ESG in Sport Through the Example of Warta Poznań. Summary of the Webinar with Jarosław Żubka

The fifth webinar of the CSR Academy in Sport is now behind us. During the meeting, participants discussed how sports organisations can build ESG strategies and implement environmental initiatives in practice. The guest speaker was Jarosław Żubka – an expert specialising in strategy, sports marketing, and ESG implementation in sports organisations.

The webinar focused primarily on the experience of Warta Poznań – a club that in recent years has become one of the most recognisable examples of ESG implementation in Polish sport. Participants had the opportunity to see how a sustainable development strategy was built step by step and why ESG can become a real development tool for sports organisations.

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ESG as Part of a Club’s Strategy

One of the key topics of the webinar was the strategic approach to the development of sports organisations. Jarosław Żubka emphasised that ESG should not be treated as a one-off project or purely an image-building activity, but rather as an element of long-term organisational planning.

In the case of Warta Poznań, the starting point was the club’s identity – its history, symbolism, and the “green” narrative associated with the club. On this foundation, environmental activities and communication strategies were developed. This led to the creation of a development plan, an environmental policy, and eventually a full ESG strategy.

The speaker highlighted that effective ESG activities require a clearly defined direction, consistency, organisation-wide engagement, and above all, long-term thinking.

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Inspiration and Benchmarking

A significant part of the webinar was dedicated to analysing international sports clubs that inspired Warta Poznań’s activities. Examples included Forest Green Rovers, Real Betis, and VfL Wolfsburg. Jarosław Żubka stressed that benchmarks should not serve as ready-made solutions to copy, but rather as sources of inspiration and good practices that can be adapted to the specific character and capabilities of each organisation.

A particularly interesting example was Forest Green Rovers – often described as “the greenest football club in the world” – which has implemented electric transport, emission-reduction solutions, and environmentally responsible infrastructure management.

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From Environmental Policy to ESG Strategy

The speaker also demonstrated that sports organisations do not need to begin with a comprehensive ESG strategy. Warta Poznań started with an environmental policy and specific environmental projects that allowed the organisation to test solutions and build experience.

The initiatives included:
• the “100 Goals – 100 Trees” campaign,
• the “Aleja Warciarzy” project,
• the Green Apiary initiative,
• educational activities for children and youth,
• cooperation with partners on environmental projects.

These activities had not only an environmental dimension, but also educational and social value. They also enabled the club to expand its communication beyond traditional sports media.

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Organisational Audit and Diagnosis

An important part of the process was conducting an environmental audit, which helped identify where the club had a real environmental impact.

As Jarosław Żubka explained, only by understanding its own impact can an organisation build an effective ESG strategy. In the case of Warta Poznań, the biggest challenges included:
• stadium infrastructure,
• transport and logistics,
• the day-to-day functioning of the academy,
• travel by players and supporters.

The webinar showed that many sports organisations influence the environment to a much greater extent than they initially realise, and that even seemingly small actions can have a meaningful long-term impact.

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Partners and Cooperation

Another important topic was the role of business partners in developing ESG activities. The speaker pointed out that many sports organisations lack sufficient resources to independently implement extensive environmental strategies. This is why building cooperation with partners who possess the right expertise and experience is so important.

In the case of Warta Poznań, partners supported both the development of the strategy and the implementation of specific environmental initiatives.

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ESG as a Competitive Advantage

One of the most important conclusions of the webinar was that ESG can become a genuine competitive advantage for sports organisations. Jarosław Żubka noted that through a consistently implemented strategy, Warta Poznań began to be perceived as a club “with character” – an organisation with a strong identity and values extending beyond sporting results alone.

ESG activities helped the club to:
• build stronger relationships with partners,
• reach new target groups,
• increase brand recognition,
• engage the local community,
• create new opportunities for business and educational cooperation.

The speaker also emphasised that the responsibility of sports organisations does not end with environmental initiatives. ESG also includes social issues, governance, stakeholder relations, and the overall way the organisation operates.

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CSR Academy in Sport

The CSR Academy in Sport is a series of nine online meetings featuring practitioners from the sports industry. Each webinar provides practical examples, experiences, and recommendations that participants can implement in their own organisations.

Next week, participants will meet with another speaker – Agata Chlastawa.

There are still four webinars ahead, and it is still possible to join the programme. Sign up now!

If you were unable to attend the webinar, you can catch up by watching the full recording. A complete transcript is also available, allowing you to revisit the key conclusions and recommendations at any time.

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