BASIS Sustainable Sport Conference 2025
Another thought provoking and inspiring BASIS Conference, this time hosted at Stamford Bridge.
Over 11–12 June 2025, Stamford Bridge - the iconic home of Chelsea FC - was buzzing with purpose as it hosted the largest BASIS conference to date. Organisations, changemakers, and solution providers from across the sporting world gathered to build momentum toward a more sustainable future. Guiding the conversations throughout was Qasa Alom, esteemed BBC presenter and host of Today at Wimbledon, who returned as conference host, bringing energy, insight, and a unifying presence to the two-day event.
The 2025 Focus
Over two hundred attendees gathered for two days of dynamic dialogue, expert insights, and powerful keynote moments at Stamford Bridge. The conference reflected a pivotal year for sport and sustainability, offering deep dives into policy, innovation, and sector-wide action. Key themes and highlights from the 2025 agenda included:
The Evolving Landscape of Net Zero
Major New Partnerships
Member Innovations
Engaging Panels & Breakout Sessions on:
Innovation and Advocacy
Fan Engagement and Sustainable Travel
Forging Impactful Partnerships
Circular Economy & Sustainable Procurement
Practical Carbon Reduction Strategies
Integrating Environmental, Social & Economic Sustainability
This year’s BASIS Conference was a resounding success, bringing together a broad and diverse cross-section of professionals from across the sports industry. Notably, it wasn’t just sustainability specialists in attendance — there was a significant presence from departments across operations, commercial, facilities, and executive leadership. This created a dynamic environment for learning and collaboration.
The central theme of the conference was practical operational insight. The sessions were designed to equip delegates with actionable strategies to implement sustainable practices in their venues and clubs. Attendees were encouraged to explore real-world case studies — both successful and challenging — to gain a deeper understanding of how to approach sustainability from a practical, on-the-ground perspective.
A key strength of the conference was the openness with which information, challenges, and successes were shared. This culture of transparency helped foster a collective learning experience and inspired confidence for others to take similar steps in their own organisations.
Another significant thread throughout the conference was the idea of being on the right side of history. There was a strong collective acknowledgment of the urgent need to address the environmental impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and poor sustainability practices. Equally, there was recognition of the complexity in driving change across organisations — particularly the need for patience when working with colleagues or stakeholders who may have competing priorities or longer timelines.
The conference highlighted that while immediate action is crucial, sustained progress often requires long-term commitment, collaboration, and resilience. In summary, BASIS 2025 was a powerful convergence of insight, inspiration, and shared purpose — a clear step forward in the industry’s collective sustainability journey.
Conference Partners
Peter Watts Panel Chair
“It was a pleasure to chair a panel discussion alongside leading sustainability practitioners from Arsenal, Surrey County Cricket Club, and Goodwood Motorsports — all respected organisations pushing the boundaries of sustainable practice in sport and events.
Each panellist brought valuable, experience-based insights into how sustainability is not just a siloed initiative, but a core consideration across all operational areas — from day-to-day activities to matchdays and major event delivery. What stood out was their shared commitment to placing the customer and guest experience at the centre, while simultaneously striving to minimise environmental impact.
Across the discussion, it became clear that sustainability is now embedded into operational decision-making — not just as a compliance exercise or branding opportunity, but as a strategic imperative. From energy and transport planning to food sourcing and waste management, these organisations are working hard to ensure that their events are responsible, resilient, and regenerative.
There was also an honest recognition of the challenges — the compromises, the operational constraints, and the need to bring colleagues and stakeholders along on the journey. But above all, there was a shared ethos: to do everything possible to reduce negative environmental impacts, while delivering exceptional experiences for fans, guests, and partners alike.”
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We work with stadium management, event venue management and catering & FM providers to improve all aspects of stadium facilities management, building services and the customer experience at the UK’s leading venues.
Our stadium facilities management consultancy services cover:
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