Soccer ball production goes ‘green’ at UN environmental forum

Most of the world’s soccer ball production will go “green” under the terms of a declaration adopted unanimously this week at a United Nations-sponsored forum on environmental responsibility in the sports industry.

At the Third Global Forum for Sports and Environment organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Sports Alliance (GSA) in Lahore and Sialkot, Pakistan, leaders of the Sialkot sporting goods industry, which produces 60 per cent of the soccer balls used around the world, endorsed the declaration calling for environmental concerns to be taken fully into account.

The leaders pledged to reduce and improve the use of water and energy during production, introduce cleaner technology, reduce the amount of toxic and chemical waste and other pollutants in production facilities and raise environmental awareness and action among company workers.

“Leaders have courageously tackled the issue of child labour in recent years and have committed to continue to improve working and environmental standards in line with the UN Global Compact initiated by Secretary-General Kofi Annan,” UNEP said in a statement, referring to the UN chief’s initiative to promote better business practices in human rights, labour, the environment and the fight against corruption.