The FIFA World Cup 2022™ First Sustainability Progress Report provides an update on the progress made by FIFA, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC in 2019 regarding their five sustainability commitments, including the three related to human rights, diversity and environmental protection, according to a 21st October 2020 post on the official website: https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news.

“We are very glad to provide our stakeholders and the public with an overview of how much we advanced last year with the delivery of the Sustainability Strategy for the next edition of our flagship event. The report reflects our joint commitment to accountability and our drive to contribute to the evolution of best practices in the field of sustainability management in sporting events,” said FIFA’s Head of Sustainability & Environment, Federico Addiechi.

“It’s fantastic to be able to share the progress that Qatar and FIFA have made across the many critical sustainability projects connected to the delivery of the FIFA World Cup. Sustainability remains at the core of our infrastructure and tournament operational planning, and by delivering a fully carbon neutral FIFA World Cup through these various initiatives, we hope to set new standards for sustainable mega event hosting and cement one of Qatar 2022’s most profound legacies,” added the engineer Bodour Al-Meer, SC Sustainability & Environment Senior Manager.

Mahmoud Qutub, the SC’s Workers’ Welfare Executive Director, said: “We are driven by a commitment to ensure the people building our stadiums and venues are treated with the utmost dignity and respect. The health, safety and protection of our workforce have always been at the forefront of our efforts. These workers play an important role in preparing Qatar to welcome the world in 2022 and their welfare is at the heart of the legacy this tournament will leave behind. Tangible changes in worker standards on our projects now serve as benchmarks across Qatar and the region.”

Key achievements of 2019

1. QAR 100 million (USD 27 million) and other contracting parties agreed to pay workers back towards costs illegally charged by intermediary agents during their recruitment and relocation to Qatar. 

2. A total of 220 contractors – and other contracting parties agreed to pay workers back towards costs illegally charged by intermediary agents during their recruitment and relocation to Qatar.

3. Continued implementation of the SC programme to monitor compliance with its Workers’ Welfare Standards across all sites and expansion of the SC’s recruitment fees reimbursement scheme benefitted 16,500 workers on FIFA World Cup 2022 projects and 18,000 workers on other sites

4. 225 Police Commanders and 2,200 Police Officers received human rights and safety training.

5. The Qatari Government passed draft labour reforms:

• Setting a temporary minimum wage

• Removing exit permit requirements

• Allowing workers to change employers 

6. FIFA’s Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System was applied to all 168 FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifying matches in 2019.

7. The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™ was successful in assessing and improving the tournament experience for disabled people and people with limited mobility including enhancements in infrastructure, staff and volunteer training, ticketing procedures, and transportation systems.

8. FIFA’s Tobacco Free Policy, was implemented at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™ to protect the health of thousands of attendees, participants, workers and volunteers from exposure to second-hand smoke. 

9. Generation Amazing celebrated its tenth year, reaching more than 500,000 people across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas since its inception and through its football-for-development programmes. 

10. Al Janoub Stadium became fully operational and achieved its targeted sustainable building certification for design & build (GSAS 4-stars) and exceeded its targeted sustainable construction management certification (GSAS Class A*). 

11. Over 4,000 volunteers were mobilised across 20 events in 2019 building capacity to support future events.

12. An online open course on Sustainability & Major Sport Events, inspired by the FIFA World Cup 2022™ Sustainability Strategy was launched in partnership with the Josoor Institute and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Over 900 people have enrolled across more than 80 countries.

13. The majority of the Doha Metro network became fully operational, which will:

• Reduce road congestion

• Reduce vehicle air and noise pollution

• Connect the stadiums to popular cultural, tourist and business districts.

14. Tamreen - an online educational programme featuring FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™-themed lessons, launched this year, and has been made available to all schools in Qatar. 

15. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ headquarters in Doha became first office tower in the country to receive a sustainable building certification for operations (GSAS Operations Platinum Rating). 

16. The first voluntary carbon-offsetting programme in the region was established and will be one of the mechanisms used to offset unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions related to the tournament.

17. Two chartered cruise ships with a combined capacity of 4,000 cabins were secured and will serve as floating hotels during the tournament. They represent one of several adaptable accommodation solutions in place to address the short term spike in demand for accommodation during the staging of the tournament, while avoiding overdevelopment of sectors that may struggle after the tournament. 

Earlier this year, FIFA, Q22 and the SC published the development process for the FIFA World Cup 2022 Sustainability Strategy. More recently, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has also released the FIFA World Cup 2022 Sustainable Stadiums report.

The organisers will continue reporting on their progress and publish a full Sustainability Report of the tournament in 2023.

ENDS

SOURCE: 

1. https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/

2. First Sustainability Progress Report - FIFA.com