What Think Beyond does

Think Beyond is a London-headquartered social impact and sustainability consultancy operating exclusively in the sport and entertainment sector. Founded in 2014 as part of the Benchmark group established by Nick Keller, the firm employs 11–50 staff across offices in London (HQ), New York, and Lausanne, serving global brands (Bloomberg, ESPN, SAP, Unilever/Rexona, The North Face, Audible, Subway), sport rights holders and governing bodies (Liverpool FC, The FA, Premier League, SailGP, Euroleague Basketball, World Athletics, World Sailing, NFL UK), federations and athletes (Michael Johnson, Billie Jean King Foundation, 11th Hour Racing).

The company's offering is organised around four advisory service lines — Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory, Sustainable Organisations, Impactful Programmes, and Inspiring Communications — supported by a proprietary digital product, the Carbon Calculator, which packages a sport-specific carbon methodology aligned to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework into tiered subscriptions (£600/year Basic, £3,100/year Self-Service, Full Service price-on-request). Underlying intellectual property includes the Purpose Performance Model, the SROI Framework, and proprietary Impact League leaderboard systems (e.g., SailGP's Impact League, LIV Golf's Impact Leaderboard).

Think Beyond generates revenue primarily through professional services engagements sold directly to enterprise clients by senior partners and directors, with the Carbon Calculator introducing a smaller recurring-revenue stream. The firm is privately held within the Benchmark group, has not raised external institutional capital, and is part of an ecosystem alongside the Sport Industry Group, Beyond Sport, and NSE that drives referral flow and industry access.

Name

Think Beyond

Legal name

Think Beyond

Website

https://thinkbeyond.consulting

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Think Beyond is a London-headquartered consultancy advising global brands, sport rights holders, federations, and athletes on purpose-led sponsorship, sustainability strategy, social impact programmes, and sport-specific carbon measurement via its proprietary Carbon Calculator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Consulting for Sport and Entertainment

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications (MPAAADAL), ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL), Supply Chain (Scope 3) Emissions & Supplier Engagement Platforms (EUABAEAE), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Sustainability consulting
• Social impact advisory
• Sponsorship strategy
• Carbon footprinting
• Sport purpose consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Think Beyond generates revenue through professional consulting engagements across its service lines: Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory, Sustainable Organisations, Impactful Programmes, Inspiring Communications, and Carbon Calculator. Engagements are structured as projects with clients including brands, rights holders, governing bodies, and international federations. Revenue is project-based and likely follows a retainer or statement of work model typical of professional services firms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Think Beyond is a social impact and sustainability consultancy operating in and through sport and entertainment. It delivers advisory services across four service lines — Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory, Sustainable Organisations, Impactful Programmes, and Inspiring Communications — and supports them with a proprietary sport-specific Carbon Calculator for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

Product overview

Think Beyond is a social impact and sustainability consultancy operating in sport and entertainment. Their offering consists of advisory service lines (Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory, Sustainable Organisations, Impactful Programmes, Inspiring Communications) supported by a proprietary digital tool, the Carbon Calculator, which includes the Carbon Methodology framework. The Carbon Calculator is a sport-specific emissions measurement tool aligned to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework, offered in Basic, Self-Service, and Full Service tiers. These offerings work together to help sports organisations and brands design purpose-led strategies, measure and reduce environmental impact, and deliver social value.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory Advisory service helping brands and rights holders design more effective sponsorship strategies, platforms, and evaluation approaches that deliver positive impact and strengthen commercial performance. Includes sponsorship strategy, portfolio review, property identification, asset development, purpose platform development, and measurement frameworks.
• Sustainable Organisations Embedding sustainability into teams, leagues, venues, and events through comprehensive sustainability plans and management systems. Includes strategy creation, roadmap development, ISO management systems, carbon emissions measurement, climate action plans, operational plans, partnerships integration, and sustainability reporting.
• Impactful Programmes Developing and implementing purpose-driven strategies and initiatives that drive community change and unlock brand value. Includes social impact strategy, programme implementation and delivery, education programmes, impact frameworks, social return on investment, major event evaluation, and legacy strategy.
• Inspiring Communications Crafting compelling narratives of impact, driving widespread behaviour change and championing the transformative role of sport and entertainment. Includes impact reporting, narrative and messaging creation, and brand positioning.
• Carbon Calculator A digital tool that generates accurate, sport-specific emissions data, allowing organisations to input their activities and instantly see their carbon footprint. Trusted by major sports organisations including World Athletics, Liverpool FC, The FA, and LIV Golf.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% participant return rate for Bloomberg Square Mile Relay
• +12 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• The FAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Think Beyond has worked with The FA since 2022 to implement its Playing for the Future sustainability strategy, including climate action, resources and biodiversity, and scaling impact throughout the football ecosystem. Support includes carbon inventory, decarbonisation plans, climate risk assessment, supply chain management, and sustainable event management (ISO 20121).
• Rexona (Unilever)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In partnership with Beyond Sport and Edelman, Think Beyond designed and delivered the Breaking Limits Programme for Rexona to dismantle barriers to physical activity for young people aged 12-24. Expanded from 3 countries in 2021 to 8 countries by 2023, reaching 5,106 coaches and 43 NGOs. Recognised by Laureus Sport for Good Index 2022 and 2023.
• The North FacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Think Beyond helped create The North Face Explore Fund Council in 2021 and launched the Allyship in the Outdoors online course in November 2023. The course has been taken by 10,000+ users from 565 organisations across 81 countries, with 82% reporting increased understanding of allyship.
• SailGPflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Think Beyond has served as SailGP's lead purpose and impact partner since 2018, developing the Better Sport Better Planet sustainability strategy, climate transition plan, carbon plan, and the Impact League (sport's first podium for the planet). Think Beyond also supported SailGP in achieving world-first climate-positive status and UN Sport for Climate Action Framework membership.
• Euroleague BasketballcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Think Beyond developed the One Team programme for Euroleague Basketball since 2012, using basketball to integrate communities across Europe. All 42 clubs from Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7 DAYS EuroCup now use One Team, engaging 19,000+ participants in 14 countries. Think Beyond also provides strategic communications support including the Table Talk mental health documentary series.
• BloombergflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Think Beyond partnered with Bloomberg from 2007 to conceptualise and deliver the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay, a global corporate running race expanded to 13 cities across 11 countries with 15,000+ annual participants. Think Beyond also developed The Extra Mile social responsibility programme for Bloomberg, which has donated over $4 million to local charities. The partnership is ongoing and described as Bloomberg's biggest client engagement programme.
• Liverpool FCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond developed Liverpool FC's The Red Way sustainability strategy, embedding environmental, social, and economic sustainability across all club operations. Supported the club in becoming the first Premier League club certified to ISO 20121, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001. Also supported publication of the club's first sustainability report.
• NFL UK / NFL UK FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond created NFL UK Foundation's social impact strategy and national grant programme focused on tackling inequality among youth in underserved London communities. Secured £1 million Mayor of London funding partnership and designed the Youth Advisory Board. The programme distributes grants, equipment, and NFL Flag football training to community organisations.
• ESPNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond partnered with ESPN to develop a comprehensive ESG strategy aligned with ESPN's citizenship pillars, focusing on Access to Sports and Leadership through Sports. Led to construction of safe sports spaces in 15+ cities across 5 continents benefiting 25,000+ young people. Also supported the Return to Play Fund in partnership with Beyond Sport, focusing on Black and Brown youth in the US.
• Michael JohnsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond designed and delivered the Michael Johnson Young Leaders programme for 3+ years — a purpose-led youth leadership initiative spanning sporting performance, leadership development, and community engagement. Active in 20+ countries across 6 continents. Think Beyond managed brand strategy, communications, recruitment, curriculum development, and alumni programme.
• Billie Jean King Foundation / ESPNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond project-managed the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award (BJKYLA) for over 5 years in partnership with ESPN and the Billie Jean King Foundation. The award celebrates youth using sport for social change, supporting 58 young leaders with $250K+ donated to nonprofits/scholarships.
• Audible UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond developed Audible UK's 'Raising Voices' social impact strategy using a Theory of Change process. The strategy spans three pillars — UNLOCK (grantee programme), UPSKILL (Storytellers Academy), and UNLEASH (100 Voices podcast series). Supported 6,073 young people through grants and achieved 52% employee participation in 2022.
• SubwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond built Subway's 'Fresh Moves' EMEA sponsorship strategy focused on encouraging communities to move more by supporting newer sports. Identified GB Basketball, Breaking GB, and Skateboarding GB as initial partnerships. Led negotiations and manages activation including events reaching 240,000+ people.
• Contexis Insight (Cambridge University)supportingTechnology or IntegrationThink Beyond partnered with Contexis Insight, backed by Cambridge University, to quantify outcomes of the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay. Contexis provides data proving the race's effectiveness in shifting perception, deepening trust, and increasing alignment with Bloomberg's brand values.
• Kuehne+Nagel (SailGP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSailGP partnered with Kuehne+Nagel for logistics, which eliminated air freight and reduced freight emissions by 83% in Season 3 compared to Season 2 through sea transportation and low-carbon routes.
• ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP TeamsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP Team won Season 3 of the Impact League with sustainability campaigns including the Beneath the Surface content series attracting 25+ million views. ROCKWOOL's title partnership centres on sustainability strategy activation.
• SAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond developed a comprehensive CSR sport strategy for SAP integrating sponsorship, product, and social responsibility departments. The strategy encompassed all global markets and outlined how SAP could have meaningful impact on young people using its brand, products, and resources.
• Chance to ShinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond created Chance to Shine's Life Skills curriculum — a suite of 11 educational resources empowering coaches to deliver themed Street cricket sessions blended with life skills development covering resilience, online safety, global citizenship, and community cohesion.
• 11th Hour Racing TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink Beyond created a digital-first, interactive impact report for 11th Hour Racing Team's 4-year climate-positive campaign. The report contributed to the team being awarded World Sailing's 2023 Team of the Year and showcased leadership in sustainability for ocean health.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Two Circles: Data-driven sports marketing and sponsorship consultancy working with leagues, brands, and rights holders. Highly comparable to Think Beyond's Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory and Inspiring Communications offerings, particularly around measuring sponsorship effectiveness.
• Octagon: Global sport sponsorship and consulting agency serving brands, rights holders, and athletes. Directly comparable to Think Beyond's sport-focused sponsorship advisory and purpose-led partnership design (a Think Beyond Director, Ariel Krieger, is a former Octagon executive).
• The Sports Consultancy: Independent sport-sector advisory firm working with federations, leagues, and brands on strategy, commercial, and sustainability matters. Closely comparable in size and sport-specialist positioning to Think Beyond.
• Sport Positive: Sport-specific sustainability rankings and consultancy (operator of the Sport Positive League in which Think Beyond-supported clients like Liverpool FC rank). Directly comparable as a sport-sustainability specialist, though focused on benchmarking rather than full-service advisory.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Global communications firm with a dedicated Sport & Sponsorship practice and a sustainability/ESG practice. Co-partnered with Think Beyond on Rexona's Breaking Limits Programme and overlaps with the Inspiring Communications offering.
• Wasserman: Global sport marketing and talent management agency with consulting capabilities for brands and rights holders. Comparable to Think Beyond's sponsorship advisory work, though at much larger scale and broader scope beyond social impact.
• IMG: Global sports and entertainment management company offering strategy, events, and sponsorship advisory to federations, leagues, and brands. Overlaps with Think Beyond's Commercial & Sponsorship Advisory and Impactful Programmes offerings at greater scale.
• KPMG: Big-4 professional services firm with established sport practice and large global ESG/sustainability advisory. Directly competing for sport sustainability and impact mandates; Think Beyond consultants Aarushi Asawa has Big-4 (KPMG/EY) background, signalling active talent flows between these players.

Emerging players

• Futerra: Sustainability communications and behaviour-change agency working with consumer brands. Directly comparable to Think Beyond's Inspiring Communications offering; Senior Consultant Peter Speight was previously at Futerra, indicating active talent overlap.
• Common Goal: Sport-for-good collective leveraging football for social impact, working with players, brands, and federations. Comparable to Think Beyond's Impactful Programmes offering for athlete-led social impact strategy, though more membership/network-driven than consultancy-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WeThinkBeyond

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Think Beyond