Dubai: ATP Partners With Sport Impact Summit To Drive Environmental Sustainability In Tennis

The ATP has joined forces with the Sport Impact Summit as its newest Impact Partner, signaling a significant step in the collective effort to utilize sport as a catalyst for environmental sustainability and health. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in the journey toward leveraging the wide-reaching influence of sports to foster a healthier planet.

The Sport Impact Summit is poised to make its inaugural appearance in Dubai this December, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including elite athletes, sports organizations, academics, and members of the green finance community. Set against the backdrop of Atlantis, The Palm, on the 4th and 5th of December 2024, the event aims to galvanize a global audience toward actions that benefit both the planet and personal health.

Under its ATP Serves initiative, initiated in 2020, the ATP has been at the forefront of addressing the environmental implications of professional tennis. The initiative highlights travel, the use of resources, and the importance of advocacy as critical areas of focus, given the extensive travel involved for players competing in over 60 tournaments across 29 countries annually on the ATP Tour.

A standout project launched by the organization is the ATP Carbon Tracker. Developed in cooperation with Infosys, this pioneering app allows players to monitor and minimize their travel emissions throughout the tour. The 2023 ATP Serves Sustainability Report, available for reading, showcases this tool amongst other efforts to encourage environmentally responsible practices among athletes.

Massimo Calvelli, CEO of ATP, expressed enthusiasm about joining the Sport Impact Summit, emphasizing the unique opportunity tennis has to drive positive change globally. "Tennis has a billion global fans and a unique platform to effect change," he noted. The ATP's engagement in the summit is a testament to its commitment to environmental sustainability, bolstering ongoing initiatives and fostering new partnerships.

In a move to support environmental sustainability further, ATP recently donated $100,000 in the names of the top three performers in the 2023 Carbon Tracker standings—Mackenzie McDonald, Ben Shelton, and Cameron Norrie—to environmental causes chosen by the players. An identical sum has been pledged for 2024, underlining the organization's dedication to encouraging eco-friendly practices among its athletes.

Sean Morris, Co-Founder of the Sport Impact Summit, expressed his excitement about the ATP's partnership. "Having a top-tier governing body in our squad with a global audience will help us inspire a billion people to make better choices and create a more sustainable and healthier planet," he said. Morris highlighted the critical role sports organizations play in mobilizing action against the climate crisis, stressing the importance of collective effort.