Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Helios Sports Sustainability Partnership (HSSP)
The HSSP is a group of sports industry properties, sponsors, event management companies and other enterprises committed to reducing the environmental impact of their sports industry activities. The program presents a clear roadmap for these entities to implement sustainable practices and achieve carbon neutral operations through a combination of greenhouse gas reductions, carbon offsets and sustainability action plans.
Why is it important for my organization, venue or event to become carbon neutral?
Two reasons:
- The business imperative. As awareness of climate change impact grows, so does consumer demand for products and services whose producers mandate sustainable business practices. This demand extends to corporate partners, shareholders and employees, all of whom, with growing frequency, are making choices based on these distinctions. Achieving carbon neutrality and reducing environmental impact is good business.
- The moral imperative. Manmade greenhouse gas emissions, (particularly carbon output) represent a significant threat to the global environment when the amount produced exceeds the ability of the earth to regulate it naturally. The result is climate change that can have a potentially devastating environmental, economic and humanitarian impact upon the planet.
How does Helios help us achieve this?
Our environmental experts have many years of experience helping organizations implement programs that reduce the impact of a property, venue or event’s operation on the environment. The process begins with an audit of the entity’s carbon footprint and environmental impact, and is followed by an action plan that is created and implemented to reduce this impact. This plan is combined with a carbon offset transaction to address the additional carbon output that cannot be eliminated through the action plan, allowing the entity to achieve carbon neutral status.
Do you perform LEED Certification?
Yes, in conjunction with our partner, this is within our scope of services for sports related infrastructure. We are also incorporating the sustainability standards that have been established for the 2012 London Olympic Games (British Standard 8901) into our service offering and will apply those to sports events and properties. Both LEED and BS-8901 are internationally recognized standards that include carbon neutrality. We have integrated LEED (a facility-based standard) and BS-8901 (an event-based standard) to create a certification process which uniquely incorporates your venue together with the events you are hosting.
What is a carbon offset?
Helios works through carbon offset providers, including the Chicago Climate Exchange. These exchanges have been established to support and fund industries specializing in the generation of renewable energy, as well as other innovative carbon reduction practices and businesses. Individuals or businesses can purchase carbon credits that “offset” their carbon output by funding carbon reduction through the Exchange. The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is also affiliated with the European Climate Exchange (ECX), both of which can be utilized by the prospective partner organization.
How expensive is it to become carbon neutral?
The cost is directly related to the existing size and impact of the enterprise. Ideally, the integration of recycling, energy reduction and other sustainable practices into the organization’s standard operating procedures will eliminate their carbon impact entirely and no incremental cost will be accrued; however, in recognition of the fact that it is not feasible or possible to change certain elements of an operation, the carbon offset option is available to address the gap between what is directly controllable through an action plan and what is not.
In terms of the cost to develop and implement a program, this is also variable and dependent on the size and scope of the operation. Our team scopes the project according to these variables and includes in this scope a strategic marketing and sales plan to deliver a net benefit that is tied directly to the organization’s achievement of carbon neutrality. Within this plan are options to defray the cost of carbon neutrality through Green Value in Kind (GVIK).
What is Green Value in Kind?
Value in Kind, or VIK refers to the common practice in the sports marketing industry of providing value in the form of a product or service in lieu of cash. Sponsors of a sports event often make a portion of their sponsorship fee payment in the form of their product or service (i.e. Coca-Cola provides beverages for the event; an airline provides air travel in exchange for “promotional consideration”). “Green” VIK refers to the option that sponsors have to cover some portion of the cost of the sport’s property’s carbon neutral status or sustainability certification, either in the form of action (i.e. the implementation and execution of a sustainable practice like recycling), or offsets, by contributing a portion of their sponsorship fee to carbon credits on behalf of the sports property. In either case, the contribution of Green VIK establishes a valuable marketing platform for both the sponsor and the property, allowing them to promote their commitment to greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability as a core value of the event, property and sponsor.
What is the HSSP Seal?
The Partnership Seal is a brand mark that immediately communicates to your stakeholders your dedication to achieving the designated environmental standards (carbon neutrality, LEED certification or BS 8901). The seal can be used in standalone format or as a composite brand adjacent to your logo. The rights to use this seal represent a critical component of the strategic marketing and sales plan, intended to drive consumer, sponsor and other stakeholder preference for your enterprise by leveraging your active organizational commitment to sustainable practices.
What is the Partnership Recognition Program?
Once your organization achieves certification, it is essential to promote this achievement to the broadest possible audience, particularly those that make their purchase or sponsorship decisions based on environmental criteria. To that end, the Recognition Program delivers an immediate public relations return by distributing the news release announcement across the very active “green economy” online community. This powerful social network of industry experts, bloggers, activists and consumers is becoming increasingly influential, with the ability to communicate the importance of your commitment across a wide demographic. Your carbon neutral announcement includes a call to action to this network – specifically a link to a designated page on your corporate website that will allow you to further engage a potentially large pool of new customers/consumers and stakeholders.
How do I join the Partnership? What is the next step?
Call us. We will be happy to present the program to you in more detail in the context of an informational meeting. This will help us learn more about your organization, event or venue and come up with a cost-effective plan that will help you achieve this important benchmark.
Contact Helios Partners at 678-904-5397 or e-mail us at hssp@heliospartners.com