Cardiff Rugby Launches Evidence-Based Strategy With RSK 2026

Key Points

• Cardiff Rugby has launched its sustainability strategy named Forward Cardiff: From Pitch to Planet on 3 September 2026.
• RSK Group with its sustainability consultancy Nature Positive has worked alongside the club in formulating this evidence-based strategy.
• The strategy is divided into three main pillars that include climate, nature, and people.
• The supporters have made a promise to save 177,196 kg of CO₂e via the club’s Pledgeball collaboration for one Derby game in December 2025.
• Over 80% of all waste generated at Cardiff Arms Park is now being recycled, whereas 90% of all tickets are issued digitally.
• The club’s community program engages over 80,000 people every year by visiting 382 schools and 84 grassroots clubs from five local authorities.
• Managing Director of Cardiff Rugby, Jamie Muir, says that sustainability has been firmly ingrained into the day-to-day workings of the club.
• Jenny Hughes from Nature Positive said that the strategy forms the basis of Cardiff Rugby becoming a sustainable sports leader.

Cardiff Rugby (Wales Times) September 30, 2026- From Pitch to Planet, with support from RSK and its environmental consultancy, Nature Positive. The Welsh Rugby Union club says the plan will place climate, nature and people at the centre of how it operates at uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Arms Park and across its community work.

As reported by sports/cardiff-rugby/">Cardiff Rugby, RSK the club’s principal front-of-shirt sponsor helped translate the organisation’s sustainability priorities into measurable action by working with Nature Positive to establish the data and governance required for a long-term programme.

The strategy takes what the club describes as a holistic approach, incorporating climate-, nature- and people-focused actions into its operations. It is intended to cover the full relationship between the club, the natural environment and society, rather than focusing solely on carbon emissions.

What Does the New Strategy Cover?

The launch comes as Cardiff Rugby marks its 150th anniversary. Managing Director Jamie Muir said the strategy is about “legacy” and ensuring the next chapter for both the club and the city is a positive one.

“Our strategy is ultimately about legacy and ensuring the next chapter for both our club and our city is a positive one,” Muir said, according to the club’s announcement.

Muir added that sustainability is “not a stand-alone initiative” and said it runs through every part of the club, including rugby operations, community work and supporter engagement.

What Has Cardiff Rugby Already Achieved?

Cardiff Rugby says it has already delivered several measures at Cardiff Arms Park and beyond. According to the club, these include water fountains and refill stations intended to reduce reliance on single-use plastics, alongside recycling and digital-ticketing measures.

The club also says that more than 80% of waste collected at Cardiff Arms Park is recycled and that 90% of ticketing is now digital, reducing paper use and changing the match-day experience.

Its playing kit, produced with Macron, uses Eco Fabric, which Cardiff Rugby says is made from 100% recycled post-consumer plastic.

How Are Supporters Involved?

Supporters have been directly involved through the club’s partnership with Pledgeball. Cardiff Rugby says fans pledged 177,196 kg of CO₂e savings for a single derby fixture in December 2025.

The club has not provided a detailed breakdown of how those pledges were calculated or verified in the announcement. However, it presents the figure as evidence of supporter participation in its environmental agenda.

What Community Work Supports the Strategy?

Cardiff Rugby says its community programmes reach more than 80,000 people annually through 382 schools and 84 grassroots clubs in five local authorities. The programmes deliver education, mentoring, health and inclusion initiatives across the region.

Muir said the club’s Foundation already delivers “a huge amount” of positive work in communities, while recent partnerships with the National Trust, Keep Wales Tidy and Pugh’s Garden Village have supported environmental projects.

What Did the Consultants Say?

Jenny Hughes, Associate Director at Nature Positive, said the strategy was developed through an evidence-led process. As quoted by Cardiff Rugby, she said it began with a review of existing activities and policies, followed by interviews and workshops with the club to identify, prioritise and shape actions.

Hughes said:

“The new strategy represents a milestone in Cardiff Rugby achieving its sustainability ambitions and a recognition of what it can impact on this journey. The strategy builds on a strong foundation of sustainability action.”

She also said Cardiff Rugby had “laid the groundwork to become a leader in sustainable sport”, adding that meaningful change was possible through action and partnership.

What Are the Three Core Themes?

The strategy is organised around three themes: climate, nature and people. Hughes said the structure reflects the breadth of sustainability touchpoints across the club’s operations.

“Sustainability is about the club’s whole relationship with the natural world and society,” Hughes said.

“It encompasses every drink at a game, every post-match meal and every grass pitch played on; it is looking beyond carbon and across the whole value chain.”

What Happens Next for Cardiff Rugby?

Cardiff Rugby says there is “still a huge amount more” it wants to achieve. Muir said the club intends to build on the momentum created by the launch, use its influence and bring people together to support a “greener, cleaner and healthier future”.

The club says RSK, Nature Positive and Copper Consultancy have been integral to its sustainability journey, supporting the development and implementation of its ambitions.

Background to the Development

Cardiff Rugby launched Forward Cardiff: From Pitch to Planet on 3 September 2026. The strategy was developed with RSK, a global environmental and engineering solutions provider, and Nature Positive, an RSK Group company specialising in sustainability consultancy. RSK is also Cardiff Rugby’s principal front-of-shirt sponsor.

The announcement follows earlier activity by the club, including its Pledgeball supporter campaign, stadium recycling and refill infrastructure, digital ticketing, recycled-material kit production and community programmes across schools and grassroots clubs. The club presented these measures as the foundation for the new strategy.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Fans and the Local Community?

For Cardiff Rugby supporters, the strategy could lead to more visible sustainability measures on match days, including continued use of refill stations, digital ticketing, recycling facilities and recycled-material merchandise. Fans may also be encouraged to take part in future Pledgeball-style campaigns linked to fixtures.

For local schools, grassroots clubs and community groups, the club’s focus on people could sustain or expand programmes in education, mentoring, health and inclusion. The strategy’s links with organisations such as the National Trust and Keep Wales Tidy suggest further local environmental projects may be developed.

For the wider Welsh rugby sector, Cardiff Rugby’s evidence-led approach may encourage other clubs to measure their environmental impact and formalise sustainability governance. The practical effect will depend on whether the club publishes measurable targets, progress reports and independent verification of future outcomes.