Exclusive: FC Barcelona's Director of Sustainability Jordi Portabella
FC Barcelona isn’t just making history on the pitch—it’s shaping the future of sustainability in sports. Under Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability, the club has embedded eco-conscious innovation into its DNA, from circular economy practices in the Espai Barça project to leveraging blockchain technology for verified plastic recovery.
In this exclusive interview, Portabella shares how Barça is reducing its carbon footprint, revolutionizing stadium construction, and engaging fans in sustainability efforts. With a 50% carbon footprint reduction at Spotify Camp Nou and 1 million kg of plastic recovered through Plastiks, the club is setting new standards for sustainability in sports.
How is Barça leading the way? Let’s find out!
How FC Barcelona is Leading the Future of Sports Sustainability?
Sustainability in sports is no longer a choice—it is a strategic imperative. FC Barcelona is setting a new standard for environmental responsibility, embedding sustainability into every facet of its operations.
With a dedicated Sustainability Department and a cross-functional Sustainability Committee, the club is leveraging circular economy principles, technological innovation, and long-term planning to drive meaningful impact.
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“The current Board of Directors decided to incorporate sustainability as one of the three pillars of the Club’s Strategic Plan for this mandate.” – Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability
A Club-Wide Commitment to Sustainability
FC Barcelona’s sustainability strategy extends beyond isolated initiatives. Instead, it is built into the club’s long-term vision, ensuring that every department is aligned in reducing environmental impact.
- Strategic Leadership: The Sustainability Department reports directly to the club’s president, Joan Laporta, emphasizing its importance in decision-making.
- Interdepartmental Integration: The Sustainability Committee includes representatives from all key departments, including BIHUB (innovation) and IT (technology adoption), ensuring sustainability is supported by cutting-edge solutions.
- Espai Barça Project: Sustainability is a key component of the club’s infrastructure development, applying circular economy principles to minimize waste and optimize resource use.
By integrating verified sustainability efforts through blockchain technology, adopting efficient waste management systems, and prioritizing low-impact construction methods, FC Barcelona is leading the shift toward a more sustainable sports industry.
The renovation of Spotify Camp Nou is a prime example of how the club’s commitment to sustainability is being implemented on a large scale.
Spotify Camp Nou: A Blueprint for Sustainable Stadiums
FC Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou renovation is more than just an infrastructure upgrade—it is a case study in circular economy and sustainable construction.
By prioritizing material reuse, energy efficiency, and carbon footprint reduction, the club is redefining how major sports venues can minimize environmental impact.
“This initiative involved over 120,000 tons of material and reduced the carbon footprint by approximately 50%.” – Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability
The Next Generation of Stadiums: FC Barcelona’s Eco-Friendly Vision
Rather than demolishing and discarding materials from the old structure, FC Barcelona has adopted a zero-waste philosophy, ensuring that waste is transformed into raw material whenever possible, so it can be reused within the new structure.
According to Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability, this approach is not just about reducing waste—it’s about redefining how large-scale infrastructure projects can integrate circular economy principles.
“We approached the renovation with the mindset that nothing should go to waste,” Portabella explains. “Every material that could be reintegrated into the new Spotify Camp Nou was carefully processed and reused, minimizing environmental impact while maintaining structural integrity.”
- “All reinforced concrete from the demolished third stand was reintegrated into the stadium’s new structural framework, filling, and percolation systems,” says Portabella. This drastically reduced the need for new raw materials, cutting emissions and preserving natural resources.
- The same principle applied to metal: Every piece of extracted iron was processed on-site and used in the stadium’s framework. “Rather than sourcing new steel, we repurposed existing iron from demolition, ensuring minimal material waste,” Portabella explains.
- By treating recovered materials on-site at the former Miniestadi grounds, rather than transporting them elsewhere, the project further reduced emissions. “This decision significantly lowered our carbon footprint while maintaining efficiency,” Portabella adds.|
“This is a major step in sustainable stadium construction, setting a precedent for how future projects can be managed with minimal environmental disruption.”
With these circular economy principles in place, FC Barcelona has redefined what it means to build sustainably in the world of sports.
How FC Barcelona is Cutting Carbon Emissions in Stadium Construction?
Beyond material reuse, FC Barcelona is taking direct steps to reduce the carbon footprint of the Spotify Camp Nou renovation through energy-efficient technology and resource-conscious practices.
“Every decision in this project was made with sustainability in mind,” says Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability. “From lighting to water usage and even cement production, our goal is to reduce emissions at every stage.”
One of the most impactful changes is the transition to LED lighting, replacing traditional stadium lights with low-energy systems that consume significantly less power and have a longer lifespan.
Additionally, the club has implemented advanced cement processing techniques, lowering the cooking temperature to cut emissions while maintaining durability.
Water conservation is another priority, with reclaimed water systems reducing the need for potable water in field irrigation and operations. This approach not only preserves vital resources but also enhances long-term sustainability.
By integrating circular economy strategies with emissions-reducing technologies, FC Barcelona is proving that large-scale infrastructure projects can be both innovative and environmentally responsible, setting a new benchmark for sustainable stadium design.
Digital Sustainability: The Plastiks x FC Barcelona Collaboration
In 2023, FC Barcelona partnered with Plastiks, a blockchain-based sustainability platform, to launch an NFT-driven plastic recovery initiative. This collaboration marked a first-of-its-kind project in the sports industry, using digital assets to fund environmental impact while engaging fans in sustainability efforts.
“Through this initiative, fans could actively participate in sustainability by choosing where their plastic credits would be allocated.” – Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability
This initiative demonstrated how blockchain technology can bring transparency and traceability to sustainability efforts, ensuring that environmental commitments are backed by verifiable data rather than vague claims.
How the Plastiks Partnership Worked?
The campaign was designed to merge fan engagement with real-world environmental impact, allowing supporters to take an active role in sustainability.
- NFT Launch & Plastic Recovery Funding: FC Barcelona launched a collection of blockchain-based digital collectibles (NFTs). Each NFT purchased directly contributed to funding plastic waste recovery projects worldwide.
- 1 Million Kilograms of Plastic Recovered: The campaign successfully enabled the removal of 1 million kg of plastic waste, ensuring real, measurable environmental benefits.
- Blockchain-Based Transparency: Every plastic credit was tracked and verified on the blockchain, preventing greenwashing and ensuring complete traceability of the impact forever.
- Fan-Driven Sustainability: Unlike traditional environmental programs, this initiative allowed fans to decide which recovery projects to support, making sustainability a collective and interactive experience.
The Impact of FC Barcelona’s Blockchain Sustainability Initiative
While FC Barcelona’s partnership with Plastiks was a limited-time initiative, it showcased the long-term potential of blockchain in sustainability. Beyond funding plastic recovery, the campaign reinforced the club’s commitment to verified, transparent environmental action.
“The collaboration with Plastiks through digital collectibles has paved the way for other technology-driven projects such as NFTs.” – Jordi Portabella
This initiative set a precedent for integrating blockchain technology into sustainability strategies, ensuring credibility in corporate environmental programs. Since then, FC Barcelona has continued to prioritize transparency in its green initiatives, ensuring that its digital operations and data centers run on renewable energy.
The Road Ahead: FC Barcelona’s Long-Term Sustainability Vision
As FC Barcelona looks to the future, its commitment to sustainability remains as strong as ever. With the foundation laid by the Spotify Camp Nou renovation and the Plastiks partnership, the club is set to continue leading the charge in eco-conscious innovation, both on and off the field.
“Our main priority is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and offset unavoidable emissions.” – Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability
The club’s long-term vision for sustainability is rooted in its fan-first mentality, treating environmental responsibility as a core value that resonates with its global community.
As the saying goes, “Més que un club” (More than a club)—and that’s exactly how Força Barça embraces the role of sustainability: not just as a supporter of football, but as a leader in the fight for a greener planet.
The club’s long-term sustainability vision focuses on four key areas:
- Carbon Neutrality: Expanding renewable energy sources and investing in carbon offset initiatives to significantly reduce emissions.
- Water Conservation: Maximizing the use of reclaimed water for irrigation and stadium operations, reducing reliance on potable water.
- Waste Reduction: Strengthening recycling programs and working toward a zero-waste approach across all facilities.
- Biodiversity Protection: Expanding green spaces and integrating wildlife conservation efforts around club grounds.
As Culés rally behind their team, FC Barcelona is proving that success is measured not just in trophies but in lasting environmental impact. With each initiative, the club is setting the standard for sustainable football, ensuring that its legacy extends far beyond the game.
Força Barça—leading the way to a greener future.
Women Driving Sustainability at FC Barcelona
Sustainability at FC Barcelona isn’t just about infrastructure and technology—it’s also about diversity and leadership. Women are playing a key role in shaping the club’s environmental policies, from strategy and innovation to operations and advocacy.
“Currently, nearly 45% of FC Barcelona’s employees are women. The Club’s Technology Department is led by a woman, and 75% of the Sustainability Department team are women.” – Jordi Portabella, Director of Sustainability
Women Leading Sustainability Efforts
FC Barcelona is fostering a culture where women are leading sustainability initiatives, taking on leadership roles across key departments:
- Technology & Innovation: The club’s Technology Department is led by a woman, ensuring that sustainability-driven digital advancements remain a priority.
- Environmental Strategy: 75% of the Sustainability Department is made up of women, shaping policies that drive circular economy initiatives, carbon reduction strategies, and eco-friendly innovations.
- Role Models in Sports & Sustainability: The club’s women’s football team is a global symbol of excellence, inspiring young athletes and professionals to take leadership roles in both sports and environmental advocacy.
Just as FC Barcelona is setting new standards in eco-conscious stadium development and digital sustainability, it is also demonstrating that true environmental leadership must be diverse and inclusive.
The club’s efforts reflect a broader shift in the sports industry, proving that gender diversity strengthens innovation and drives meaningful change in sustainability. By empowering women in key roles, FC Barcelona is ensuring that its sustainability strategy is not only effective but also forward-thinking and globally impactful.
Setting the Standard for Sustainable Football
FC Barcelona has shown that sustainability and elite sports can go hand in hand. From circular economy initiatives in stadium construction to blockchain-based transparency in plastic recovery, the club is proving that environmental responsibility is no longer optional—it’s essential.
But verified sustainability isn’t just for top clubs. With increasing ESG regulations, sports organizations and businesses must back their claims with data-driven proof.
At Plastiks, we’ve evolved beyond digital collectibles to provide ESG verification services, ensuring that sustainability efforts are transparent, compliant, and measurable. We help football clubs, brands, and businesses:
- Verify ESG reports and sustainability claims, ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.
- Certify sustainability initiatives with blockchain-based proof, bringing credibility to environmental commitments.|
- Showcase traceable impact, helping organizations build trust with stakeholders and fans.
In sports, credibility is everything. The same applies to sustainability. Plastiks now helps clubs and businesses verify their ESG reports, ensure compliance, and bring transparency to sustainability claims.
Let’s make every impact count—book a meeting with our sustainability experts today.