German football giant Borussia Dortmund has described responsibility as an ‘essential part of [its] DNA’ in its 2025/26 Sustainability Statement, the second to be published under European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
The club became the first in Germany to report in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as of September 2025, while one of the main developments highlighted in the report is its adoption of scientifically validated climate targets in accordance with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Elsewhere, the football club reported a ‘world record’ for photovoltaic capacity on its stadium roof, and the certification of its merchandise range under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
‘[Borussia Dortmund] does not turn a blind eye to current geopolitical and social realities – the public and media debate surrounding the concept of ‘sustainability‘ has noticeably lost significance,’ the club said in a statement.
‘At a time when reporting requirements are under political scrutiny, companies are scaling back their ESG communications, and the term itself has become a contentious one, Borussia Dortmund is making a conscious decision: keep going.’
Borussia Dortmund said its sustainability work extends beyond energy and emissions to social responsibility, including its responsibilities towards employees, members and the tens of thousands of fans that show up for matches each week.
‘Role model’
“Anyone who regularly reaches millions of fans and 81,365 people in Germany’s largest stadium serves as a role model, regardless of whether the topic is currently in the spotlight or not,” commented Carsten Cramer, chairman of the executive board at Borussia Dortmund. “Our new report presents our progress and areas for improvement in a very transparent, credible, and comprehensive manner.”
The club added that the core focus of its work is based on the ‘firm conviction’ that responsible conduct and business success should be viewed as mutually reinforcing.
‘Substantial and verifiable progress’
“We are very pleased that being in the second year of our ESRS reporting, we are able to demonstrate not just mere data points, but above all substantial and verifiable progress,” added Marieke Philippi, head of corporate responsibility at Borussia Dortmund.
“For me, it is essential that we also disclose where we still have room for improvement. After all, our overarching goal is clearly defined: to continuously improve and become more efficient in our daily operations at all levels.” Read more here.
