In addition to registering on the EMAS Register, Real Betis previously obtained ISO 14001 certification, an internationally recognized standard that establishes a framework for organizations to develop an externally verified environmental management system. EMAS represents a further step towards environmental excellence by requiring the preparation of an environmental declaration, a public report that transparently details the club’s environmental sustainability policy, objectives, and results.

In this way, Real Betis joins FC Porto, the first European club to appear on the EMAS Register. This registration has been made possible thanks to its participation in the European Free Kicks project, co-financed by the EU and coordinated by the Scoula Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (Italy). This initiative promotes the circular economy and environmental sustainability in football organizations and drives football’s transition towards the goals of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan.

In this context, the certificate means that “an independent entity recognizes our environmental management, in compliance with the standards of sustainability, one of the club’s fundamental pillars,” emphasizes Real Betis Balompié’s Director of Operations, Enrique Castillo.

The effectiveness of this management system, which includes a consolidated environmental policy and requires a commitment to continuous improvement, is reflected in the various sustainable actions implemented at the Rafael Gordillo Sports City. The process of implementing all these measures lasted an entire season and involved numerous club departments, implementing various procedures for natural resource management, environmental training, supplier selection, emergencies, and communications, among others.

In this regard, Fausto Scaldaferri, head of the Green and White club’s Environmental Management System, highlights the main challenges for achieving this designation as “the integration of environmental issues and the involvement of suppliers in a sector, football, where sustainability is still something new and little known.” 

Innovative measures

The Rafael Gordillo Sports City integrates multiple sustainable and innovative measures that promote more efficient and environmentally friendly management.

• Rainwater harvesting system: Rainwater and drainage are collected in a pond and reused for irrigation, avoiding the use of public water resources.
• Replacing rubber with cork on artificial fields, eliminating microplastics and reducing turf temperature, which reduces water use.
• Smart lighting system , which allows you to remotely reduce lighting power when it is not needed.
• Bioclimatic design of the main building , which minimizes sun exposure and reduces the need for cooling in summer.
• Exclusive use of aerothermal energy for the production of domestic hot water, completely avoiding the use of natural gas.
• Electric mobility , with 100% electric vehicles, a charging station, and its own photovoltaic plant for supply.
• Grazing with goats and sheep , which act as ‘bio-mowers’, reducing the use of polluting machinery and providing natural fertilizer.

A benchmark committed to the environment

By obtaining the EMAS certification, Real Betis has consolidated its position as one of the leading clubs in sustainability within the sector, aiming to serve as an example for other sports organizations, especially in a context where football has significant social power and where such actions can have a multiplying effect on environmental awareness.

In this regard, the organization is working on new steps and projects to continue advancing its environmental commitment, convinced that sustainability must be one of the strategic pillars of football’s future.

About the EMAS system

EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is a voluntary environmental management and audit system established by the European Union and applicable to organizations since 1995.

The EMAS Register is open to organizations that demonstrate an active commitment to continuously improving their environmental performance and publicly offer the values ​​of the environmental indicators established in European Regulation 1221/2009, updated in 2018.

The European Union’s (EU) EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) Register is managed by the various Member States in a coordinated manner. The General Secretariat for Environment and Climate Change of the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment of the Andalusian Regional Government is responsible for the register in Andalusia, through the Andalusian Climate Change Office. It is a public register, with a guarantee of transparency and rigor endorsed by the Public Administration.

About Forever Green

Nearly five years ago, Real Betis created Forever Green, the club’s environmental sustainability platform that seeks to engage the world in the fight against climate change through the media of football.

This effort, which has made Real Betis one of the leading football clubs in this field, has earned it recognition as the second most sustainable club in Europe and the first in La Liga, according to the independent international consultancy Brand Finance, which analyzes fan perceptions.

Also noteworthy is the registration in December 2021 of Real Betis Balompié’s carbon footprints for the years 2019 and 2020 in the Andalusian Emissions Compensation System (SACE) of the Andalusian Regional Government, as well as its commitment to advancing sustainability, not only in the organization’s own activities but also in the events it hosts, especially football matches.