Sustainable Markets Initiatives in Action

SMI Pathfinders

    Pathfinders

    Pathfinder

    Sport

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    Pathfinder Sport

    The sports market reached US$470 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to US$617 billion by 2029. With over 4 billion sports fans globally, sustainable sport can be a differentiator in value creation and revenue growth.

    This Pathfinder aims to leverage the unique power of the SMI — with finance, sponsors, brands, sports stars, sport bodies, events, media and industry — to engage, truly showcase value, and drive default sustainable through sport. The SMI is uniquely positioned to deliver high-visibility, market-shaping collaborations across sports bodies, sponsors, brands, athletes, media and finance to make sustainable practices the default across global sport ecosystems.

    Problem statement

    • Sports are increasingly embedding sustainability into operations, but there is limited knowledge-sharing and no common standards across sports and events.

    • Private sector sustainability efforts have limited consumer reach. Sport's unique ability to engage billions of fans creates an unparalleled opportunity for default sustainable choices across venues, travel, sponsorship and media.

    • Fan travel represents 60–80% of a sporting event's total carbon footprint. Through sponsors and events, the SMI can explore and activate scalable solutions from SAF to EV and electric public transport.

    Implementation pillars

    1. The SMI Sports Playbook

      A CEO-endorsed inspirational guide across five chapters : Venues & Stadiums, Sponsorship, Fan & Athlete Travel, AI & Technology, and Fan Engagement: making sustainability tangible through real-world examples and best-practice standards.

    2. Terra Carta Sport Recognition

      An independent, credible recognition that events and venues earn, sponsors can require, and fans can recognise.

    3. Fan & Athlete Travel

      Fan and athlete travel generates the majority of event emissions. The Pathfinder identifies synergies with the SMI SAF Pathfinder and spotlights exemplary models.

    4. Athlete & Star Power

      Athletes are among the most trusted voices in public life. The Pathfinder will activate SMI Athlete Ambassadors across all sport including cricket, football, rugby, tennis and motorsport.

    5. Finance Integration & Sustainable Sport Investment

      Sport generates significant commercial flows rarely linked to sustainability conditions. The SMI will convene finance CEOs with rights-holders and sponsors to develop sustainability-linked sponsorship clauses, green finance instruments for venue retrofit, and explore a sport-specific ESG visibility framework.

    6. Global Sporting Events, Exemplars & Communications

      Leveraging the 2026 sporting calendar as live platforms to demonstrate, showcase and amplify Pathfinder delivery to billions of fans worldwide.