Sustainability at our events
The climate crisis and changes to the environment are global issues that will impact everyone, and tennis is no different.
Whether it be the impact of extreme temperatures on our grass court events, or the risk of flooding that rising sea levels and severe weather pose for tennis venues around the country, it’s vital that we act to secure a sustainable future for all.
In 2022, we published our first ever Environmental Sustainability Plan setting out how we will address sustainability considerations across our own operations and major events, and in our role as national governing body for tennis in Britain, supporting and engaging with everyone involved in tennis in Britain.
Read more about sustainability at the LTA
We are committed to ensuring our major events meet high standards of sustainability, by reducing climate impacts, ensuring we utilise resources efficiently to reduce waste, and consider how we can support the natural environment.
We're leading the way for tennis in Britain, but we want everyone to get involved to collectively protect and support the environment, and take positive climate action.
How can you help?
Everyone can play their part, however big or small. If you’re a fan attending one of our events, you can help by:
- Using public transport to travel to events where possible
- Putting your waste in the right bin
- Choosing a low carbon “eco” option to eat
- Returning your reusable cup after you’ve had a drink
- Bringing your reusable bottle – there are refill points around our event sites
What is the LTA doing?
Find out more about the steps we're taking at our events to help the environment and reduce our carbon footprint:
All of our venues are accessible by public transport, with bicycle parking facilities provided on site at Nottingham and Birmingham, and local cycle stations nearby at the cinch Championships.
Find out more about sustainable transport options on our event pages:
- Lexus Surbiton Trophy
- Rothesay Open Nottingham
- Rothesay Classic Birmingham
- Lexus Ilkley Trophy
- cinch Championships
- Rothesay International Eastbourne
We are also working to reduce our emissions from event-related transport. 2023 saw the introduction of hybrid vehicles into player transport fleets, across all of our summer grass court major events. in 2024, we're going even further, with almost a third of our tournament vehicles now comprising fully electric vehixles thanks to our partnership with Lexus.
HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) fuel is used in all our temporary generators.
HVO is a fossil-free, paraffinic fuel made from 100% renewable raw materials. HVO generates 90% less greenhouse gases, reducing carbon emissions significantly.
- Mixed recycling – across our events, plastics, aluminium cans, paper and cardboard are recycled
- Food waste – where discarded food is collected at the cinch Championships and Rothesay Classic Birmingham, this is sent for anaerobic digestion
- General waste – remaining non-recyclable waste is sent to energy from waste facilities at the cinch Championships, Rothesay Classic Birmingham and Rothesay International Eastbourne
Working with our catering provider, Absolute Taste, we have ensured that sustainable food operations are in place across all of our major events. This includes:
- Reusable cups – to reduce our single use plastic waste
- Local sourcing – food produce maps will be available across our events, showing where produce has been sourced form
- Eco options – low carbon options are due to be available as part of menus across our events, helping fans make a choice that is good for the environment
- Reducing food waste - leftover food will be donated to local charities
To help further reduce single-use plastic, free drinking water refill stations are located around our event sites at the Rothesay Open Nottingham, Rothesay Classic Birmingham, the cinch Championships, and the Rothesay International Eastbourne thanks to our partnerships with BRITA. This partnership is eliminating the use of more than 100,000 single-use bottles across our events this summer.
Attendees are able to bring their own refillable bottles (sealable plastic or metal, not exceeding one litre) on site to use throughout the day, and BRITA bottles will also be available to purchase.
Please see each tournament page for details of where the BRITA refill stations are situated.
Where possible, the design of staff uniform remains the same year on year, to ensure items from the previous year can be reused. All tournament staff are, therefore, encouraged to return their event uniform after each tournament where it can be reused or repurposed.
Plastic bags have been removed from the stringing of all player rackets, across all of our summer tournaments.
Tennis balls used by players are resold across our events, with proceeds going to the LTA Tennis Foundation.
