The Philadelphia Eagles have announced that biopolymer and polypropylene producer Braskem will join the organization as a partner in recycling. Braskem enters into a nine-year sustainability-focused partnership with the Eagles, building on the team’s long-standing commitment to environmental and community development programs.
The partnership includes the development of a closed-loop recycling program for bottle caps and other plastic products and an online education platform for 30 Philadelphia-area county schools to teach students about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) career opportunities to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.
“Braskem is a global sustainability leader that places a high value on renewable solutions, community development, and education,” says Don Smolenski, Philadelphia Eagles President. “We are excited to tap into Braskem’s expertise to enhance our Go Green program. In addition, we look forward to supporting Braskem’s commitment to STEM education and being a part of creating a STEM curriculum that will serve to inspire and motivate students throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.”
“The Philadelphia Eagles have been a leader in sustainability, not only in Philadelphia, but throughout professional sports,” says Mark Nikolich, CEO Braskem America. “We are excited about this new partnership to launch a closed-loop recycling program at Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the World Champion Philadelphia Eagles. We also look forward to collecting and recycling bottle caps at schools in the region through our ‘cap-etition,’ which will provide an even greater impact for the program by educating the public about the benefits of recycling.”
As partners in sustainability, the Eagles and Braskem will work closely on developing and fostering eco-friendly solutions for communities throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. Unique to this new partnership will be the utilization of recycled bottle caps that Braskem will collect at Lincoln Financial Field and the NovaCare Complex, the team’s practice facility. The collection and recycling process will be highlighted at an interactive fan zone located on Lincoln Financial Field’s HeadHouse Plaza.
Through this new integrated partnership, Lincoln Financial Field’s Northeast Gate will be renamed the Braskem Gate. In addition, the partners will jointly develop recycling awareness content for exposure across the team’s digital and social channels.
The Eagles’ Go Green! program has been nationally-recognized for its commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly measures. What started out with blue recycling bins under each employee’s desk in 2003 has turned into a company-wide sustainability program that is diverting more than 99% of waste from landfills and operating on 100% clean energy. In June 2018, the Eagles became the first professional sports team to receive ISO20121 certification, which is an international standard designed to help organizations integrate sustainability into management practices and processes.
