FC Barcelona obtains double Biosphere certification

FC Barcelona has obtained two Biosphere certifications, acknowledgments that verify that both the club and its museum offer goods and services in accordance with a model that is responsible to society and the environment. Sustainability is one of the three core issues of the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, viewed from different spheres: economic and governance, sports, social and environmental. In accordance with this approach, the club is working to promote sustainable development in all its areas of action and to thereby achieve some of the main benchmark certifications in terms of sustainability.

The recognition was made official by the delivery of the two certificates in the box at the Spotify Camp Nou in the run-up to Sunday's match against Girona FC. The event was attended by Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, as well as Jordi Portabella, director of the Sustainability Area, and Jordi Penas, director of the Museum, representing FC Barcelona. They were joined by Eduard Torres, president of the Executive Committee of Turisme de Barcelona, Mònica Roca, president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, and Xavier Marcé, Councillor for Tourism and Creative Industries on Barcelona City Council, who together made the official presentation to the club and museum of the Biosphere certifications.

The club and its museum have been recognised with this certification after reporting a total of 202 indicators -111 from the club and 91 from the museum- related to topics such as climate change, sustainable energy, water, biodiversity, protection and responsible consumption, sustainable infrastructures, sustainable tourist destinations, cultural heritage, economic and inclusive development, health and safety, the promotion of inclusive and quality training, gender equality and female empowerment, the reduction of inequalities and decent work, among others.

Biosphere certification

The Biosphere certification is aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and is granted by the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR), an independent body created in 1995 with the aim of promoting actions and programmes for sustainable development. The ITR was created with the support of UNESCO and is a founding member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), promoted by the United Nations Foundation. Since 2017, Biosphere has been established as the leading global sustainability certification system aligned with the 2030 Agenda, its 169 goals and 17 SDGs.