NEW PROJECT ALERT: From the UK & Germany to the world

Leicester Nirvana FC and SG Eintracht Peitz e.V. Peitz have been keeping a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) diary which captures experiences of sustainability challenges and successes. The journal also reports impacts of the weather on football operations over time, alongside other issues that affect community clubs including players’ health, financial welfare, partnerships, education and future ambitions. This data is then analyzed to identify patterns in challenges and ways to overcome them to develop policies and toolkits, enabling more clubs to become sustainable. 

After completing successful pilot, which has identified and improved problems highlighted during the journaling process, the project is now open to participation for more United Nations Football For The Goals members worldwide.

Dr. Mark Charlton of De Montfort University, who has co-developed the research project with myself (Ivan Liburd) of Leicester Nirvana FC and Sebastian Bubner of SG Eintracht Peitz, said:

“Piloting the research over the past three months has already produced impactful results and informed how the project moves forward. For example, analysis of the data shows both clubs have made progress across environmental, social, educational, and community-focused aspects of the SDGs, despite facing financial and resource-related challenges. Without their efforts, the findings show their communities in the UK and Germany would face environmental degradation, reduced access to sports, weakened social cohesion, and missed development opportunities. The evidence so far indicates their work goes far beyond football - it strengthens resilience, fosters equality, and builds a more sustainable future for everyone.”