Bristol-headquartered national law firm TLT has renewed its partnership with League Two champions Forest Green Rovers for another two years as the club prepares for its first-ever season in League One.
Nailsworth-based Forest Green, known for its sustainable approach, has been named “the world’s greenest football club” by the sport’s world governing body FIFA, while it is also the first – and so far only – vegan football club and the first to be certified as carbon neutral by the UN. 
TLT, which was originally appointed its exclusive legal partner for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, is one of a number of sustainability-minded brands partnering with the club.
These include Ecotricity – the Stroud-based green energy group founded by the club’s chairman Dale Vince – vegan drinks and milk alternative producer Oatly, meat substitute producer Quorn, beauty products firm Faith in Nature, sustainable food brand Rubies in the Rubble and Innocent, the natural drinks business.
The club is powered by 100% green energy and its current home, the New Lawn, features many environmentally friendly details including sustainable pesticide-free grass, rainwater collection for pitch irrigation, electric car charging points.
The club’s new Eco Park stadium, planned for a new mixed-use development near Junction 13 of the M5 in Gloucestershire, is designed to be the lowest carbon football stadium in the world.
Meanwhile, the club’s charitable arm, FGR Community, develops programmes for schools, community organisations and sports clubs to teach, motivate and inspire children in five key areas – environment and sustainability; sport and recreation; health and wellbeing; inclusion and cohesion; and education and employability.
TLT, which employs around a total of around 1,200 people across its offices in Bristol, London, Manchester and Glasgow, said Forest Green’s approach reflected its own commitment to sustainability.
The firm has been investing heavily to ensure it can meet its ambitious sustainability goals and is working with consultancy Carbon Intelligence to formalise its net zero journey, including setting science-based targets for reducing carbon emissions.
It is also globally recognised as a leader in the future energy market, acting on many first-of-a-kind projects to help expand the UK’s capacity to generate, capture and use renewable energy. 
TLT said continuing the partnership with Forest Green “signified a strong alignment” between it and the club’s values while there was also a mutual desire to continue to find more opportunities to collaborate and share ideas.
Forest Green CEO Henry Staelens said: “It’s been good to have TLT’s continued partnership support over the last two seasons and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together as we begin our League One journey.”
TLT head of future energy and real estate Maria Connolly, pictured, who is also executive board member responsible for sustainability at the firm, added: “We are thrilled to be supporting Forest Green Rovers again, as it moves into League One and continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be a sustainable business.
“I have always been inspired by their bold ambitions and can-do approach to sustainability, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together, both for the club and the wider FGR community.”
