Oxford United ESG Strategy Takes Them To Top Of The League

• Oxford United Football Club puts long‑term sustainability vision at the heart of its new ground
• Ridge and Oxford United Football Club win ESG Award at the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2024
• The state‑of‑the‑art stadium will be the first major ‘all electric’ football stadium in the UK

Oxford United Football Club’s new stadium design plans scooped the ESG Strategy Award last week at the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2024.

The new stadium’s design, created by built environment consultancy, Ridge, in partnership with the football club, was recognised with the award highlighting its commitment to embedding ESG at the heart of its decision making and future plans for the club.

Ridge accepted the accolade at the prestigious Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards gala dinner last Thursday night hosted at the Royal Lancaster in London. The annual ceremony rewards the best construction companies, collaborations and projects across London and the South East.

The ESG award celebrates social, economic and environmental sustainability and is given to organisations and projects that demonstrate the greatest commitment to upholding these standards.

Supported by Ridge, the club has set out plans to deliver a state‑of‑the‑art stadium with a net zero approach and a strong focus on the impact on its local community.

It is implementing a low‑carbon strategy for the operations of the club, incorporating a sustainability framework into the design, construction and operation of the first major all‑electric football stadium and becoming a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.

By joining the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, the club has underlined its dedication to playing its part to ensure the sports sector achieves a low‑carbon future. The club is committed to halving its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2040.

Its ESG commitment spans further than environmental factors and has a true focus on the non‑match day community. Examples of this include:

• The club has launched the Dreaming Spires, a community project which aims to bring improvements to Oxfordshire through initiatives, such as mental health support programmes and work experience support for young people.
• Ridge has delivered a social value programme which included work experience days and support with interviews with young people in Oxfordshire.
• Establishing an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion panel to break down the barriers to attending football matches.
• The club’s location truly considers the impact of transport with strong sustainable links to the club location, as well as actively assessing the impact on the local community.
• A space with an increased level of biodiversity which not only retains on‑site habitats but will provide new and improved spaces.

Jonathan Clarke, Development Director at Oxford United Football Club, said: “Ridge has an exceptional track record of delivering best‑in‑class developments. The team understands our ambition to build a sustainable sports, entertainment and lifestyle landmark that the whole of Oxfordshire can be proud of and that delivers widespread benefits to our community and environment.

“Ridge is an invaluable part of our project team and we’re proud to have been recognised by receiving such a prestigious award. We look forward to bringing these ambitious plans to fruition.”

The club will use a low‑carbon energy supply to create an all‑electric stadium, with power also generated by solar panels. In line with its net zero strategy the proposed 16,000 capacity stadium, will not use any high carbon intensity fossil fuels such as gas. Renewable energy sources, including 3000m² of solar panels on the roof, along with energy efficiency measures will achieve radical carbon emission reductions.

Paul Robertson, Project Lead at Ridge, said: “Oxford United is an ambitious club, committed to becoming the leading sustainable club in the English Football League. To work with a client that puts the non‑match day community at the heart of its stadium is a really exciting opportunity. This is a development in the heart of Oxfordshire first, and a stadium second.

“We have been able to help turn the club’s aspirations into reality through the stadium design, and also to develop a plan for future operations which will complement the new stadium. To have won an award at this stage is a testament to this.”