Tuesday, 19 August 2014
NHL Releases First Sustainability Report
August 19, 2014
On July 21, 2014, the National Hockey League made history by becoming the first major sports league in North America to release a sustainability report. Issued in conjunction with the Green Sports Alliance Summit, the report highlights numerous programs, benchmarks and impacts of sustainability efforts by the league, teams and arenas.
In his opening letter, Commissioner Gary Bettman notes, “before many of our players ever took their first stride on NHL ice, they honed their skills on the frozen lakes and ponds of North America and Europe. Our sport can trace its roots to frozen freshwater ponds, to cold climates. Major environmental challenges, such as climate change and freshwater scarcity, affect opportunities for hockey players of all ages to learn and play the game outdoors.”
While the report focuses on a wide range of environmental impacts, it is especially heartening to note that the NHL’s procurement and operations policy gives “preference to those paper products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.”
In the months ahead, FSC will continue to deepen its relationship with the NHL and the Green Sports Alliance. For now, we offer our sincere and hearty congratulations to the League for its landmark effort.
For more information, you can read the NHL Sustainability Report here.