Frequently Asked Questions

Sustainable Sport (Scotland) Ltd is based in Livingston, Scotland and was established in response to the core issues facing sporting organisations and to assist by providing insight, support and guidance to organisations who deliver sporting activities for the benefit of others.

Sustainable Sport works with sports organisations of all sizes, from individual sports clubs to National Governing Bodies. We have experience across grass roots sport to major international sporting events, encompassing Local Authority, Culture and Leisure Trust and Charitable sectors.

The duration of an engagement with Sustainable Sport varies depending on the complexity of the project. We work with organisations on both short-term and long-term projects. 

 Carbon Neutral means that the same amount of CO₂ released into the atmosphere is offset or removed by various means.  

Organisations can achieve carbon neutrality by measuring their emissions and then offsetting the balance through carbon capture (e.g. carbon credits) or other means to offset carbon emissions. This does not require an organisation to reduce its emissions.  

Carbon Negative organisations seek to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than they produce. 

Net Zero means that an organisation is no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 

An organisation works to reduce almost all emissions generated and can then utilise carbon capture (e.g. carbon credits) or other means to offset those essentials emissions generated.

Organisations should seek to reduce emissions by a significant margin (i.e. minimum of 75%) with the resulting emissions offset through carbon capture.   

 An organisation can claim to be Carbon Neutral by measuring its emissions and then offsetting the balance through carbon capture, without actually reducing its own emissions. Net Zero compels organisations to more meaningfully reduce emissions (i.e. minimum of 75%). 

Carbon Neutral status only covers direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2), with optional additions of indirect emissions (Scope 3). 

Net Zero must cover direct and indirect emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) alongside the removal of  all greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere, such as methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and other hydrofluorocarbons.

 Scope 1 emissions cover emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly – for example burning fuel in vehicles.

Scope 2 emissions are emissions that an organisation causes indirectly and come from where the energy it purchases and uses is produced. For example, the emissions caused when generating the electricity that is used in office buildings or sports facilities (e.g. floodlights) would fall into this category.

Scope 3 emissions encompasses emissions that are not produced by the organisation itself and are not the result of activities from assets owned or controlled by them, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain. An example of this is when we buy, use and dispose of products from suppliers. Scope 3 emissions include all sources not within the scope 1 and 2 boundaries.