There’s a question that is being heard more and more often in executive rooms across the sports world: how do you measure the sustainability of a football club? The answer isn’t simple—but it does exist. And the clubs that have found it first are already reaping the benefits.

Measuring ESG impact doesn’t mean filling out a questionnaire once a year. It means building a data collection system that works continuously, covers very different areas, and produces numbers that can be compared over time. It’s structured work that requires method. But before talking about tools, it’s worth understanding what is actually measured—and why doing it well makes the difference between credible communication and something that convinces no one.

Governance: the foundation everything starts from

Governance is often the least visible area, but it determines the credibility of everything else. A club with solid governance has transparent decision-making processes, a board with diverse expertise, effective internal controls, and clear reporting to stakeholders.

Measuring governance means documenting these elements in a verifiable way. How many women sit on the board? Is there a formal and updated code of ethics? How are conflicts of interest managed? Are there clear risk management procedures? Are there internal reporting channels for employees? These are concrete questions with concrete answers—already used by investment funds and banks in their evaluation models.

Governance is also where clubs tend to be least prepared—not because good practices are missing, but because documentation often is. A club may have an excellent board and strong decision-making processes, but if nothing is formalized and verifiable, that strength effectively doesn’t exist for an external investor.

It’s not enough to have good governance—you have to prove it, through proper disclosure to stakeholders, investors, and regulators. And that requires systematic work in mapping, formalizing, and reporting that many clubs have not yet begun.

Social impact: from community to numbers

Football has a relationship with its community that few other industries can match. Fans aren’t customers—they’re communities. This is one of the most important dimensions to measure in the social component of ESG, and also one of the hardest to translate into numbers without losing its essence.

So what exactly is measured? The number of people reached by social programs. Hours dedicated to schools, neighborhoods, and vulnerable groups. Jobs created—directly and indirectly—in the local economy. Inclusion policies for staff and collaborators, including diversity data (gender, age, background). Labor rights management across the supply chain. The number of volunteers involved. The estimated economic impact of the club on the surrounding area.

Each of these has a specific indicator, a recognized measurement method, and benchmarks. It’s not about inventing numbers—it’s about collecting data that often already exists within the club but has never been systematized.

The critical point is documentation. A social program that isn’t measured and reported doesn’t exist in the eyes of a sponsor or institutional investor. It only exists for those who directly benefited. Turning social impact into verifiable data is what separates doing good from proving it—and that distinction has very real commercial and financial consequences.

Stadium environmental sustainability: far more than solar panels

The stadium is a club’s most important physical asset—and one of its main sources of environmental impact. Measuring that impact goes far beyond solar panels or recycling bins.

It starts with energy consumption: how much energy is used to light the pitch, heat facilities, and run systems? How much comes from renewable sources versus fossil fuels? What is the energy intensity per match, and how does it compare to similar venues?

Then comes waste management: how many kilograms of waste does a 50,000-spectator match generate? What percentage is recycled? Are there systems to reduce waste at the source, such as eliminating single-use plastics?

Water is another factor: irrigation, restrooms, kitchens. Are there rainwater recovery systems? Are consumption levels monitored and optimized?

Finally, mobility: how do fans get to the stadium? What percentage uses public transport versus private cars? Are there partnerships with local transport providers? Fan mobility is one of the biggest contributors to a club’s carbon footprint—and one of the hardest to influence directly. Still, it must be measured to get a complete picture.

Each area has clear indicators. Each can be measured, benchmarked, and improved. The starting point doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be honest. A realistic assessment is far more valuable than optimistic claims without data.

Supply chain: the overlooked perimeter

One of the most common ESG mistakes clubs make is stopping at their organizational boundaries. But a club’s impact extends across its entire supply chain: kit manufacturers, catering services, cleaning companies, logistics partners, tech providers, communication agencies.

Measuring this means asking suppliers questions: what are their environmental policies? How do they manage labor rights? Do they have certifications? Do they report emissions? Can they provide verifiable carbon data?

This takes time and structure. Not all suppliers—especially smaller ones—are ready. But even a gradual approach, starting with key suppliers, builds a far more credible ESG profile.

Major sponsors increasingly look at this too. They want partners who control their value chain. A problematic supply chain can directly affect a sponsor’s reputation, turning a commercial partnership into a reputational risk—and this expectation will only grow.

Emissions from sporting activities: a category of its own

Travel, matches, training camps, international tours—these all generate CO₂ emissions that must be measured and reported transparently.

This includes charter flights, bus travel, training facility energy use, and emissions from producing and transporting kits.

Emissions are categorized into three scopes: direct emissions (Scope 1), emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2), and indirect emissions across the value chain (Scope 3), including fan behavior. Scope 3 is the hardest to measure—but also the most significant for football clubs.

The goal isn’t to eliminate travel or discourage attendance. It’s to measure impact, identify hotspots, and set realistic reduction targets over time.

Communicating impact: the difference between a report and a story

Measuring is essential—but so is communication. And there’s a big difference between publishing a sustainability report and building a credible narrative.

A good report follows international standards (GRI, ESRS, etc.) and is third-party verifiable. It’s what UEFA, sponsors, and investors expect. Without it, ESG communication risks being seen as greenwashing.

But a report alone doesn’t build reputation. That comes from consistency between words and actions, from authentic storytelling—including unmet goals and challenges—and from ongoing communication beyond the annual report.

Fans, in particular, are highly sensitive to authenticity. A club that shares its ESG journey honestly builds trust that translates into engagement, reputation, and brand value—also in the eyes of sponsors and investors.

Tools and technology: making the process sustainable

A common barrier for mid-sized clubs is the perceived complexity of ESG measurement. Collecting, consolidating, verifying, and reporting data across many areas can seem overwhelming.

Today, however, there are technological tools designed to simplify this process: ESG data platforms that automate collection, integrate reporting frameworks, and generate verifiable reports much faster.

Technology doesn’t replace strategy—but it removes much of the operational burden, making ESG accessible even without the resources of top European clubs.

Where to start

The answer is always the same: start by measuring what already exists. Every club already has environmental, social, and governance impacts. Without measurement, they remain invisible—and what is invisible cannot be managed, communicated, or valued.

The first step is a double materiality analysis: identifying the ESG issues most relevant to the club. This includes impact materiality (how the club affects society and the environment) and financial materiality (how ESG factors affect the club’s risks and opportunities). Only by combining both do you get a true map of priorities.

From there, you build a data system, define key indicators, and begin reporting.

You don’t need to be perfect to start—you need to be precise. And you need to start now, because the competitive advantage of sustainability won’t last forever. Latecomers won’t just face a technical gap—they’ll face a reputational one, which is far harder and more expensive to close.