England Squash making strides in sustainability

To celebrate Earth Day 2024, we highlight how both England Squash and the wider squash community are implementing eco-friendly practices and innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise our impact on nature and the environment.

For the past 5 years England Squash has been carbon neutral, our most recent review, from September 2022 to August 2023, showed that England Squash’s total emissions were 124.78 tCO₂e, of which 80.45% came from international flights.

To offset our 2022/23 carbon emissions and obtain Carbon Neutral status, this year England Squash has invested in the Zambia Western Province Safe Water Project. This vital carbon offsetting project rehabilitates and maintains vital safe water sources, offers guidance on water management best practice and helps provide communities with the knowledge and skills to sustainably manage and maintain water sources for years to come.

Each year we have looked at ways in which we can make reductions to our carbon footprint and reduce our impact on the natural environment in other areas. In addition to reducing travel and, where possible, choosing lower carbon modes of transport for our staff and athletes, this year we will providing education for players who travel by air to inform them about how they can reduce their own personal carbon footprint.

Other steps that we have taken have included planting trees linked to major junior events, such as the British Junior Open and piloting an exciting new ball recycling scheme with a number of clubs.

This new initiative will allow players and club members to donate any unwanted or damaged squash balls safely and efficiently, which will then be recycled and repurposed for future use.

Collection boxes have recently been delivered to several clubs who are helping trial this scheme which is the first step of a wider programme and will be rolled out across the country in the coming months.

England Squash will also continue to work with partners to strive for positive change. Board Chair Joy Carter and Chief Executive Officer Mark Williams are members of the World Squash Federation’s new sustainability working group and helped draft a new sustainability strategy which was presented in November.

As well as this, we have signed up to two landmark sustainability frameworks. The IUCN Sports for Nature framework, for which England Squash was proud to be the first national governing body to have signed up to, as well as the United Nations’ Sports For Climate Action framework.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Williams said:

“We are really proud to be taking a lead on supporting the environment and sustainability on behalf of the squash community.

“Everyone and every organisation has the opportunity and responsibility to consider what changes they can make to help the planet.

“We have taken our first few steps on our journey towards becoming a more environmentally sustainable organisation and we look forward to doing even more in the years to come.”

To learn more about England Squash’s Climate and Ecological emergency work, click here.