Vegan and carbon neutral football club Forest Green Rovers has teamed up with leading search and digital marketing agency Go Up for a “green partnership”.
As the club’s Official Training Ground Partner, Go Up will benefit from hospitality and advertising as part of the commercial rights package. However, above all else, this is a partnership of shared values that will help shape the future direction of the agency, the two companies said.
Go Up pledges an even stronger commitment to green business growth and sustainable development off the back of this unique, purpose-driven sponsorship.
Forest Green Rovers FC, based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, is widely recognised as the world’s greenest football club thanks to the numerous changes already made by chairman Dale Vince.
These include introducing the first organic football pitch at its New Lawn Stadium, creating football shirts made from recycled plastic and ground coffee, and a commitment to veganism within the club.
The team’s latest partnership will be the catalyst for Go Up’s two new business manifestos — a Green Manifesto and a Happiness Manifesto.
These feature initiatives regarding sustainability and wellbeing that have been designed to inspire new values and behaviours perfectly aligned with those of Forest Green Rovers.
Go Up vows to make positive impacts that support the club’s sustainable mission and reinforce their commitment to ethical business practice and diversity.
In addition to this, Go Up will be offering digital marketing and SEO expertise to the Forest Green Rovers community and fans who are keen to develop digital skills for the future.
According to the Learning and Work Institute, fewer than 50% of British employers believe young people are leaving full-time education with adequate digital skills.
Thus, Go Up said it is delighted to do its bit to close this skills gap and pass on invaluable knowledge — especially considering that Forest Green is renowned for its close relationship with young people.
Celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, Go Up is forging a new focus for the future — “doing good work with good people, for good people”. As part of the agency’s new green roadmap, the company intends to add a roster of new global green and social impact clients.
Go Up’s chief executive Ed Coram James said: “It’s been an incredible 10 years, but we are even more excited about developing Go Up in a new purposeful direction for the next decade, including our mission for B corp certification. Our partnership with Forest Green Rovers will not only inspire our behaviour, but also provides a significant ignition point for us to commence a clear strategy for good, green, sustainable business impact”.
Henry Staelens, chief executive at Forest Green Rovers, said: “This partnership has all the credentials we look for at FGR – Go Up are on a sustainability journey as a business, are fun to work with, and bring lots of energy. Couple that with the fact their name is perfect for our training facility, and it’s great to have them on board.”
