Wembley Stadium introduces sustainability rider - Access All Areas

The Football Association-owned Wembley Stadium (cap. 90,000) has introduced a sustainability rider with the aim of encouraging greater environmental consideration across the live events sector.

The FA said the rider outlines the important role sustainability plays within the stadium’s operations, and provides recommendations, advice and guidance for all organisations, promoters and touring artists that host events at the venue.

Wembley Stadium director Mark Lynch, who was appointed last month, said, “Sustainability, and reducing the impact of large events, is integral to our ambition to provide a world-leading, inspirational venue.

“This new sustainability rider sets out our vision and values. It will act as a conversation starter with artists, promoters and event owners, to see how we can work together to make a positive impact on the environment and local community around us.”

Last week, Coldplay said the band’s six Wembley shows next year will be powered entirely by solar, wind and kinetic energy, collected at the venue and elsewhere in the UK – a world first for a stadium show.

The FA’s head of procurement and sustainability Ruaidhri Dunn said, “We are very proud of our achievements in recent years to continually improve how we embed sustainability, including Wembley Stadium maintaining the ISO20121 standard for sustainable events management.

“However, we want to make further progress. This new sustainability rider will enable us to move forward with the next phase of our sustainability efforts.”

Last year, The FA launched its Playing for the Future strategy to drive forward its environmental ambitions up until 2028. It said that central to that plan was reducing the environmental impact of Wembley Stadium with a clear focus on reducing energy consumption, avoiding waste, improving recycling rates, reducing water consumption and positively impacting stakeholders.