LONGi continues its commitment to sustainability in tennis as sponsor of the Laver Cup 2024 in Berlin – pv magazine Germany

20 September 2024 LONGi Solar Technology GmbH

As the solar and hydrogen partner of the ATP Tour, LONGi is supporting the seventh edition of the Laver Cup in Berlin, which will take place from September 20 to 22, 2024. The company wants to once again draw attention to the great importance of sustainability in sport and especially in tennis. Global sporting events cause around one percent of total emissions.

Long-time Wimbledon and French Open winner Carlos Alcaraz will join Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev and Germany’s Alexander Zverev under the leadership of Bjorn Borg for Team Europe to bring the trophy back on home soil. Team World will consist of captain John McEnroe and his team with Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and others looking to defend the Laver Cup title.

The Laver Cup is a unique tennis tournament. Roger Federer initiated the tournament to honor the Australian tennis legend Rod Laver. At the Laver Cup, six of the world’s best tennis players from Europe compete against six of their colleagues from the rest of the world in a three-day, intense team competition.

The Laver Cup has been an official part of the ATP Tour since 2019 and will be shown live on free TV on Eurosport. The broadcaster has secured the rights for the Cup until 2030 and will show all matches in full on all three days. LONGi promotes sustainability measures in sport through sponsorship as part of its GET (Green Energy Tours) initiative.

The ATP Tour and LONGi are working together to promote greater sustainability in the world of sport

Since LONGi became a sponsoring partner of the ATP in 2023, the tournament has made great strides in its sustainability commitment. In July 2024, the ATP published its first Sustainability Report. It provides impressively detailed insights into the organizer’s ongoing measures and implemented initiatives to reduce the impact of its own actions on the climate. Highlights include the development of the ATP Carbon Tracker app, the ATP’s 2030 and 2024 emissions targets as part of the UN Sports for Climate Action, and fan-focused initiatives to raise awareness.

Ali Salman, ESG Manager at LONGi Solar DG in Europe, commented on the sponsorship: “Decarbonising sporting events is an important challenge and responsibility as it accounts for around one percent of global emissions.” The main sources of emissions are travel and transport, energy consumption, construction work and waste disposal. However, it is important to note that most emissions fall into Scope 3. This includes all indirect emissions from sources that a company does not own or control. At sporting events, they often quickly account for 90% of the total carbon footprint. As LONGi and the ATP aim to make sporting events more sustainable, we welcome the introduction of an ATP sustainability report and the associated measures. This is a significant step towards a green future in tennis.”

As part of its sponsorship of the ATP, LONGi is also focusing on the “Plan GET” initiative, or “Green Energy Tours” for short, which aims to promote the importance of sustainability and the decarbonization of sport. Plan GET specifically aims to create a green, low-emission lifestyle in sport by integrating clean energy solutions into tennis tournaments and encouraging fans and participants alike to contribute to protecting the environment.

Tennis already severely affected by the climate crisis

The impact of climate change on tennis is already being felt. Globally rising temperatures, increasingly frequent heatwaves and unpredictable weather events are making it difficult to maintain consistent playing conditions. The Australian Open has experienced extreme heat on several occasions in the past, with players collapsing due to the high temperatures. In recent years, temperatures have risen to over 40°C, pushing players to the limit and raising concerns about player safety.

In response to the growing climate crisis, tennis must not only adapt but also lead the way in reducing its environmental impact. Tournaments must take a comprehensive approach to sustainability, from reducing energy use and waste to rethinking the way fans, athletes and officials travel to events.

LONGi’s commitment to sustainability has been recognized by several international organizations

LONGi has outlined its sustainable development strategy and commitments in its recent Climate Report 2023 The company has not only joined climate initiatives such as RE100, EP100, EV100 and SBTi, but has also developed the sustainable concept “Solar for Solar”, which aims to produce solar products using solar energy. The electricity required in the production process is to be generated using its own solar systems in order to make the entire production process climate-neutral. In addition, LONGi promotes the construction of “zero carbon factories”, factories that significantly reduce carbon emissions in the production process through the use of renewable energy, energy saving measures and exhaust gas recovery.

LONGi has been awarded the title of “Sustainable Disclosure Standards Pioneer Partner” by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The company also received a Silver rating for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from EcoVadis and was given a “B” rating for climate change and water security by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in 2023. LONGi has also ranked first in the Institute of Public and Environmental (IPE) Corporate Action Transparency Index (CATI) for three consecutive years, achieving an industry-leading standard.

These achievements are not only a recognition of LONGi’s actions in the field of sustainable development. They also encourage continuous efforts to promote innovation in green energy technologies and help achieve global goals on climate neutrality and decarbonization.