STH Group, a provider of travel, hospitality and customer experiences for sporting events, has launched a new social impact strategy.
It is hoped the strategy will ‘set new standards’ for the sports hospitality industry, and supports the principles of the United Nations Sustainability Goals.
STH Group, which is a joint venture between French events and hospitality firm Sodexo and the Mike Burton Group, a specialist sports travel and hospitality provider, has outlined the strategy as part of its journey to net zero by 2040.
There are four key pillars that make up the plan including planet, people, places and partners. ‘Planet’ will see STH Group foster a culture of environmental responsibility, minimise the impact of its operations, and strive towards the goal of reducing its carbon impact by 35% by 2025, 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2040. The group will also look to source more sustainably.
‘People’ will aim to empower people to be more mindful of their social impact, while also allowing employees to thrive and grow responsibly. ‘Places’ will see the group recognise its responsibility in investing in the local communities in which it operates as well as the sporting communities.
The ‘Partners’ pillar will be focused on informing and influencing the group’s network of suppliers and stakeholders about social impact, and inspiring change where needed.
To more effectively track the CO2 footprint of the company and its clients, STH Group has invested in a robust and flexible reporting tool to capture data. The Impact Reporting platform will enable STH to record carbon emissions and upload offsetting activities.
Some of the key items that will be measured and tracked include greener commuting and CO2 reduction; waste reduction and recycling; employee wellbeing and training; partner engagement in social impact; carbon offset for unavoidable emissions; volunteering with non-profit organisations; local supplier engagement and spend with SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) and VCSEs (voluntary, community and social enterprises).
Chris John, chairman and chief executive of the STH Group, said: “The STH Group is committed to enhancing long-term sustainability through a proactive approach to social and economic development and environmental principles involving our shareholders, suppliers, employees, clients, customers, and the local communities in which we operate.
“For the STH Group, social impact is no longer optional. We have a responsibility to our people, places, partners, and the planet, to ensure that we are instigating change and setting new standards for our industry.”
He added: “STH is a progressive organisation and we know that many of our partners expect similar levels of scrutiny when it comes to social impact practices. This focus will also help us attract and retain the best talent by proving our company culture, one that prioritises our employees’ wellbeing and provides consistent learning and development opportunities for all staff.”