Mark Lyttleton is an angel investor who operates with a keen focus on supporting early-stage businesses founded to have a positive planetary impact. This article will look at a recent deal struck between Coventry Building Society Arena and SKOOT to establish new benchmarks in sustainability for stadiums across the UK.
From the removal of plastics from the world’s oceans to global tree planting, SKOOT’s alliance with Coventry Building Society is underpinned by both organisations’ commitment to environmental stewardship. The attached PDF contains more information about environmental stewardship and sustainability.
At the heart of the partnership is the 32F carbon reduction initiative created to establish Coventry Arena as one of the greenest stadiums in the UK. The embedded video takes a closer look at the history of Coventry Arena.
Immediate impact initiatives being implemented as part of SKOOT’s partnership with Coventry Arena include a scheme that will see 20,000 plastic bottles removed from the world’s oceans. In addition, with the generous support of Bidfood Group and support from Eden Reforestation, 10,000 trees will be planted. Recognising the vital contribution of its 250-strong workforce, Coventry Arena will see a tree planted in Hindi Nepal for each employee, strengthening the organisation’s commitment to global reforestation.
Mark Stringer is the co-founder and CMO of SKOOT. Speaking about his company’s partnership with Coventry Building Society Arena, he reflected on the growing demand for venues and arenas to be more sustainable, although he conceded that it can be difficult to know where to start. This is where SKOOT comes in, developing tailored programmes for venues like Coventry Arena, helping them to drive down their carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the world. The attached infographic contains some interesting statistics on government sustainability targets in the UK.
For the partnership to be successful, it will be crucial for the arena to engage visitors in its sustainability efforts. This can be achieved through a variety of different tactics, including the strategic placement of QR codes around parking areas and recycling zones to encourage visitors to play an active role in ocean plastic removal and tree planting. In addition, real-time impact counters and screens will be installed to illustrate the impact of the combined eco-efforts of Coventry Arena and its enthusiast patrons.
Other initiatives include eco-contributions for each purchase made at the venue’s bars and restaurants, accelerating the journey towards the arena’s ambitious tree-planting project. In addition, Coventry Building Society Arena will stage fan competitions, with each participating fan symbolising a tree planted and lucky winners enjoying exclusive tickets to coveted events and ‘the greenest seats in the house’.