Building Bridges. Moving People. Protecting the Environment. – The FCA Sustainability Strategy
"Building bridges. Moving people. Protecting the environment." – under this claim, FC Augsburg bundles its diverse commitment for a sustainable society. The essential guiding principle for action is sustainability in all its dimensions – ecological, economic, and social – along with the two main areas of impact: "Sustainability in football" and "Sustainability through football". The club develops projects to harness the unifying power of football and to build bridges – from the club into society. Derived from the guiding principles combined with the corporate vision and mission, and with reference to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the sustainability strategy is continuously evolving and gradually takes a holistic view of the topic.
Our Vision:
We take responsibility in our home region, build bridges, and act together for a sustainable and potential-promoting society: Building bridges. Moving people. Protecting the environment.
Our Approach to Sustainability:
The focus is on two main areas: "Sustainability in football" and "Sustainability through football". This means: We take responsibility, reduce our residual footprint, and consistently increase our positive, future-oriented handprint to encourage positive developments. We see our commitment as an opportunity, not just as an obligation. Through various approaches to promotion of physical activity, education, social cohesion, and environmental protection, we strengthen identification with the club, impact, and relevance.
Responsible corporate governance:
In our mission statement, we consciously strive for sporting and entrepreneurial excellence that earns recognition both within the world of football and beyond the pitch. Yet our focus is not only on strengthening the things necessary for success. A down-to-earth, forward-looking management approach that reflects FCA’s identity, together with continuous organisational development, forms the foundation for our ongoing progress. We are also firmly committed to shaping a responsible future – one that integrates the dimensions of economy, society and ecology into everything we do.
Focus areas and key initiatives:
- Ongoing establishment and development of the sustainability strategy,
- coordination of cross-cutting topics and improvement of data management
- Publication of the progress report, including updates on progress towards sustainability goals
- Organisational development and commitment to being a responsible employer
- Involving the FCA family in club affairs through dialogue formats
- Building value-based partnerships with regional stakeholders and sponsors, integrating
- "Brückenbauer" into our partner network
- Holistic youth development
- Promoting women’s and girls’ football at FCA
Environmental and climate protection:
We are firmly committed to our corporate responsibility for environmentally sustainable business practices. This includes identifying, systematically improving and reducing our own ecological footprint. Our goal is to continuously enhance our environmental performance while ensuring full compliance with environmental regulations.
Building on this foundation and using our wide reach, we aim to be an authentic role model and driving force for sustainable development. Through education and awareness initiatives, we want to inspire and engage the FCA family to adopt environmentally and climate-friendly behaviours. Our environmental strategy provides the framework for this, taking a holistic approach with clear priorities and defined objectives.
Focus areas and key initiatives:
- Environmental management in accordance with EMAS
- Greenhouse gas management with an annual carbon footprint assessment, improved data management and identification of reduction potential
- "Green Week" initiative including themed matchday and tree-planting campaign in the FCA Forest
- Measures for water protection and awareness
- Promotion of sustainable mobility
- Responsibility in supply chains, product range and waste management
- Optimisation of energy management and resource use
Moving and education:
As a sports club, it is a core principle of FC Augsburg to encourage exercise and sport, especially among young people. Through physical activity, children and teenagers develop social skills, build self-confidence and experience a sense of community. At the same time, it supports their overall personal development. Under the motto “FCA bewegt” (FCA moves), we offer year-round programmes to get young people exercising.
By harnessing the fun and enjoyment of exercise and sport, we build a bridge to engaging educational opportunities in distinctive learning environments. These are designed to help young people think and act with the future in mind, while understanding how their own actions affect the world around them. These learning environments include the FCA Ball School – which is expanded through an additional focus on reading – as well as the “Bildungsarena Zirbelnuss” directly at the WWK ARENA.
Focus areas and key initiatives:
- Promoting physical activity through the FCA Ball School, including components that promote reading
- Promoting physical activity through FCA Football School camp formats
- "Bildungsarena Zirbelnuss"
Social commitment:
As a club deeply rooted in the city and region, it is important to us to bring people together and promote a tolerant and diverse society that fosters potential. In doing so, we help to break down barriers and strengthen social cohesion. We aim to create a football experience that is open and accessible to everyone.
We also actively support a living culture of remembrance, ensuring that history is never forgotten and that the crimes of National Socialism can never be repeated. Building on this, we take a clear stance for diversity and against all forms of discrimination. Every day, we work to bring our 07 values to life – on the pitch and beyond.
Focus areas and key initiatives:
- “Cups for a Good Cause”
- FCA Christmas Wishes
- Welcoming first-year pupils
- FCA remembrance work
- Diversity and anti-discrimination
Our “Brückenbauer”:
With the “Brückenbauer”, we have established a new partnership model focused on sustainability and joint project work. The “Brückenbauer” take responsibility in the city and region of Augsburg, contribute to developments, and serve as role models in society. In addition to the uniform involvement of all partners in individual sustainability projects, each company also focuses on a specific key topic.
