Climate One - Net Zero
In September 2021, organisers detailed how they would deliver the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in the history of the event, referring to the tournament in Qatar this November.
Amid claims and counter claims, the reality is that the event is estimated to produce 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. To put that into perspective, small nations like Iceland and Montenegro produce less than this in a year.
Both the FIFA and the Qatar organisers deny they have misled their stakeholders on this, but clearly their credibility as a net zero organisation is on the line in the light of these counter claims.
There are many ways to assess a carbon footprint. The method chosen and the calculations made must have credibility in the eyes of stakeholders.
Accurate reporting is a must; greenwashing is a common theme. Your company/organisation must have a reputation of being credible across the board.
Whether the FIFA and Qatar organisers or their critics are correct depends on your viewpoint.
What it does demonstrate is that persuading stakeholders that you are achieving ‘net zero’ requires a robust carbon literacy framework, including a credible policy supported by actions which evidence wholesale credibility.
As well as providing accredited carbon literacy training, we work with our clients to ensure that they understand the challenges and the benefits of becoming a carbon neutral business and why that is a major factor in their stakeholder’s decision making, as these stakeholders look for evidence that your actions are focussed, decisive and measurable. It will be interesting to see how FIFA’s post-tournament carbon figures align with the pre-tournament claims.
In addition, business resilience is closely linked to a sustainable and environmentally friendly organisation, and in these uncertain times, that is crucial.