Sustainability is becoming a defining priority for the sports and events industry, with organizations increasingly seeking innovative solutions that deliver measurable environmental and operational outcomes. Developed in collaboration with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Green Incubator Challenge demonstrates how structured innovation and cross-sector collaboration can help identify, evaluate, and scale promising sustainability initiatives. This report explores the evolving sustainability landscape, the Challenge’s evaluation approach, and the innovative solutions that have the potential to shape the future of sustainable sports and events.
Sustainability in focus
83%
Increase in sustainability investment across the Middle East.
5
Innovative sustainability solutions evaluated.
79 kg CO₂e
Estimated emissions reduction achieved by the winning solution.
Report highlights
The sustainability landscape
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a strategic priority across the sports and events industry. Organizations are moving beyond compliance-driven initiatives and seeking solutions that deliver measurable environmental, operational, and long-term business value.
The industry challenge
Despite growing investment in sustainability, many organizations continue to face challenges in translating ambition into measurable outcomes. Capability gaps, governance requirements, and difficulties assessing scalability often hinder progress from strategy to execution.
The Green Incubator Challenge
Developed in collaboration with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Green Incubator Challenge was designed to identify, evaluate, and accelerate innovative sustainability solutions. Deloitte developed a structured evaluation framework to assess solutions based on feasibility, scalability, governance considerations, and potential impact.
Innovation in action
The Challenge showcased five innovative solutions addressing key sustainability priorities, including waste reduction, sustainable materials, resource efficiency, water generation, and AI-enabled sustainability monitoring.
Delivering measurable impact
The winning solution demonstrated the potential for measurable environmental benefits, including an estimated reduction of 79 kg CO₂e through sustainable packaging innovation, highlighting how practical solutions can contribute to broader sustainability objectives.
The future of sports and events
As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, collaboration between industry leaders, innovators, and ecosystem partners will play an important role in accelerating sustainable transformation across sports and events.
