Sustainability Hochschulsport Hamburg

Hochschulsport has always strived to implement as many aspects of sustainability as possible in its operations, long before the term "sustainability" gained its current meaning. Our fundamental mission—to organize sports and movement—aligns with one of the 17 sustainability goals of contemporary society. As such, sustainability is also reflected in our mission statement. in unserem Leitbild seinen Platz.

Gender Equality

Promotion of equal opportunities and fairness for women, men, and non-binary individuals.
Balancing work/study with family life.

Sustainable Production and Consumption

2018: Renewal of the floodlight system for the artificial turf pitch with an LED system.
2018: Acquisition of durable reusable dishes and cutlery for catering at training events and competitive sports events, as well as the selection of regional and organic caterers.
We have always delayed hardware replacement until absolutely necessary, even when the five-year depreciation period has been reached and there is a right to replacement equipment. Subsequent meaningful and social repurposing is carried out through institutions such as schools and volunteer initiatives.

Sustainable Cities and Communities

2019: Purchase of two service bicycles with a trailer for short trips to appointments and deliveries on campus.
2021: Acquisition of an electric service vehicle for long-distance trips and material transport.

Sufficient Water of the Best Quality

When our artificial turf pitch was established, a well was drilled simultaneously to irrigate the turf as needed.
(Tap) water dispensers are available in the sports park in collaboration with Hamburg Wasser, and there are now sinks with high faucets for filling drinking bottles.

Sustainable Business Practices as an Opportunity for All

The principle of limiting student employee contracts to two years has been lifted. Upon request, employment can be agreed upon until the end of their studies. This not only provides long-term planning and security for the student but also allows us to retain extensive knowledge in our work for Hochschulsport—a classic win-win situation and a lived sustainability practice.
Many former trainees of Hochschulsport have started their studies after their vocational training. We have provided them with the opportunity to work with us as student employees alongside their studies, allowing both sides to begin without the need for adjustment or onboarding.

Life on Land

Planting initiatives for increased biodiversity and insect habitats in the sports park.
Since spring 2020: Beehives in the sports park. Here you can find the interview with the beekeeper who takes care of our bees. Unfortunately, there are currently no bees with us, as many of the bee colonies perished during the winter of 2023/2024.

Energy Savings

For the winter semester of 2022/2023, an energy-saving optimization of hall ventilation in the sports park was implemented: Sensors were installed in all halls to measure humidity, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide concentrations. These sensors control the ventilation, meaning that it only activates when a threshold value is reached, indicating the need for fresh air.
Also in the winter semester of 2022/2023, presence detectors were installed in the halls, ensuring that lights only turn on when someone is present.
The temperature for all heating systems in the sports park was set to 19°C for winter 2022/2023, and the nighttime reduction was lowered to 16°C.

Additionally, we pay attention to simple practices such as waste separation, eco- and child protection standards when procuring clothing and sports equipment, and we only print materials when absolutely necessary.

For a while there were regular tips on various topics on Mindful Monday like regional consumption, LED implementation in the sports park, and Urban gardening.

Campaign on sustainability featured on our Instagram channel as a highlight, along with various themed posts. ==> Instagram