Millwall receive EFL Green Club silver award
BY MAX HALL
While Millwall may have fallen short of the Championship play-offs last season, the club can at least celebrate one piece of silverware, with recognition of the sustainability efforts of staff and supporters.
A combination of environmental lifestyle pledges made by supporters, and sustainability improvements made across the club has secured Millwall silver status in the EFL Green Clubs scheme which has signed up 36 English Football League sides.
With the voluntary program this season incorporating “participant,” “bronze,” “silver” and “gold” status to member clubs for the first time, Millwall’s efforts saw it reach the second-highest accreditation level.
The sustainability effort has been boosted by supporters whose pledges to live greener – made through the Pledgeball organisation – saw the club top the Pledgeball league table in December, ahead of clubs as varied as Inter, QPR and Northampton Town.
Fan activity on match days helped secure silver status too, as Millwall managing director Mark Fairbrother explained.
He said: “The supporters have also embraced the positive change – utilising various recycling points on match days.”
Other changes noted by the EFL Green Clubs initiative – founded in 2021 by Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince – included the introduction of compostable beer cups at The Den, Millwall’s presence on the steering group of a campaign to reduce the use of player flights and the introduction of the club’s Lion Living program, based on the requirements of the United Nations Sport for Climate Action initiative.
Commenting on Millwall’s EFL Green Clubs silver status, Fairbrother said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank the Lion Living committee, who work tirelessly in driving the club forward to gaining the silver award.
“The behaviour in SE16 has changed with the club now removing single-use plastic water bottles and facilitating electric vehicle car fleets and stadium charging facilities, through to energy-saving initiatives and being one of the first clubs to sign up to the sustainable travel charter.
“To achieve the silver award for EFL Green Clubs – and being so close to gold – is great recognition of the work of the club, Millwall Community Trust and Millwall fans as a collective.”
Ben Fisher, EFL environmental sustainability co-ordinator, said: “Everyone at the EFL is delighted to celebrate Millwall’s commitment to environmental sustainability and it is brilliant to have [sustainability accreditation organisation] GreenCode on board to help us support the club at each stage of the assessment cycle. The club have worked hard to reduce their carbon footprint and make a positive impact on their local environment and thoroughly deserve to be recognised for their efforts.”
Under Millwall’s Lion Living strategy, the club has already reduced its carbon footprint 9.2% between 2019 and 2024, emitting 61 tonnes fewer carbon emissions last year.
Millwall have an ambitious goal of halving their 2019 carbon emissions, to 332.4 tonnes per year, by 2030 and of being carbon neutral by 2040.
