AS Monaco x Kappa shop signs up for Government’s Responsible Trader certification

On Friday 10 June, the prestigious AS Monaco x Kappa shop signed up to the Government’s Responsible Trader® certification, in the presence of Ms Valérie Davenet, Director of the Department of the Environment, Mr Tyson Henly, Chief Commercial Officer for AS Monaco, and Mr Laurent Loutz, Retail Manager for Kappa, who runs the AS Monaco shop. This signature is a real highlight for the Principality, coming several days after World Environment Day (5 June).

At the instigation of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the environment and sustainable development are Monaco’s top priority policies. With this in mind, the Department of the Environment and the association Ecoscience Provence introduced the Responsible Trader® and Responsible Restaurant® certifications in 2017. These certifications offer support to the country’s businesses and consumers as they move towards more sustainable consumption. Today, there are around 100 certified eco-friendly businesses in the Principality.

By joining the scheme, AS Monaco will gain access to tailored support to help it improve its approach to environmental issues, and commits to implementing at least one new eco-friendly practice per year in its shop. Through this certification, AS Monaco and Kappa will work together with the Department of the Environment to raise awareness about environmental challenges among Monaco fans.

The AS Monaco x Kappa shop has already put in place some eco-friendly practices, which are helping to reduce its use of non-recyclable plastic packaging, gradually replacing it with recycled and recyclable materials. It also prioritises the manufacturing of its products in Europe to limit the carbon impact of transporting goods from Asia.

Beyond its official shop, AS Monaco has committed to protecting the environment and is stepping up its initiatives across all of its sites to reduce its use of plastic, and limit its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, preferring alternative energy sources and the use of recycled materials. The club also actively sorts and recycles waste and has introduced a sustainable food policy. Finally, fans of the club have also been included in this effort, through the opportunity that the club offers them to car share when travelling to the stadium (via the specially developed MuneGo app) and the use of reusable cups in the refreshment areas at the Louis II Stadium.

The Responsible Trader® and Responsible Restaurant® schemes were first launched in the Principality in 2017 by the Department of the Environment and Ecoscience Provence.

For more information, see: https://en.service-public-entreprises.gouv.mc/Networks-and-publications/Labels-and-certifications/Responsible-trading/How-to-obtain-the-Responsible-Trading-certification

Main eco-friendly initiatives introduced by AS Monaco:

• Reducing its use of plastic (e.g. plastic bottles have been replaced by flasks in offices and at the Academy, single-use plastic has been eliminated in VIP areas on match days and reusable cups have been introduced for the general public in the refreshment areas)

• Limiting its energy consumption (e.g. offices have been equipped with LED lights and automatic light switches with motion sensors)

• Limiting its greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. fleet of hybrid and electric vehicles, launch of car sharing app for fans)

• Developing alternative energy sources (e.g. solar panels at the training centre to make it self-sufficient in producing hot water)

• Sorting waste (recycling and composting at the various sites, raising awareness among employees and young people at the Academy)

• Introducing a sustainable food policy (e.g. eco-friendly commitment charter for suppliers, use of local, organic and seasonal products, efforts to tackle waste, creation of a vegetable garden at the Performance Centre)