Nick Keller On The Unofficial Partner Podcast

This week, Sport Industry Group founder and chairperson Nick Keller appeared on leading sports business podcast Unofficial Partner for the second time.

Speaking to host Richard Gillis during episode 355, the pair discussed how the rise of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has already changed the sport industry and will continue to affect it in the years to come.

From shifting spending in sport sponsorship to impacting supply changes, Keller’s overriding point is that the trend for increasing importance placed on ESG is only heading in one direction.

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe in it or don’t believe in it. There’s enough policy coming down the pipeline, there’s enough pressure coming through, there’s enough regulation coming through, that you’re going to have to do it anyway.”

“As a result, organisations operating in the space may as well get buttoned up on these issues ahead of time and take advantage of being ‘first movers’ within their sport or sector.

“Furthermore, given the profile of sport, these issues should also be thought of as a matter of risk mitigation and attractiveness to investment, as well as the more obvious benefit of improving the world around us.”

Keller went on to highlight the baby steps that Sport Industry Group has taken to encouraging progress in this area, as highlighted by the changing face of the FEVO Sport Industry Awards and the new additions to the judging criteria for 2024.

“My view that the Sport Industry Group is a platform for change and unless we are being bold and helping the industry through the awards as much as we can, then maybe we are culpable ourselves.

“Last year we, what we said that sustainability isn’t part of criteria, but next year it will be. So, we gave a lot of notice on it. What we’re asking people to do is actually look at the campaign they’ve run and just measure or do that discovery piece of work. And we’re asking, ‘Did you mitigate?’

“We held a workshop here earlier this year and 40 people turned up to it. So, I think people are leaning in. We noticed a lot of people are already doing it from last year.

“At the end of the day, I think we’re still at a stage where creativity, strategic planning, the execution of the work, client satisfaction, return on investment, is still fundamental.

“Now, if two pieces of work are identical and one has done that sustainability piece of work, I know which one will probably win.”