Borussia Dortmund publish sustainability statement for 2025/2026 | OneFootball

After becoming the first German professional football club to report in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in September 2025, BVB is using its second ESRS-based report to reinforce its strategic ambition of continuously advancing its professional, long-standing ESG management and gradually embedding it as a cross-functional responsibility throughout the entire organization.

In doing so, BVB is not turning a blind eye to the current geopolitical and social reality: the public and media debate surrounding the term “sustainability” has noticeably lost importance. At a time when reporting obligations are politically up for debate, companies are scaling back their ESG communication, and the term itself has become a trigger word, Borussia Dortmund is making a conscious decision: to keep going.

“As an important X-ray view into our own company, the sustainability statement is of great importance to us. In times like these, the easiest thing would be to take our foot off the gas. The debate around sustainability has lost volume and support — we take note of that without letting it distract us. At Borussia Dortmund, responsibility is not a campaign that can be switched on and off depending on the mood, but an essential part of our DNA. Anyone who regularly reaches millions of fans and 81,365 people in Germany’s largest stadium has a role-model function, regardless of whether the topic is currently in vogue or not. The new report presents our progress and areas for improvement in a very transparent, credible, and comprehensive way,” explains Carsten Cramer, Managing Director of Borussia Dortmund.

The core of this work remains rooted in the firm conviction that responsible action and business success are not opposites, but mutually dependent. This statement once again serves as proof that this strategic approach is gradually making BVB more resource-efficient and resilient.

“We are very pleased that, in the second year of our ESRS reporting as well, we are able to demonstrate not just mere data points, but above all substantial and verifiable progress. For me, this also necessarily includes disclosing where we have not yet reached our goals. Because our overarching objective is clearly defined: to become continuously better and more efficient in our daily actions at every level,” explains Marieke Philippi, Head of Corporate Responsibility at BVB.

At the same time, a central principle of all activities remains the outside perspective. For Borussia Dortmund, the perspective of stakeholders is and remains a genuine source of insight. In this context, the social dimension of responsibility is a key pillar for BVB — as an employer, in its corporate culture, and in questions of equal opportunity.

“In public perception, sustainability is often reduced to issues such as energy and emissions. For us, however, it begins above all with responsibility for the people who carry this club every day. Ongoing dialogue and engagement with our employees, fans, and members ultimately determine whether we will be successful in the long term. Our new sustainability statement clearly and concisely shows that we take our commitment seriously along concrete goals and measures and will continue to embed it more firmly within the company with the help of professional structures,” adds BVB Managing Director Svenja Schlenker.

These activities also include, above all, the tireless fight against antisemitism, racism, and all forms of discrimination. All of this remains an unwavering part of BVB’s identity. Through “Borussia connects,” the club has been pursuing this path for more than ten years — with conviction, dedication, and the self-imposed commitment to back up its words with actions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.