How is the DFB implementing ESG? The German Football Association shows that sustainability in sport goes beyond environmental issues
Sustainability is increasingly becoming an integral part of the way sports organisations are managed. A good example of this development is the German Football Association (DFB), which has published its ESG Factsheet 2025, presenting the federation’s key activities in the area of sustainability.
The document reflects a broad understanding of ESG. Alongside environmental issues, it covers health and well-being, the development of amateur football, volunteering, diversity and anti-discrimination, good governance, compliance, human rights and cybersecurity.
Importantly, the DFB has decided to continue reporting on a voluntary basis, even though it is no longer within the scope of entities subject to mandatory reporting under the CSRD. The report is based on a materiality assessment conducted with reference to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Four pillars instead of the traditional ESG framework
The DFB’s approach is based on its “Gutes Spiel” sustainability strategy, adopted in 2022. The federation has adapted the traditional ESG model to the specific context of sport, identifying four pillars: health, community, governance and environment.
This distinction is important. The DFB recognises that football’s greatest positive impact does not necessarily fall exclusively within the traditional ESG categories. Given the scale of participation in the sport, health and community building are also particularly significant.
In 2025, the DFB also conducted a double materiality assessment for the first time, identifying sustainability-related impacts, risks and opportunities. The process was linked to the federation’s risk management and broader strategic processes. As a result, areas such as education and skills development and cybersecurity were added to the list of material topics.
Health: harnessing the scale of football
The DFB’s potential for impact stems primarily from the scale of German football. The federation has more than 8 million members, around 2.3 million of whom regularly play football in clubs.
Health is therefore not treated solely as an issue concerning professional players. Activities target children and young people as well as grassroots and elite sport, covering areas ranging from injury prevention and mental health to Walking Football and approaches to training that take the menstrual cycle into account.
In 2025, 184,136 children took part in activities related to the DFB’s three football badge programmes, while 7,658 people participated in 92 training sessions and events focused on the German football training philosophy.
Another initiative is the “Jahr der Schule” (“Year of Schools”), launched in the 2025/2026 school year, which aims to increase physical activity among children and young people and strengthen cooperation between schools and football clubs.
Community: almost 24,000 clubs and 1.7 million volunteers
The second pillar illustrates the social scale of football. Germany has 23,868 active football clubs, more than 140,000 registered teams, and around 1.45 million amateur football matches are played every year.
What is particularly important, however, is the organisational foundation behind this system. The DFB reports that around 1.7 million people hold voluntary positions or provide voluntary support to clubs.
For this reason, developing amateur football, supporting volunteering and strengthening clubs are treated as part of the federation’s social responsibility.
This area also encompasses diversity, equal opportunities, combating racism and discrimination, safety, and the protection of children and young people. In educational programmes focused on responding to racism, 85% of participants rated the programme very positively, while 74% reported feeling more confident in responding to racist behaviour.
The development of women’s football is another important element. The Frauen im Fußball FF27 strategy includes, among other objectives, increasing the number of female players, coaches and referees, strengthening women’s representation in leadership positions, and increasing the visibility of women’s football.
Governance: from compliance to cybersecurity
The report also demonstrates how broadly the DFB defines responsible governance. Governance covers areas including organisational culture, compliance, relationships with business partners, political advocacy, international cooperation, the integrity of competitions and cybersecurity.
One example is the whistleblowing system, which allows employees and people outside the organisation to anonymously report potential cases of corruption, match-fixing, doping, discrimination, sexual violence or human rights violations.
In its business relationships, potential sponsorship and licensing partners are subject to due diligence procedures as part of the DFB’s compliance system. The DFB also expects its suppliers to respect human rights, ensure safe working conditions and prevent corruption.
In 2025, the federation also expanded its cybersecurity activities, including updates to technical safeguards, rules for the use of IT systems and regular phishing simulations.
The environment as part of a sports organisation’s responsibility
The fourth pillar is the environment, focusing primarily on climate change, resource management and the circular economy. The DFB is committed both to reducing its own environmental footprint and to using the scale and reach of football to promote more responsible behaviour.
This approach is particularly relevant in the context of major sporting events. In December 2025, UEFA awarded Germany the right to host UEFA Women’s EURO 2029. Sustainability was one of the elements of Germany’s “WE’29 – Together We Rise” bid, developed jointly with public authorities, host cities, clubs, regional associations and other stakeholders.
The tournament is therefore intended to be not only a major sporting event, but also a tool for creating long-term impact, including the further development of women’s football in Germany.
From CSR initiatives to impact management
Above all, the DFB’s ESG Factsheet demonstrates a shift in how the responsibility of a sports organisation can be understood. Sustainability is not presented as a collection of individual social or environmental projects, but as an element of strategy, risk management, cooperation with partners and the federation’s day-to-day operations.
It is also important that responsibility is linked to the areas where a sports organisation has the greatest actual impact. In the DFB’s case, this extends beyond its own operations to almost 24,000 clubs, millions of players and members, and an extensive network of volunteers.
This approach can also serve as an important point of reference for other sports federations and organisations. ESG in sport does not have to mean copying solutions developed for the corporate sector. The key is to identify an organisation’s own impact, define its most important areas of responsibility, translate them into measurable actions, and consistently monitor and report progress.
