the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena announced a multi-year partnership with Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling. Novelis will become the official aluminum recycling and proud sustainability partner on State Farm Arena’s journey to becoming a TRUE zero-waste venue. TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) is a standard set by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body.
Novelis will provide guidance and operational knowledge to organize, sort and recycle aluminum and other materials. The partnership will primarily focus on promoting sustainability, responsible recycling and a circular economy. “Over the past two years, we have made incredible strides toward our goal of becoming the first zero-waste venue in sports and live entertainment,” said Hawks and State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin. “We fully believe that as a leader in sustainability, Novelis is perfectly positioned to advise our leadership, educate our fans and help us accomplish this monumental feat.”
As part of the partnership, State Farm Arena’s most premium suite level will carry the name of ‘The Novelis Sustainable World Veranda Level.’ Each suite will now also educate its guests the importance of sustainability and responsible recycling habits. During the course of the partnership, aluminum cups, canned water and recycling receptacles will be made available in each individual suite. “As the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, we want people to understand the environmental and economic value that comes from recycling their aluminum can, bottle or cup,” said Tom Boney, Executive Vice President and President, Novelis North America. “We are proud to enable the use of more sustainable packaging in State Farm Arena and make recycling more convenient for fans in our hometown of Atlanta.”
Additionally, the Hawks will partner with Novelis on a variety of other initiatives, including hosting an annual, green-centered, joint community service project and a ‘Green Game’ later this season. In addition, during each game, an in-game segment will run called, ‘Recycle and Win presented by Novelis,’ which highlights a fan who responsibly diverts waste from landfills by correctly using the arena’s compost, recycle and trash bins. “Having a partner like Novelis allows us to take our sustainability efforts to another level,” said Hawks and State Farm Arena Director of Sustainability and Operations Sofi Armenakian. “We know that sports can make an impact far beyond the game itself, and it is paramount that we remain true to our community by practicing sustainability.”
The Hawks and State Farm Arena continue to lead the way in sustainable practices for sports and live events venues. Earlier this year, Green Business Certification Inc. announced that Game 4 of the Atlanta Hawks’ first-round playoff series last May against the New York Knicks earned TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification. This delegation marked the first time a sporting event in the world has received TRUE designation for an event. The game was sold out with 16,458 fans in attendance.