VfB Stuttgart again took part in the sustainClub audit in August 2023. sustainClub is the first sustainability label in professional sports. It was developed in 2019 by the Swiss NGO sustainable///sports and further developed during a pilot phase in 2019/20 with a total of six Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs and DEKRA Assurance Services GmbH. sustainClub evaluates and analyses clubs’ performances in terms of sustainability (financial, environmental and social), with the results validated by DEKRA Assurance Services GmbH.
With a total of 177 out of a possible 194 points (91 per cent), VfB Stuttgart achieved a significant improvement in sustainability performance, earning the club the gold award in the sustainClub certification process. In the first sustainClub audit, carried out in April 2021, VfB Stuttgart was given the silver sustainClub award with an overall points tally of 119 out of a possible 194.
In the social category, VfB Stuttgart recorded the club’s best result with 98 per cent of possible points, including 100 per cent in two sub-categories. VfB scored 92 per cent and 85 per cent respectively in the financial and environmental categories.
First sustainability report published
In the course of the sustainClub certification, VfB Stuttgart published the club’s first sustainability report. Its sustainability reporting is based on the performance indicators set out in the German sustainability code (DNK) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) SRS + NAP.
Click here for the sustainability report
“Sustainability is an important part of our strategic focus,” said Alexander Wehrle, VfB Stuttgart CEO. “After the initial sustainClub certification, we set ourselves the target of improving our sustainability performance enough to earn the gold award. It was an intense process, and one which has entrenched sustainability even more firmly in VfB. We are delighted with the significant improvement and the subsequent achievement of the top sustainClub standard. We will not be resting on our laurels, however. We want to use our sustainable operations to make an impact both on VfB and throughout society, and we have already set ourselves the next ambitious sustainability goals, which will be communicated transparently.”
Points scored in each sustainability sector – financial, environmental and social:
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Financial: |
Management and organisation: 20 / 22 points |
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Environmental: |
Energy consumption and emissions: 31 / 37 points |
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Social: |
Employee support and involvement: 15 / 16 points |
About sustainClub:
List of criteria: the core of sustainClub is made up of the list of criteria – 161 of them, divided into 12 sub-categories, all of which are based on the three pillars of sustainability. Evaluation system: the sustainClub list of criteria is divided into 115 preferable and 46 compulsory criteria. To achieve sustainClub certification, all compulsory criteria need to be fulfilled as a minimum.
Awards: there are three levels of award – bronze, silver and gold. Gold requires all compulsory criteria to be fulfilled and a total of at least 155 points.