Welcome to the Sustainability Maturity Tool Hub. This Sport England tool has been designed for all System Partners to support your environmental sustainability journey. The tool is intended to be adaptable to organisations of all sizes and types, and proportionate to your sphere of influence and available resource. Each topic contains a wide range of tools and resources to help you make progress and move you through the stages.
Select a topic from above to get information on sustainability maturity levels
Carbon emissions: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Basic knowledge of emissions
- Energy use reduction initiatives in place
External Action
- Learning from others
- Minimal involvement in emissions reduction efforts in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Assessed climate impacts, e.g. calculated carbon footprint or identified areas of highest impact
- Targets/goals set to reduce emissions with KPIs to assess progress
- Basic emissions reduction actions implemented, e.g. renewable electricity tariff, LED lights
External Action
- Beginning to raise awareness of emissions reduction in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Several actions implemented to reduce operational emissions, leading to a reduction of carbon footprint
- Published carbon reduction targets e.g. signatory of UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, Science-Based Targets initiative
External Action
- Involved in initiatives to reduce emissions in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Demonstrable progress towards operational net zero and carbon neutrality
- Beginning to understand the interconnections between emissions and other sustainability themes
External Action
- Initiated and delivered projects to reduce emissions in the sector or locally
- Shared resources and learning with others
- Influenced policy change towards net zero
Internal Action
- Achieving operational net zero or carbon negative
External Action
- Sector leadership and working in partnership; driving innovation and positive outcomes towards net zero, e.g. led shift to carbon negative solutions in the sector – removing more CO2 than emitting
- Actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
- Positive impacts are quantified, communicated widely, and replicated by other organisations
Circular economy: Reducing material consumption and avoiding waste
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Basic waste actions, e.g. recycling bins in office, sports facilities, events
- Encouraging reduction of single-use plastics, e.g., reusable water bottles
External Action
- Learning from others
- Minimal involvement in waste reduction efforts in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Assessed impact, e.g. conducted waste audit
- Targets/goals set to reduce waste
- Initial procurement considerations to reduce waste from operations e.g., buying less and differently, reuse, repurpose, repair, and minimising waste
External Action
- Beginning to raise awareness about reducing waste
Internal Action
- Circular economy is considered in procurement (and events), e.g. the principles; refuse-reduce-reuse-repurpose-recycle
- Major waste reduction actions taken in operations
- Supplier (and sponsors, where relevant) engagement initiatives to upskill supply chain; circular economy is a key criteria in your tender process.
External Action
- Initiated and delivered
projects to improve and
promote the circular
economy of the sector
or region
Internal Action
- Re-use is prioritised
- All products and services procured promote the circular economy
- Zero to extremely low waste produced
- Beginning to understand the interconnections between the circular economy and other sustainability themes
External Action
- Initiated and delivered projects to reduce emissions in the sector or locally
- Shared resources and learning with others
- Influenced policy change towards net zero
Internal Action
- All actions result in zero waste and enable positive social, environmental, and economic benefits across the supply chain
External Action
- Sector leadership and working in partnership;
driving innovation and positive outcomes towards a fully circular economy - Actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
- Positive impacts are quantified, communicated widely, and replicated by other organisations
Blue-green environment: Improved access to quality blue and green spaces where physical activity takes place
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Basic knowledge of the importance of blue-green environment quality
- Owned outdoor spaces are designed to be accessible
- Potential pollutants are still routinely used, e.g., single use plastic (incl. packaging), pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers
External Action
- Learning from others
- Minimal involvement with blue-green environment quality improvement initiatives in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Assessed organisational impact on, and the relevance of, blue-green environments (and opportunities to influence)
- Targets/goals set to enhance the quality of blue-green environment
Owned outdoor spaces are designed to be accessible, inclusive, and consider nature - Initial pollution reduction actions, e.g. reduced or switched to less toxic products, plastics, paints, fertilisers
External Action
- Beginning to raise awareness for blue-green environments quality improvements, e.g. pollution reduction campaigns
Internal Action
- Owned outdoor spaces are designed to enhance nature, water, and wildlife
- Potential pollutants are carefully managed to reduce harm to people and the environment
External Action
- Involved in initiatives to improve the quality, access, inclusion, andnature of blue-green environments in the sector or locally in your place/community
Internal Action
- All decisions actively consider benefits to the natural environment within operations, network, and supply chain
- Potential pollutants are avoided
- Beginning to understand the interconnections between the blue-green environment and other sustainability themes
External Action
- Initiated and delivered projects to improve local blue-green environments which engage the wider community and actively enable greater connection with nature
Internal Action
- All actions enable positive outcomes for the natural environment within operations, network, and supply chain
External Action
- Sector leadership and working in partnership; driving innovation and positive outcomes in the blue-green environment for people and nature
- Actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
- Positive impacts are quantified, communicated widely, and replicated by other organisations
Biodiversity gain: Enhancing the variety of plant and animal life
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Basic knowledge of biodiversity loss
- Minimal consideration of impacts on wildlife or local species, e.g. pesticides and herbicides may be used
External Action
- Learning from others
- Minimal involvement in biodiversity gain initiatives in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Assessed organisational impact on local biodiversity (and opportunity to influence)
- Targets/goals set to improve biodiversity
- Initial actions taken, e.g. pesticide and herbicide use are limited, bird boxes or bug hotels
External Action
- Beginning to raise awareness of biodiversity loss in the sector or locally in your place/community
Internal Action
- Several actions implemented, leading to improved biodiversity on own site
- Beginning to consider biodiversity through procurement, e.g. purchasing organic food
External Action
- Involved in initiatives to drive biodiversity gain in the sector or locally
- Set targets and reporting publicly, e.g. Signatory of IUCN Sports for Nature Framework or commitment to local nature recovery strategy
Internal Action
- Biodiversity improvements and wildlife benefits are achieved at own site and through the supply chain
- Beginning to understand the interconnections between biodiversity gain and other sustainability themes
External Action
- Initiated and delivered projects to enhance biodiversity and benefit wildlife in the sector or locally in your place/community
Internal Action
- All actions enable positive outcomes for biodiversity within operations, network, and supply chain
External Action
- Sector leadership and working in partnership; driving innovation and positive outcomes in biodiversity gain
- Actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
- Positive biodiversity impacts are quantified, communicated widely and replicated by other organisations
Tackling inequalities: Action to address climate-related inequalities/impact on under-served communities
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)-focused actions
- Separate environmental and EDI policy/strategy
- Limited knowledge of climate-related inequalities, or the environmental impact on under-represented or under-served communities
External Action
- Learning from others
- Minimal involvement in climate-related inequalities reduction efforts in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Assessed organisational relevance of climate-related inequalities (and opportunities to influence)
- Team members have completed training or built their knowledge about climate-related inequalities
- Basic actions to reduce climate-related inequalities e.g. charitable giving, volunteering days for local climate resilience projects
External Action
- Beginning to raise awareness of climate-related inequalities in the sector or locally
Internal Action
- Targets/goals set to reduce climate-related inequalities
- Some actions implemented to reduce climate-related inequalities e.g. providing mentorship, work experience, jobs, switched procurement to fair trade, local suppliers etc
External Action
- Involved in initiatives to reduce climate-related inequalities in the sector or locally, e.g. community outreach programmes, influencing stakeholders (developers, local authority etc), awareness-raising campaigns
Internal Action
- Social and environmental impact on underserved communities is improved through operations and supply chain
- Beginning to understand the interconnections between climate-related inequalities and other sustainability themes
External Action
- Initiated and delivered projects to improve the social and environmental impact on underserved communities in the sector or locally
- Shared resources and learning with others
Internal Action
- All actions enable positive outcomes for underserved communities
External Action
- Sector leadership and working in partnership; driving innovation and positive outcomes to improve the social and environmental impact on underserved communities in the UK and globally
- Actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
- Positive impacts are quantified, communicated widely, and replicated by other organisations
Enabler: Organisational knowledge and capacity
Support from the Sports Governance Academy on ESG is available.
Select a maturity level:
Progressing
Restorative
Starting
Progressing
Sustainable
Restorative
Regenerative
Move the slider to select your maturity level.
Internal Action
- Basic understanding of sustainability and climate change
- Minimal engagement with available support and training
- No dedicated agenda lead
Internal Action
- Initial knowledge and capability building
- Relevant staff have completed training
- Initial governance actions undertaken, e.g. environmental sustainability policy and agenda lead in place; environmental sustainability considered in organisational risk register
Internal Action
- Clear operational and strategic leadership for environmental sustainability and board-level responsibility (e.g. Board champion)
- Environmental sustainability is embedded within operations and governance, in line with section 5.2 of ‘A Code for Sports Governance’, e.g. job descriptions and decision criteria and regularly discussed at Board and senior leadership level
- Training implemented for relevant team members (and volunteers and athletes) at all organisational levels
Internal Action
- Sustainability is considered holistically, understanding the interconnections between all themes (i.e. not split by carbon, pollution, biodiversity etc) and is embedded within operations and governance
External Action
- Knowledge and capacity are actively grown, beyond own
organisation, across networks and partners - Actively guides, supports, and collaborates widely to drive systemic change
- Educates and encourages others to ensure that actions across themes are interconnected (rather than done in silos) which enables positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes
Want an offline copy?
Access the maturity tool in PDF format
Talk to us about the maturity tool
Book a 1-2-1 call with Lucy Scrase our Project Lead
Our support includes free tailored 1-2-1 sessions. These sessions are an opportunity for you to ask questions about the maturity tool and discuss your sustainability plans and objectives.
You can also get in touch with Lucy by filling in the contact form.
