! Let’s work together to protect our planet for future generations of wrestlers and beyond.
