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From sports hero to net zero

Winning is made of preparation, action and commitment. We can win the race to net zero.

"Sustainability matters to sports fans and athletes around the world. Though we love big global sporting events, we are becoming more aware of their environmental impact. We want to reduce the carbon footprint of sports, so athletes can continue to participate at the highest level, and fans can continue to watch, confident in the knowledge that the event is not a net contributor to climate change."

Ywan Penvern, Partner, Sustainability, Deloitte France

The climate impact of global sporting events is a growing worldwide concern, including athletes, organizers, fans and far beyond. As friends discuss the carbon footprint associated with attending an event thousands of miles away, athletes share concerns over air quality and competing in rising temperatures. Meanwhile, organizers discuss potential rule changes to events, adding in more water breaks and altering schedules to avoid the midday heat. No matter where you look, major sporting events are facing the same truth. Their futures depend on climate action.

Making change requires common goals and collective effort. Having co-launched the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has committed to reducing 50% of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and is asking the rest of the Olympic Movement to join them.

Global knowledge management about climate is needed throughout the Olympic Movement, and that's what we are starting to help build: a community of organizations committed to decarbonization.

- Georgine Roodenrys, Partner, Climate & Sustainability, Deloitte Australia

This is all about helping to accelerate the IOC’s climate strategy and making climate action real. We know that many organizations set climate goals, but it’s another thing to make it real year after year.

- Ywan Penvern, Partner, Sustainability, Deloitte France

As Worldwide Management Consulting Partner of the IOC, Deloitte is supporting this climate positive vision by working with National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Sports Federations (IFs) across the world, helping them with climate strategy and decarbonization.

Everyone is at different points on the climate journey, with individual challenges and routes to success. Starting with a handful of NOCs and IFs and meeting them where they are with their climate goals, Deloitte advises on the specific climate challenges of unique sports and countries. From delivering training and raising awareness of climate strategy, to doing a carbon assessment of all activities and events, Deloitte can help reinforce impactful climate action and decarbonization that support the acceleration of the IOC’s climate strategy to build a more sustainable Olympic Movement.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 is committed to staging the world’s first climate-positive edition. As part of its decade-long ‘partnership with purpose’ with the IOC, Deloitte is supporting that work across multiple initiatives focused on the circular economy, sustainable sourcing, biodiversity and others.

To make an impact that extends beyond Paris 2024, Deloitte will continuously capture and share learnings, so that each Olympic and Paralympic Games can be greener than the last.

The IOC is setting the climate ambition for sporting events around the world. In facing one of the planet’s greatest challenges the Olympic Movement has the potential to be an inspiring change-maker, voice, and rallying point for climate action within the global sports community and beyond.

Throughout the ten-year partnership, we want to support the International Olympic Committee to build the backbone in sustainability from one Olympic Games edition to the next.

- Clarisse Lelong, Partner, Sustainability, Deloitte France 

Meet the team

Ywan Penvern - Sustainability Partner, Deloitte France

Ywan is a partner in the Deloitte France Climate & Sustainability team and leads various transformation projects, from environment and social impact assessment to implementation of new offers, new business models and new ways of doing business & good.

Clarisse Lelong - Sustainability Partner, Deloitte France

Clarisse is a partner in the Deloitte France Climate & Sustainability team. She is committed to helping clients on their sustainable transformation journeys.

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