RISE certifies Malmö FF – Sweden's first eco-labelled football club

In terms of the number of players and club members, football is the most popular sport in our country. It is particularly popular in Malmö, where people are extremely proud to support their team.

"We consider ourselves to be Sweden's most successful club. Since the club was founded in 1910, our men's team has won the most titles. From 2025, we will also have a women's team in the top division, which excites us greatly. These days, people often say that Malmö FF are 'the most champions' and 'the next champions'", says Magdalena Nour, Malmö FF's sustainability manager.

The club, which is owned by 14,500 members, sees itself as a community builder and focuses on five of the Global Goals set out in Agenda 2030: good health and well-being, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities, sustainable consumption and production, and implementation and global partnerships.

But why should a sports club prioritise sustainability? Malmö FF is a large employer, with 300 staff. The club owns a property that uses large quantities of energy and water. The stadium restaurant serves 300 lunches a day, not to mention the school lunches provided for students at the sports high school in the building. On match days, 9,000 hot dogs, as well as large quantities of popcorn, sweets and drinks, are sold. Thousands of people travel to and from the arena by various means. In short, there are significant environmental and climate impacts associated with these flows.

Participated in international research projects.

In 2021, the management team decided that the club's sustainability initiatives needed to be more organised. Malmö FF applied for and was accepted into a European research project, alongside Portuguese club FC Porto and Real Betis from Seville. The aim was for the clubs to obtain EMAS certification (the European equivalent of ISO 14001). Malmö FF aimed to comply with both EMAS and ISO 14001.

"ISO 14001 is all about ones and zeros, whereas EMAS is more about demonstrating your current position and communicating your goals. For a member-owned club, it makes sense to be transparent in that way. We also knew that it would be beneficial to have someone to keep us accountable and ensure that we have the right policies in place, implement training programmes, and continue to innovate,” says Magdalena Nour.

Following two years of preparatory work with researchers from an Italian university, RISE was commissioned as an external auditor. Bengt Jonsson was one of the people tasked with reviewing Malmö FF's environmental management work.

"Since I started as an auditor in 1982, I have audited many companies and organisations, but Malmö FF stands out. They are the first sports club we have ever audited," he says.

"We chose RISE because, as well as acting as a certification body, they also carry out research-based work in other areas. It was appealing to have a partner who could contribute knowledge beyond auditing. It was also important to us that the auditors understood our business, so we presented an ambitious plan for RISE to accompany us on a match day and witness the substantial volumes we work with", Magdalena Nour says. "It was great that RISE was on board."

"Wants to challenge the world of Swedish sport"

Following study visits, interviews and tours, Bengt Jonsson compiled a report in which he recommended backing Malmö FF. Magdalena Nour was in favour of this.

"Some of the deviations occurred because it took us time to obtain the correct documentation. For example, we requested assistance with internal auditing because we knew such resources were available in the industry, but ultimately one of our new employees was assigned the task. We are a bit rebellious in that way. We want to challenge the Swedish sports world," says Magdalena Nour, continuing:

"Some of the assessments in the RISE report were different to the information we received from the researchers on the international project. This came as a surprise to us. However, we did not see our rejection as a failure; we felt that we had been given the opportunity to learn even more."

Following a follow-up audit, Malmö FF received certification to ISO 14001 standards. Magdalena Nour is currently awaiting the final stages of EMAS certification with RISE. However, certifications are not a one-time achievement; they are an ongoing commitment. In just a few months, it will be time for the next audit.

"The fact that it becomes a movement and a continuous learning process is in line with how we have trained the entire organisation — we must constantly revisit the issues. Malmö FF should be part of the solution, not the problem," says Magdalena Nour.