Sports sustainability expert Kristen Fulmer will lead GOAL in her new role as director of sustainability for OVG360
Sports Sustainability Expert Kristen Fulmer to Lead GOAL in New Role as OVG360’s Sustainability Director
GOAL will provide the tactical roadmap, tools, standards, case studies, collaboration and high-touch support needed to accelerate the sustainability journey of event spaces of any age, size or function.
GOAL Will Provide a Tactical Roadmap, Tools, Standards, Case Studies, Collaboration and High-Touch Support Necessary to Accelerate the Sustainability Journey of Event Spaces of Any Age, Size or Function
PHILADELPHIA (October 3, 2022) – Oak View Group, Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, Fenway Sports Group and Jason F. McLennan have joined forces to accelerate the sports and entertainment industry’s response to the climate crisis. Read also : What is Sports Management? Graduations, Specializations and Careers. GOAL, which stands for Green Operations & Advanced Leadership, will provide venues with a tactical roadmap, easy-to-use tracking tools, a library of resources, and access to like-minded operators, suppliers and sponsors, all committed to operating more sustainably and urgently.
Inspired by the industry-leading work on the Climate Pledge Arena, owned and operated by OVG, the home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, and on track to be the world’s first and only Carbon Zero-certified arena, the GOAL membership portal will be powered by custom software developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Member locations will have the opportunity to track their performance against scientifically proven standards in environmental and social categories such as energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, indoor air quality, and health and wellness. be.
The GOAL Standard will also include opportunities to build a customized roadmap for site-specific values and locally relevant needs, leading to validated recognition of continuous improvement.
Kristen Fulmer, founder of front-office sustainability consultancy Recipric and recently recognized by the Sports Business Journal as “an executive to know in sports sustainability”, will lead GOAL as the new Chief Sustainability Officer for OVG360.
“By focusing our mission on operational sustainability, GOAL has a unique opportunity to redefine priorities in our industry, which faces the intersection of climate and social crises,” said Fulmer. “We want to work with leading and like-minded locations to determine the most viable and ambitious sustainability solutions. I am committed to proving that any site can integrate win-win sustainability solutions that reduce site operating costs, avoid negative environmental impacts and increase positive social impacts.”
Partnering with State Farm Arena, the world’s first sports and entertainment venue to receive TRUE Zero Waste certification, was a natural fit.
“Sustainability is never a ‘we did it’ message,” said Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “Environmental and social sustainability is a lifelong commitment and we are just getting started. With our new partners at Fenway Sports Group and Oak View Group, we are now able to share our journey with other like-minded venues who are starting their journeys. We can all certainly progress as individual locations, but we are stronger as an industry if we work together to do better for a sustainable future.”
As a GOAL member, a location will be able to track its progress month to month, year to year, against a set of scientifically proven standards. It will also be able to track comparable locations – looking at factors such as geography, location type and size, tenants and the age of the building.
“Preservation and protection has been FSG’s approach to protecting two of the most historic venues in the sporting world for the next generation of fans,” said Fenway Sports Group President Tom Werner. “Sustainability has been central to these efforts, and as standards and technology evolve, so must our practices. We recognize that this ongoing journey requires constant attention, and by joining this ambitious GOAL partnership, we will help and learn from locals around the world as we navigate the intersection of sports, entertainment and sustainability.”
Chris Granger, President of OVG360, said: “My hope is that GOAL will become the inner conscience of the sports and entertainment industry when it comes to creating a more sustainable future. We are seeing countless venues, leagues, teams, counties and leaders – often driven by the demands of their fans, guests, customers and communities – who want to develop a more sustainable strategy but don’t know where to start. We hope that GOAL will provide that roadmap and be that guide for your sustainability journey. Fenway Sports Group and State Farm Arena are the perfect partners to champion a sustainable future across the industry, and we are delighted to have Kristen on board to identify the intersectionality of sustainability with every aspect of a venue’s operations – from food and beverage. to parking and partnerships.”
Jason F. McLennan, founder of McLennan Design and director of sustainability at Perkins & Will, will be a member of GOAL’s board of directors as a shareholder and will guide the creation of content and standards. McLennan is widely considered one of the most influential individuals in the world in architecture and the green building movement today. He is also the creator of the Living Building Challenge – the most rigorous and progressive green building program in existence, as well as the lead author of the WELL Building Standard.
“Oak View Group, Fenway Sports Group and Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena represents the few in the industry who practice what they preach when it comes to sustainable solutions,” said McLennan. “There is a fundamental lack of curated information, guidance, roadmaps and tools for the industry – specifically venue operators – to manage key civic venues in an environmentally and socially sustainable way. GOAL will fill this void in a practical but aspirational way.”
