Background
Using the momentum the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 created, international sport organizations are increasingly reflecting upon their role in ensuring sustainable development. Sustainable development, as defined by the Agenda 2030, presents a development in which the present generation can fulfill its needs without jeopardising future generations to do the same. However, in the international sport context, which is unique in many aspects, it is still underinvestigated how exactly the organisational change process towards sustainable development should be addressed from a strategic perspective. This study, therefore, aimed to build consensus around the strategic priorities for sustainable development.
Design and findings
The authors engaged 29 international sport experts in a three-round Delphi study. In the first round, experts were asked to answer questions in an interview, followed by two rounds of questionnaires based on their thoughts from the first round. The process resulted in the top twenty items representing strategic actions for sustainable development. The highest-ranked item was prioritizing sustainability throughout all organizational strategies and actions. Planned efforts that are part of a long-term strategy and embedding sustainability requirements at the bidding phase of sport events were considered with high priority. Experts did not focus on managerial tools and sustainability standards, indicating gaps of strategic consideration.
Implications
The findings are relevant for policy-makers and managers in international sport organizations and can be used to guide organizational transformations. The most important message is to focus on the organizational core, mission and vision statements to include sustainability and make efforts planned and embedded in the strategy rather than focusing on one-off and sporadic activities.
About the study
Contact
Chair of Sport and Health Management
Prof. Dr. Jörg Königstorfer
Secretary: Mirjam Merz
Uptown Munich Campus D
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 Munich Germany
Phone: +49.89.289.24559
Fax: +49.89.289.24642
info.mgt@sg.tum.de