Sport and Sustainability International

What Sport and Sustainability International does

Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) is an independent, non-political, non-profit association headquartered in Cointrin, Switzerland, founded in 2016. The organization operates globally to accelerate sustainability in and through sport, with a stated goal of building a sustainable and resilient sports sector for 2050 and beyond. It serves three primary segments: sport organizations (federations, leagues, clubs), sustainability professionals and practitioners, and general sustainability advocates, served through a membership-based community platform and a project portfolio structured around EU-funded consortia.

SandSI's core offerings consist of a Connect Platform for peer-to-peer learning, Training & Certification Programs delivered via webinars and educational resources, and a Membership Program providing visibility, networking, and advocacy influence. The organization also participates in a portfolio of EU Erasmus+ funded projects: the RISE Development Platform (social impact assessment aligned with UN SDGs), the CHANGE Educational Program (good governance in sport, with ENGSO), the ZERO Climate Education Course (snowboarding and climate, with the World Snowboard Federation), City Green Go! (eco-friendly urban sport events), and the BOOST Mentoring Programme for emerging sport-for-impact leaders. No proprietary technology platform is disclosed; digital infrastructure consists of project-specific websites and community hubs rather than a unified technology stack, and no AI/ML capability is referenced.

The business model is structured as a registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO). Revenue derives primarily from membership fees and project grants, with the EU Erasmus+ programme functioning as the principal funding source for SandSI's project portfolio. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed, distribution is direct via website enrollment, and there are no disclosed commercial customer logos or enterprise contracts. Leadership comprises President Julia Pallé, Vice President Francisca Garay, Treasurer Philippe Rohner, and Secretary General Orsolya Tolnay, supported by an extensive network of Honorary Founding Members drawn from the global sport sustainability community.

Name

Sport and Sustainability International

Legal name

Sport and Sustainability International

Website

https://sportsustainability.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sport and Sustainability International is a Switzerland-based non-profit that builds a global community of sport sustainability practitioners, delivering membership services, training programs, and EU-funded projects to accelerate sustainability across the sport sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sport Sustainability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Olympic & Multi-Sport Governing Bodies (IOC/IPC, Continental Games Federations) (MPAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Sport sustainability advocacy
• Sustainability community platform
• Sport governance consulting
• UN SDGs sport program
• Green sport consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: SandSI operates as a registered non-profit organization (NPO) and appears to generate revenue through membership fees. The organization provides a platform for members including federations, leagues, clubs, and sustainability advocates, offering tools, training, visibility, and networking as membership benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) is an independent, non-political, non-profit association that builds a global community of sport sustainability practitioners and delivers four interconnected pillars of work: Connect (peer-to-peer learning platform and community of practice for sport & SDGs), Facilitate (training, certification, webinars, and access to a network of expert consultants), Advocate (elevating the sport sustainability community's voice in evidence-based policy-making at EU and UN levels), and Influence (harnessing sport to drive healthier, more sustainable lifestyles). Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees and EU-funded project grants supporting programs such as RISE, CHANGE, ZERO, City Green Go!, and BOOST.

Product overview

Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) operates as a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include: (1) a Connect Platform providing peer-to-peer learning and community building for sport sustainability professionals; (2) Training & Certification Programs with webinars and educational resources; (3) various EU Erasmus+ funded projects including the RISE Development Platform, CHANGE Educational Program, ZERO Climate Education Course, City, Green, Go! Toolkit, and BOOST Mentoring Programme; and (4) a Membership Program providing access to tools, networking, and advocacy influence. These offerings function together to advance SandSI's mission of accelerating sustainability in and through sport worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Connect Platform Collaborative community platform connecting sport sustainability practitioners and professionals through peer-to-peer learning, member exchange sessions, and a Community of Practice for Sport & SDGs. Intended for sport federations, leagues, clubs, and sustainability practitioners seeking real-world sustainability solutions.
• Training & Certification Programs Educational offerings including training and certification programs, sustainability leadership webinars, and learning resources for sport administrators. Designed for sport organizations and sustainability practitioners seeking to build capacity in sport sustainability.
• RISE Development Platform Online platform developed by a consortium of specialized organizations enabling sport organizations to assess needs, access resources, and achieve recognition through the RISE Quality Label aligned with UN SDGs. For sport organizations seeking structured social impact assessment and resource access.
• CHANGE Educational Program Educational program on innovation and change management developed for the European grassroots sport movement, including a card game, workshop methodology, research reports, podcasts, and educational webinars. For European grassroots sport stakeholders seeking governance and integrity training.
• ZERO Climate Education Course Digital education course covering alternative approaches to snowboarding, including digital contests, online education, workshops, training, and climate awareness campaigns for young riders. For grassroots snowboarding stakeholders and young riders seeking climate-focused education.
• City, Green, Go! Toolkit Toolkit for eco-friendly urban sports initiatives, accompanied by a research report on environmental conservation and regeneration in sport events and a best-practice collection. For urban sport organizers and stakeholders seeking tools for eco-friendly grassroots sport events.
• BOOST Mentoring Programme Accelerator and mentoring programme providing personalized guidance to help entry-level professionals design, refine, develop, or strengthen initiatives that use sport as a tool for positive social impact. For emerging leaders and entry-level practitioners in Sport for Social Impact (S4SI).
• Membership Program Global membership network offering access to exclusive tools and training, visibility as a sustainability leader, networking opportunities with global peers, and influence over advocacy and project direction. For sport organizations, federations, leagues, clubs, and individual sustainability professionals.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• World Snowboard FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Led the ZERO project (March 2023 - February 2026) dedicated to fostering innovative practices in grassroots snowboarding and empowering young people to combat climate change. SandSI participated in workshops, training, and awareness campaigns.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022EU Erasmus+ programme funding multiple SandSI projects including ZERO, City Green Go!, BOOST, CHANGE, and RISE, supporting sustainability, climate action, and social impact initiatives in sport.
• ENGSO-European Sports NGOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022ENGSO led the CHANGE project (September 2022 - August 2025), focused on fostering integrity and values in sport through good governance. SandSI sustainability experts reviewed the educational program and provided expert input from a sustainability perspective to support grassroots sport movement.
• SPIN-Sport InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022SPIN-Sport Innovation partnered in the RISE project (June 2022 - December 2024) to develop the RISE Development Platform empowering sport organizations to create positive social impact through the UN SDGs.
• Velcro DevsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Partner consortium member in the RISE project, contributing to development of the RISE Development Platform for organizational assessment and resource access.
• TAKT-Together Advancing Common TrustsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Partner consortium member in the RISE project, working to empower organizations to assess needs and access resources for driving progress.
• Opes ItaliasecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Partner consortium member in the RISE project, contributing to the platform that allows organizations to achieve recognition through the RISE Quality Label.
• Red Deporte SpainsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Partner consortium member in the RISE project, supporting organizations in building impactful Sport for Good programs aligned with UN SDGs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Common Goal: Global movement leveraging football for social good and sustainability, mobilizing athletes and the sport industry. Comparable as a sport-for-impact community platform with sustainability and SDGs orientation.
• Sport Positive: Independent initiative focused on sustainability across sport, producing sport sustainability summaries and rankings. Highly comparable in mission and audience (sport sustainability professionals and federations) though smaller and UK-anchored.
• ENGSO - European Sports NGO: European umbrella NGO for grassroots sport with overlapping governance, sustainability, and good-governance remit. Directly comparable as a European sport-sector advocacy body and an existing SandSI consortium partner (CHANGE project).
• UNFCCC Sport for Climate Action Framework: UN-led framework mobilizing sport organizations to commit to climate action. Comparable as the top-down policy counterpart to SandSI's bottom-up community advocacy model, both targeting sport governing bodies and clubs.

Broad incumbents

• World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI): Global federation representing sporting goods brands with active sustainability agenda. Comparable as a sport-industry sustainability convener, though focused on manufacturers and brands rather than federations and clubs.
• World Sailing - Sustainability Programme: International federation with one of the most advanced sport-sector sustainability agendas (including climate and ocean health). Comparable as an example of an incumbent federation building internal sustainability capability that competes for member attention.
• International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sustainability: The IOC runs a sustainability strategy and integrates ESG across the Olympic Movement. Comparable as the largest sport-sector sustainability authority; SandSI's policy advocacy positions it as an independent complement to IOC-driven initiatives.
• FIFA Foundation: FIFA's social-impact entity funding community and sustainability programmes through sport. Comparable as a large sport-governing-body foundation with overlapping sustainability and social-development mission.

Others

• Erasmus+ Programme (EU): Primary funder of SandSI's project portfolio. Relevant not as a competitor but as the upstream programme that defines SandSI's near-term growth runway and project pipeline.

Regional players

• International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE): Global non-profit advancing coaching standards, with growing sustainability and governance programmes. Comparable as a sport-sector professional association operating in adjacent training/certification domains.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandsi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

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 Sport and Sustainability International