UEFA releases 2023/24 Respect Report
Thursday, December 19, 2024
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We continue to take bold steps forward in addressing some of the most significant sustainability issues affecting European football.
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As European football’s governing body, we are always working towards a more sustainable future for our sport, and the 2023/24 Respect Report provides a comprehensive overview of the strides we took towards this goal last season.
During 2023/24, we invested a total €12.1m in sustainability initiatives, with 79 targeted actions and more than 100 key performance indicators tracking our progress since 2021/22 as part of a transparent, data-driven approach to social and environmental sustainability.
European football's sustainability community has been further strengthened, with all 55 of our member national associations now having a sustainability manager and strategy in place, each shaped to meet their specific needs but aligned with our own Strength Through Unity sustainability strategy. In addition, we issued several toolkits and guidelines over the course of the year to turn awareness into collective action.
Sustainability is not just a goal for UEFA — it’s a responsibility we embrace wholeheartedly. With the support of our partners and the European football family, we are committed to ensuring that the game we love leaves a positive legacy for generations to come.
Two key figures from the 2023/24 Respect Report
55/55 UEFA member associations now have a dedicated sustainability strategy and manager
100% of UEFA events had a bespoke sustainability strategy, with 690 actions in total representing a 44% increase on 2022/23
Football as a unifying force
Football has a unique power to bring people together, and we continue to advance seven key strategic priorities to ensure that all levels of our sport – from the Champions League to the grassroots game – play a role in protecting and promoting human rights.
Highlights from last season include an update to our UEFA accessibility guidelines, which form the core of our commitment to make football open to everybody.
Did you know?
About 16% of the world’s population is disabled and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. Disabled people have the right to be part of football in the same way as everyone else. Therefore, it is vital that football is accessible across the board; UEFA considers this a top priority for the growth of European football.
Details of our progress across all seven priorities – anti-racism, child and youth protection, equality and inclusion, football for all abilities, health and well-being, refugee support, and solidarity and rights – can be found in the Respect Report.
Football as a driver of reduction
In line with Strength Through Unity, we remain committed to advancing our four key strategic environmental priorities: a circular economy, climate and advocacy, event sustainability and sustainable infrastructure.
Throughout the season, we laid the foundation for reducing our environmental impact by collecting greater amounts of data and gaining a deeper understanding of the effects of our competitions, while shifting our focus from offsetting to climate investment and carbon removal.
We reached an important milestone with the launch of the UEFA Carbon Footprint Calculator, an online tool to help anyone involved in football calculate, understand and therefore act on their emissions.
Read more about our environmental progress during the 2023/24 season in the Respect Report.
Sustainability and UEFA EURO 2024
In addition to our efforts during the 2023/24 season, we also invested €30.6m into dedicated sustainability measures at UEFA EURO 2024, hitting 95% of our pre-tournament targets.
It was a celebration of football’s impact on society, setting new records and sparking change that extends far beyond the pitch.
Read our dedicated environmental, social and governance report here.