What are Goodwood's core sustainability objectives, and how are they integrated into the estate's long-term vision?
Sustainability is central to everything we do at Goodwood, our whole raison d’etre is to preserve the estate for future generations. We have four key objectives that guide our sustainability efforts. The first is to ensure our events positively impact the preservation and enhancement of the estate. Secondly we aim to minimize any negative impact on the local community and create a positive social value. Our third objective is to develop and implement appropriate monitoring and reporting systems to measure our sustainability performance effectively. This is a challenge, but it’s something we prioritize. Lastly we’re committed to taking a clear stance on sustainability and aim to lead by example in our engagement with all stakeholders including the local community, sponsors, fans, and suppliers.
We follow the UN's sustainability goals and group them into six pillars: carbon, water, natural capital, resources and waste, social, and business aspects. Each of these areas is covered in our annual sustainability report, which ensures that we are transparent and accountable in our approach. While some aspects, like social and business sustainability, might not immediately come to mind when people think of sustainability, they are just as important as reducing our environmental footprint.
How has the Festival of Speed evolved to incorporate sustainability, particularly in reducing carbon emissions and promoting clean energy?
The Festival of Speed is a significant part of Goodwood’s revenue, which is essential for maintaining and preserving the estate. Given that, we recognize the need to align our motorsport events with our sustainability goals. Since 2012, we've worked closely with the British Standards Institute (BSI), being one of the first organizations to adopt BSI 2012-1 for sustainability management, which was initially developed for the London Olympics. This framework helps us continuously improve how we run our events sustainably.
One of our standout initiatives is tree planting. Over the last three years, we've planted around 115,000 trees, making it one of the largest schemes in the South of the UK. These trees are not only part of carbon offsetting efforts but also help create green corridors for wildlife and permissive footpaths for the local community.
Additionally, we've transitioned all our event generators to run on HVO biodiesel, reducing emissions by about 80-90%, which has been a game-changer in cutting overall event emissions by a third.
Other efforts include partnering with Train Hugger to encourage eco-friendly travel and offering carbon donation options for attendees to support tree planting and rewilding on the estate.
Can you explain how Goodwood balances sustainability with operational needs during motorsport events?
Goodwood motorsport events operate on two levels of sustainability. First, there’s the operational side—what we do behind the scenes to minimize our carbon footprint and waste. For example, we've moved entirely to using HVO biodiesel for all our event generators, significantly reducing emissions. We also run bus shuttles from local stations to reduce car travel and encourage visitors to bring their own water bottles to cut down on single-use plastics. Our goal is to make sustainable choices easy for attendees, whether through water refilling stations or recycling initiatives.
The second level is education and advocacy, where we use our events as platforms to promote sustainability. At the Festival of Speed, we’ve created spaces like Future Lab, which showcases innovations in mobility, and Electric Avenue, where automotive companies present their latest electric vehicles. This is part of our effort to help debunk myths surrounding electric vehicles and other sustainable technologies, fostering a public conversation about the future of transportation.
How has Goodwood integrated sustainability into its historic motor racing events, such as the Revival and Members’ Meeting?
At Goodwood Revival and Members’ Meeting, we’re leading by example with sustainable motor racing. We've successfully tested running Porsches and Mustangs on sustainable fuel, and this year, we transitioned one hundred percent of races at the Revival to sustainable fuel. This is a significant milestone because, while the carbon footprint from on-track fuel is relatively small, the move underscores the message that historic vehicles can be operated sustainably without losing their essence.
In addition to sustainable fuels, the Revival is now branded as “Revive and Thrive,” a celebration of the post-war era’s ethos of mending, reusing, and making things to last. This philosophy extends beyond the vehicles to include vintage fashion and lifestyle choices, encouraging attendees to rethink modern consumption habits. It’s a subtle but powerful reminder that sustainability is not just about the latest technology—it’s also about valuing what we already have.
What are Goodwood's plans for becoming carbon neutral, and what steps are being taken toward achieving this goal?
We have set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030, though we are still refining our measurements to ensure that we capture the full scope of our carbon footprint. A major part of our sustainability strategy involves land management. With 44% of the estate covered in forestry, our tree planting efforts significantly contribute to carbon offsetting. Beyond that, we’re continuously improving the health of the soil through techniques like aeration and mulching to enhance its ability to sequester carbon.
On the energy side, we’ve already made progress by installing solar panels at our motor circuit and biomass energy centers. The biomass center uses offcuts from our forestry operations and all of the straw bales and stakes used to line the Festival of Speed hill climb, to provide heating and electricity for Goodwood House and the Goodwood Hotel, making the estate more self-sufficient in terms of energy. While we aim to expand grid power for events like the Festival of Speed, challenges around local infrastructure remain, and we’re actively exploring battery technologies to overcome these barriers.
How does Goodwood engage with its stakeholders and local community to promote sustainability?
Engaging with our stakeholders—whether it’s local communities, fans, or sponsors—is key to driving sustainability at Goodwood. We’ve incorporated sustainability into our tender processes, ensuring that our suppliers meet specific environmental standards. For example, we’re working closely with partners to minimize waste, particularly at the Festival of Speed, where we’ve introduced new schemes to recycle event materials, such as wood from stands, which we donate to local schools for their design technology programs.
We also prioritize outreach and education. For instance, at the Festival of Speed, we invite schools to attend Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) seminars, many of which have a sustainability angle. This year, speakers included innovators working on sustainable products, such as seaweed alternatives to single-use plastics. Beyond seminars, we host school tours at the Festival to give students a hands-on learning experience about the latest sustainable technologies in motorsport and beyond.
What are Goodwood’s future goals and innovations for making motorsport more sustainable?
Our vision for the next five to ten years is to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable motorsport. We plan to expand our existing sustainability initiatives while exploring new technologies to reduce our environmental impact. Being an advocate for all future fuel types and technology is a major focus, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve infrastructure to support electric vehicles, including expanding charging stations across the estate.
We will also continue to innovate on the events side, looking for ways to integrate renewable energy sources and further reduce waste. Our approach has always been about doing things the right way, not just following trends, and that philosophy will guide us as we work toward a more sustainable future for Goodwood and the motorsport world as a whole.
