Roannais Foot 42, a driving force in the Loire for ecology

In the Loire region, Roannais Foot 42 is a particularly exemplary club when it comes to ecology. Already very committed to social issues, the club has gradually added to its approach by setting up actions to take care of the Planet.

Since its creation in 2006, Roannais Foot 42 has rapidly become much more than just a soccer club. The result of the merger of three clubs and bringing together some fifty communes, it plays a real role as a driving force in its area. With its motto "Training the Men of Tomorrow", the club's commitment extends far beyond the field of play.

Every year, the club organizes collections of equipment, shoes and clothing in aid of the Telethon. It also makes its members aware of important issues such as road safety and respect within the club via the "Code Bleu", a set of internal rules. Numerous charitable initiatives reinforce this commitment, such as participation in the Pink October campaign and the fight against cystic fibrosis.

Since being supported by Football Ecologie France during the 2022-2023 season, the club has made ecology a key focus of its development. It all began with a Football Ecology Fresco workshop with the board of directors, enabling the beginnings of a coherent environmental strategy to be imagined. Several concrete actions were then put in place:

• Promotion of carpooling and acquisition of two minibuses to limit the carbon footprint of travel.

• Setting up an "anti-waste brigade" during a tournament, and deploying sorting garbage cans on the club's facilities.

• Deposit system for containers and butt collection in partnership with the city.

• Raising awareness among young players at events such as the Christmas Tournament and the Ascension Tournament, where the association hosted a #TousEcoSupporters stand and the most ecologically involved team received an award.

• Second-hand furniture to fit out the new clubhouse, recovered through a specialized platform that donates furniture often used only once at major trade fairs.

The young ASSE players were awarded the trophy for the most committed team at the 2024 Tournament.

Roannais Foot 42 has no intention of stopping there, and aims to further strengthen its environmental commitment. Working alongside Football Ecologie France, several projects are already underway. This 2024-2025 season marks a real acceleration in the club's commitment to the environment:

• Transformation of a training session for the 60 U15s into a Programme Educatif Fédéral (PEF) session dedicated to the environment.

• Launch of Eco-Supporters passports with 40 of the club's U11 players in February, with great success. An awards ceremony will be held on May 29 during the club's end-of-year tournament. The 40 youngsters will be presented with prizes from the partners who have supported the passports' educational project.

• Organization of an international eco-friendly tournament. A U13 "green brigade" will be on hand to educate the public about waste sorting and prevent waste from ending up in the environment. At the same time, Football Ecologie France will be running a #TousEcoSupporters stand and hosting the awards ceremony.

For next season and beyond, the club plans to :

• Install eco-friendly showerheads to reduce water consumption

• Work with Valorise to install new sorting bins

• Train its teams in the organization of eco-responsible sporting events, to offer more environmentally-friendly tournaments.

February 2025, 40 young U11s discover their Eco Supporters Passports

Despite internal changes, Roannais Foot 42 has managed to integrate ecology into its day-to-day operations. Its ambition to become a local benchmark for eco-responsibility is well underway, and is already inspiring other clubs.

A fine example of how to reconcile sporting commitment and respect for the environment! If you'd like to find out more about their approach, or if you'd like support in setting up similar initiatives, don't hesitate to contact the Football Ecologie France teams!