MLS Works Launches Fourth Annual Greener Goals Week

April 12, 2019

MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer’s social responsibility platform, has launched  the fourth annual Greener Goals Week of Service which will continue through Earth Day, April 22. MLS clubs and League office staff will volunteer their time and give back in partnership with local charitable organizations.

For the third consecutive year, all 24 MLS clubs will be wearing special adidas x Parley eco-friendly kits the weekend before Earth Day  (April 19-21). These innovative kits, built with Climalite technology, are made from technical yarns comprised of Parley Ocean Plastic™.

As part of the global adidas x Parley initiative, plastic waste collected on beaches and in coastal communities is transformed into high-performance sportswear. The collaboration between MLS, adidas and Parley for the Oceans also serves to encourage fans to decrease their use of single-use plastics and reinforces the importance of changing human attitude and behavior towards plastic pollution through the Parley AIR Strategy: Avoid. Intercept. Redesign.

MLS WORKS Greener Goals identifies ways to reduce the League’s greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and raises awareness about environmental issues throughout the soccer community. The greening of the game encourages MLS clubs, players, partners and fans to create a cleaner, healthier environment.

MLS has committed to measure, reduce and offset the League’s GHG emissions and promote healthy, sustainable communities throughout the United States and Canada, and areas in need throughout the rest of the world. As part of 2019 efforts, it will be offsetting emissions associated with club travel for the entire regular season including flights, ground transportation and accommodation, totaling approximately 14,500 tons of CO2e.

Last year, it  compensated 5,400 tons of CO2e associated with hotel accommodations, ground transportation, staff, player, executive and MLS guest travel, and stadium operations as part of MLS All-Star Week and MLS Cup in Atlanta, in addition to player travel during the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

MLS is also partnering with South Pole and Sport and Sustainability International to offset its CO2e by investing in high-quality carbon credits issued from the distribution of emissions-reducing, life-improving cookstoves throughout communities in Kenya.

To date, MLS' investment has created tangible, constructive impacts for local communities that were generated by the distribution of 4,407 improved cookstoves in rural communities in Kenya. As of October 2018, the use of these cookstoves are estimated to have positively impacted the lives and well-being of 14,000 women and children.

Major League Soccer is a Founding Supporter of Beyond Sport. This initiative deals with United Nations Global Goals 13-15. Learn more about Beyond Sport’s commitment to the Global Goals here.