SailGP has released its first ever Purpose and Impact report, chalking up all of our environmental and sustainability progress from Season 2, and comparing it to our overall strategy. The report spans our entire second season, from the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix in April 2021 to the season final at the Mubadala United States Grand Prix in March 2022. We pick out some of the best bits of the report, including ambitious future objectives and feedback from the first season of our pioneering Impact League.
Aarhus was the most sustainable event from Season 2
Season 2’s ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix in Aarhus was the most sustainable event of the whole calendar. The event was 100% powered by renewable energy using both clean grid and temporary power, while emissions were cut down by lower levels of on-site staff, fan travel and accommodation and lower freight-related emissions due to using biofuels for land transportation.
SailGP has some ambitious clean energy targets
Following the success of events like Aarhus, SailGP aims to run all fan villages, guest and hospitality experiences on clean energy by the end of Season 3. The league will achieve this by using 100% renewable energy, including fuel cells, sustainable fuels, flexible solar and wind turbine energy and maximising the footprint of renewable technologies. It comes after the first fan village powered completely by clean energy was the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Season 2 thanks to Aggreko.
SailGP completed seven local impact projects in Season 2
In Season 2, the league’s year-round purpose-led calendar of sustainable initiatives included supporting the University of Bari in Taranto to plant 50 Poplar trees, introducing ecological anchoring to help preserve seagrass beds in Saint-Tropez and supporting San Francisco’s Save the Bay to plant over 3,000 shrubs as part of its tidal marsh restoration work. A total of seven projects were completed across the season with the league unable to complete one in Sydney due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Feedback on the Impact League was overwhelmingly positive
SailGP’s pioneering Impact League was launched ahead of Season 2 and had an immediate impact, with 76% of athletes agreeing that the Impact League changed the way they operated as a team. Elsewhere, 75% of athletes said the Impact League has the potential to change the mindsets of fans to act more sustainably while 84% said the podium for the planet should be introduced into other sports. Athletes said they saw the greatest improvements across their waste and single-use plastic reduction as well as increased fuel efficiency.
SailGP will become a championship with gender equity
Outlined in the Purpose and Impact report is SailGP’s intention to become an entirely inclusive sporting championship with gender equity in future seasons. Since introducing female athletes on board from the Spain Sail Grand Prix in Cadiz in Season 2, it is now compulsory for every team to race with at least one female athlete on board, but in future seasons this will evolve to become an entirely inclusive championship with gender equity at its heart.
Read the full Purpose and Impact Report HERE.
