Race to Net Zero with England Netball

We joined England Netball at their Commonwealth Games base in Birmingham to run one of our fun, sustainable team building events ‘Race to Net Zero’.

12 members of their operations team participated in the eco-themed challenge where they worked together in designated teams, completing tasks to reduce their carbon footprint with the aim to reach Net Zero.

The game began with each team starting with their collective yearly carbon footprint as their total and every task represented a certain reduction in tonnes of carbon that would be deducted from their total if they won the task. The winner being the team who got their total down to zero.  

Practical tasks included a number of team building games, as well as the rewarding element of creating sustainable mini gardens which will go to Warwick hospital wellbeing garden and making recycled newspaper plant pots to propagate plant cuttings for our future living walls.

Educational tasks included a sustainability quiz and sustainability bingo, followed by an action planning task to collectively come up with ways England Netball can be more sustainable going forward. 

This particular task resonated as England Netball recently published their ten year strategy (2021-2031) as they begin their journey to become more consciously sustainable and state they want to “Empower our people and partners to prioritise sustainability and nurture a healthy planet, maintaining mindfulness about the footprints we leave on every step of our journey”.   

We thank Head of Operations, Naomi Defroand, Business Support Manager, Ian Poynton and everybody at England Netball for their support. All funds received from this event will go towards our work at NHS gardens, to improve individuals mental health and wellbeing and boost biodiversity.

“It was perfect with a great mixture of activities. I particularly enjoyed planting the mini gardens knowing they would go somewhere where they’d be enjoyed, it was rewarding to give back”

“It was enjoyable meeting new colleagues, the teamwork and competition side of the day was fun and learning more about Forest of Hearts initiatives was inspiring”.

“We’ve learned how to be more sustainable and the impact we have on the environment”