Göteborg leads the way – EuroVolley is first to receive sustainability certification

It is now official. EuroVolley in Göteborg is being sustainability certified, making it the first international Volleyball championship ever to receive this quality label. The work is fully in line with the Swedish Volleyball Federation’s ambition to build a sustainable organisation and operation at every level.

“We want to strengthen Volleyball for the long term while also serving as an international role model, showing that it is possible to work sustainably with events and do what we can,” says Lovisa Svensson, who has led the effort within the local Organising Committee. 

The event agreement signed between the Swedish Volleyball Federation and destination company Göteborg & Co made sustainability certification a key part of the plan. The process began in December, when the organising team defined which areas would be covered and which measures were needed and feasible. By July, the assessment and action plan were complete.

During the EuroVolley matches, played at Scandinavium August 21-27, an auditor will review the work in practice. If approved, the event will retain the title of ‘Certified Sustainable Event’.
“We have looked at comparable events, since there is a lot to learn from each other in sustainability work. Many Swedish events have done the same thing, which is not surprising - Sweden is well ahead on sustainability issues, and Göteborg in particular puts a strong focus on this around events like EuroVolley,” says Svensson.

The push for a sustainable EuroVolley comes at a time when sustainability is gaining ever greater weight across the EU. Through the so-called ‘Green Deal’, the union has set a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050, which has, among other things, driven tighter requirements for corporate sustainability efforts.
Although major sports and cultural events are not directly covered by these regulations, the trend is clearly visible across the industry – organisers, partners, and sponsors are increasingly expected to work on sustainability in a structured way.

To align with that shift, the Göteborg LOC partnered with the company Greentime, based in Varberg, to draw on its expertise and tools for sustainable events. Successful events raise awareness among attendees more broadly.

“At a championship this size, it is important to get everyone on board with the sense that what is being done matters and is good. That has to be genuine, and that is where we can educate and support organisers with our system - a certification with real requirements is what makes it serious,” says Greentime founder and CEO Simon Strandvik. “In Sweden we are the most established player in this space, and outside Europe we are starting to see movement too, which is exciting. People are increasingly willing to spend time and money to gather - to see their favourite artists or sports. So the number of events is not going to shrink, quite the opposite. That raises the bar for making sure every visitor feels safe at every kind of event,” says Strandvik.

The sustainability work is built on three pillars – environmental, social, and economic sustainability – with the goal of seeing the whole picture and applying the solutions with the greatest impact. In practice, that means climate-smart transport for visitors, measures to improve gender equality, and ensuring economic balance.
“Attendee travel to and from an event is the elephant in the room. It accounts for roughly 70 percent of an event’s carbon emissions. So one challenge is making bus and train travel better, easier, and cheaper,” says Strandvik

On the transport side during EuroVolley, officials and volunteers get free public transit, alongside a fossil-free shuttle service between the arena and central Göteborg. VR, the event’s official travel partner, offers train travel on 100 percent renewable electricity along with discounted tickets to help reduce the carbon footprint of travelling to the tournament, while Lynk & Co is providing electrified vehicles for transport during the event.

Food has a major impact too, so red meat is excluded from catering for VIP guests and volunteers during EuroVolley, food waste is measured, and surplus food is donated to Stadsmissionen. Only tap water is served, via water stations rather than single-use bottles, and the event is aiming for zero waste, with banner material reused around the city afterward.
“That is also about finding solutions that work both for the environment and for the wallet, which can be a challenge given rising prices for climate-smart, locally produced food.”

The work also includes social sustainability: accessibility initiatives with Passalen at Scandinavium, a quiet zone for visitors who need it, and sign-language interpretation via Göteborg & Co's app. The goal is an even gender balance among volunteers, and the event is inviting para-volleyball athletes and groups from priority areas of Göteborg. A particular focus is on mental health, through the training programme “Hela vägen upp” (“All the Way Up”), in which staff and volunteers are trained in partnership with RF-SISU and BRIS. The goal is for 100 percent of the internal organisation and volunteers over 18 to complete the training before the tournament begins.

Göteborg’s EuroVolley is a first within Volleyball, and it is already drawing international interest. “The project has also gotten a very positive response from the European Volleyball Confederation, CEV, which wants to know more. We were clear from the start that this would happen, and when they later came for a visit, I gave a briefing on how and with what we are working – and what we want to achieve long-term. They were very positive,” says Svensson.

Being first within Volleyball is an important milestone, though it was not what drove the organising team’s decision. “It is not a competition – it is something we are all doing with a shared goal, for everyone on this planet.”  Swedish Volleyball already has its own sustainability policy, which aligns closely with the EuroVolley project. “The idea is for this to help the whole sport grow and build on it, both here in Sweden and internationally. Beyond thinking sustainably about events, clubs can also get involved – for example, by using their balls a little longer, or by borrowing or renting equipment instead of buying new,” says Svensson.

Fact box: Greentime and the certification

Greentime was founded in 2014 and helps major sports and cultural events across Sweden become more sustainable. The company works with a digital tool that gives organisers a structured framework for building sustainable events, along with inspiration, clear guidance for sustainable choices, and a certification tied to the tool. Greentime also offers courses, training, and guidance for organisations looking to transition.
The tool is based on the UN’s Agenda 2030 and covers environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Organisers determine which areas to include, compile their sustainability work, and develop an action plan. During the event, an auditor reviews how the plan is carried out in practice. If the review is approved, the event keeps the title “Certified Sustainable Event”. 
Past clients and projects include Gothia Cup 2026, the 2023 Men’s Handball World Championship, Eurovision, and a range of other major sports and cultural events. The company won the 2019 Environmental Award (“Årets Miljöpris”) from EMC Sweden, and its digital sustainability tool has reached a large number of organisations across the events industry. Supporting organisations include Håll Sverige Rent, Pantamera, Sponsrings & Eventsverige, and Svenskt Vatten.