Meet SEA Partner BASIS
Sports Environment Alliance supports members’ sustainability journeys so they are better equipped to protect the places where we play sport. SEA does this by driving change and providing the sports community with the tools, network, knowledge, and training to secure a clean future.
SEA is proud to do this important work in collaboration with a network of valued partners representing community organisations that care about our clean future; corporations that actively contribute to the clean economy; and others who support, advise, innovate and incubate ideas.
This month, we are pleased to introduce you to our SEA Partner and UK ally, British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS), via a Q&A with BASIS CEO Russell Seymour.
SEA: Russell, in a nutshell, what is BASIS?
Russell Seymour: BASIS is the British Association for Sustainable Sport. Based in the UK, we are the trade association for sports organisations of all sizes and types, and for organisations that service the sport sector, to come together to talk about sustainability issues as they relate to our sector.
SEA: Why is it important for BASIS and SEA to partner on sport and planet matters?
Russell Seymour: BASIS and SEA share a common set of values and goals and can share best practice between some of the best sports clubs and venues in the world. Our countries have a shared history and culture that means we can easily share information.
SEA: What are the key services BASIS offers?
Russell Seymour: For our members in the UK, we provide training, webinars, meetings and events for our members to network, learn and talk. With SEA, we have regular ‘Commonwealth Climate Conversations’ where our members can share best practice across the world and meet with colleagues and friends to broaden our discussions and understanding of sport and sustainability issues.
SEA: How would you describe the current state of the climate crisis and how does this affect sport?
Russell Seymour: The climate crisis is serious. In fact, it is hard to describe just how serious it is in just a few words. One problem is that, for ‘richer’ countries the effects are often limited geographically so, unless you are unlucky enough to be directly affected, we often ignore the impacts that happened ‘yesterday’. But these events are happening more frequently and with a bigger impact. Poorer countries bear the brunt of the impacts at the moment (unfairly as it is the richer countries that have loaded the atmosphere with greenhouse gases), but sport globally will see more disruption and more impacts in the coming months and years.
SEA: How can sport best play a role and use its voice to mitigate climate change and advocate for a cleaner, greener future?
Russell Seymour: The best thing our sector can do is to talk about these issues. We have a very strong and genuine platform to speak from as the sports we love are being affected and will be impacted even more in the future.
Some suggest that we need to get our own house in order before we talk about it, but that isn’t right for many reasons. Firstly and critically, there is no time to wait. We need to take action urgently and the best way sport can do that is to mobilise its participants and fans by talking about the issues.
If you run a venue that takes 30,000 people your biggest impact isn’t just showing those fans what you do on match day, it is to inspire them to take the actions home and to explain to your other fans, who may not come to the venue, what they can be doing. And you don’t have to be perfect yourself to do that. You just need to have a genuine position on climate change, waste, pollution, biodiversity and other sustainability issues.
SEA: What would you say to sports organisations or clubs that are currently starting out on their sustainability journey?
Russell Seymour: Talk about the issues, don’t be scared of taking some criticism (remember that you are doing the right thing), and join SEA to use the network of like-minded sports professionals to understand the best actions you can take.
SEA: Thank you so much, Russell, before we conclude, is there anything else you would like to add?
Russell Seymour: We are proud to have such a strong international link across the globe. All of the countries of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as our Great Britain teams) enjoy great sporting rivalries with Australia and New Zealand (for us, the nation represented often depends on the sport!), but we can cooperate on sustainability issues.
-ENDS-
Organisations interested in joining or partnering with SEA, are encouraged to contact us at seahq@sportsenvironmentalliance.org
