Ichigo Bloom is thrilled to announce our partnership with Sport For Smile! We’re incredibly excited to bring the Climate Fresk workshop to professional football, rugby, and basketball clubs across Japan.
Press Release
Tokyo, Japan – January 31st, 2025 – Sport For Smile, Japan’s first community dedicated to changing society through the power of sports, and Ichigo Bloom, a collective of sustainability workshop facilitators, today announced a partnership to support professional sports clubs in their efforts to address climate change.
Through Sport For Smile’s Planet League and its flagship “Elite Program,” the two organizations will collaboratively support professional sports clubs committed to advanced sustainability practices aligned with global standards.
The Elite Program targets clubs in the top professional leagues, recognizing their significant influence on fans and their potential to drive meaningful change. The program aligns with the “Sports for Climate Action Framework,” an initiative launched by the UNFCCC and the IOC at COP24 to promote climate action within the sports sector.
As part of the partnership, Ichigo Bloom will provide a limited number of complimentary Climate Fresk workshops to the “Elite Eight” clubs, a select group of teams demonstrating leadership in sustainability. The Climate Fresk is a globally recognized workshop that has engaged over 2 million people in understanding the science behind climate change and exploring solutions for a sustainable future. By equipping teams with the knowledge and tools to become agents of change, this initiative aims to drive tangible progress in addressing climate change within the sports community.
Comments
Stéfan Le Dû, Lead Coordinator of Ichigo Bloom: “We are thrilled to partner with Sport For Smile to bring the Climate Fresk workshop to Japan’s professional sports community. Just like sports, the Climate Fresk emphasizes teamwork as participants work together to unravel the complex puzzle of climate change. By connecting scientific understanding of the environment with activities that people enjoy, like sports and art, we believe we can inspire positive change.”
Mie Kajikawa, Representative Director of Sport For Smile: “We are deeply grateful for Ichigo Bloom’s support. Climate change can be a difficult issue to grasp due to its complexity. We believe that the Climate Fresk workshop, with its engaging and active learning approach, will empower the sports community to take meaningful action on climate change in Japan.”
About the Elite Program
The “Elite Program” prioritizes clubs that have signed the UN’s “Sports for Climate Action Framework” new standards and have measured their carbon footprint. The program is open to all clubs in the top professional leagues and aims to support a select group of leading teams in their sustainability efforts. Currently, eight clubs from basketball, soccer, and rugby leagues are participating in the program. | More information about Sport For Smile Elite Program
About the Sports for Climate Action Framework
Launched at COP24 in December 2018, the “Sports for Climate Action Framework” is an initiative by the UNFCCC and the IOC to unite the global sports community in addressing climate change. As of COP26, over 280 sports organizations, including international federations like FIFA and FIBA, and top professional clubs like the Golden State Warriors and Arsenal, have signed the framework. The framework includes commitments to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
About Sport For Smile Planet League
Launched in 2021, the Sport For Smile Planet League is a project dedicated to promoting climate action within the Japanese sports sector. The league provides information, resources, and networking opportunities to professional sports clubs committed to addressing climate change and other environmental issues. Sport For Smile is a founding member of “Sport and Sustainability International,” a leading global initiative promoting sustainability in sports. | More about Sport For Smile Planet League
About Sport For Smile
Sport For Smile is Japan’s first platform dedicated to changing society through the power of sports. With a mission to “bring sports to those furthest from it,” the organization collaborates with the UN, the World Bank, and other organizations to promote the social impact of sports. Sport For Smile’s initiatives include the Planet League and the “Sports Mentoring” program, which supports children who have experienced domestic violence. | Official website
About Ichigo Bloom
Ichigo Bloom is a group of communicators and educators dedicated to providing engaging workshops on sustainability. The organization offers workshops on various environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity, and plastic pollution, to corporations, municipalities, organizations, and universities across Japan. Ichigo Bloom’s workshops are based on the latest global environmental science and utilize interactive and playful formats to encourage active participation. | Official website
Contact
- Sport For Smile Planet League Secretariat: [email protected]
- Ichigo Bloom: [email protected]
Ichigo Bloom offers climate and biodiversity collaborative workshops such as the Climate Fresk and the Biodiversity Collage, to raise awareness and ignite change within organizations in Japan.
