Sponsorship & Partnership
Help us bring world-class sustainability education
to the communities that need it most
Started in a Lancashire village hall in 2007 by a local headteacher. Today it's a full-day conference at Ewood Park, award-nominated, covered by the EFL, and attended by 600 students in a single day. It's still run almost entirely by volunteers. Your support helps us keep going and reach the next community.
Over 18 years of sustainability education, and counting
In 2007, a headteacher at a small village school in Lancashire organised the first schools' sustainability conference in a local village hall. No corporate backing. No funding. Just a group of local schools, borrowed kit and a belief that young people deserved better.
Today the Sustainability Learning Conferences are held inside iconic football stadiums in some of the most deprived communities in the country. Those venues are not chosen by accident. They are trusted, familiar spaces that remove the barriers of cost, confidence and stigma that keep so many families away from traditional events. We are still run almost entirely by volunteers. Every pound of sponsorship goes directly into the programme.
- 18+
- Years of conferences
- 6,000+
- Students reached
- 200+
- Schools engaged
- 4
- Regions and growing
Award nominations & recognition
EFL Green Club Award
Nominated alongside Carlisle United and Northampton Town for the English Football League's premier environmental award.
BASIS Award for Sustainable Sport
Shortlisted at the UK's premier sustainability in sport awards at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon.
Lord Frank Field Community Partnership Award
Long-standing partner school Accrington St Christopher's CE High School named runner-up at the Educate Awards.
Education Estates Awards
Recognised for our contribution to sustainable school environments and environmental education across the UK.
Why this matters
The schools that need this most are often the least able to access it
Limited budgets, lack of CPD, and the perceived distance of “green” issues from everyday life mean that too many young people never get the chance to engage with sustainability education. The communities bearing the brunt of the energy transition are often the last to hear about the solutions.
By hosting the Sustainability Learning Conferences inside football stadiums in high-need communities, we reach schools and families who would never attend a traditional event. The venue is part of the message.
We are not filling conference seats. We are reaching young people from communities where sustainability has never felt like their conversation - and giving them the knowledge, inspiration and agency to change that.
That is the gap we are closing.
The conference experience
A full day of learning, activity and inspiration
All streams run simultaneously. Primary pupils, secondary students, SEND schools and teachers are all in the building at the same time, each following their own programme.
Primary Schools
- ·Science Boffins presentations & hands-on STEM challenges
- ·Sustainability workshops with Aqua Explorers, The Bee Centre and The Mobile Farm
- ·Biodiversity Art Competition
- ·Sustainability Rap Competition
- ·Zero Waste Packed Lunch Challenge
- Cash prizes for winning schools
Secondary Schools
- ·School-specific workshops & STEM activities
- ·Zoo Animal Conservation Programme with Blackpool Zoo
- ·Student-led project marketplace
- ·Global Production Line Challenge
- ·Trashion Garment Catwalk
- ·Green careers showcase and employer engagement
- Cash prizes for winning schools
SEND Schools
A bespoke programme drawing on activities from all streams, adapted to meet individual needs. We work closely with school SENCOs and support staff to make sure every student can participate fully.
5–10 SEND schools at each conference
The Marketplace
The hub of the conference - open to all streams throughout the dayRunning throughout the day, the marketplace is where local, regional and national organisations take exhibition stands. Every exhibitor is required to deliver a hands-on workshop or interactive activity - no passive displays, no brochure stands. Primary pupils, secondary students, SEND schools and teachers all pass through it. Secondary students can also showcase their own school sustainability projects alongside the national exhibitors.
- Every exhibitor must deliver a hands-on workshop or interactive activity - no passive stands
- Open to all streams: primary pupils, secondary students, SEND schools and teaching staff
- Local, regional and national organisations - alongside school-led sustainability projects
- Teachers have dedicated marketplace exploration time built into the CPD programme
For School Staff
Three CPD tracks running simultaneously throughout the dayHeadteachers, deputies and senior leaders
Leadership CPD
Whole-school sustainability strategy, climate action planning and how to embed ESD into school culture and governance.
Teachers and sustainability leads
Curriculum CPD
Practical workshops covering curriculum integration, cross-subject sustainability links and tools for building active eco-teams.
School governors
Governors CPD
Governor responsibilities around sustainability, climate action plans and the role of governance in driving whole-school change.
Community impact
Who we help
By hosting inside football stadiums in some of the most deprived communities in the country, we reach people who would never attend a traditional event. The venue is part of the message.
- Young people from disadvantaged and low-income backgrounds
- Schools with limited budgets and resources
- Students with special educational needs and disabilities
- Teachers and sustainability leads who need high-quality, accessible CPD
- Local services, housing teams, youth workers and community organisations
Partnership value
Why partner with us?
In 2025 the EFL covered this conference as “award-nominated”, it was shortlisted for the BASIS Award for Sustainable Sport, and more than 600 students attended a single day. Your brand on this is your brand on something the country is taking notice of.
Every marketplace organisation delivers a hands-on workshop. Your team gets real face time with hundreds of young people, teachers and families. Not a stand in a corridor.
Authentic community engagement
Direct, meaningful involvement in areas of genuine need. Not a badge on a brochure.
Multigenerational reach
Pupils, teachers, parents and community groups all in one building, in one day.
Credible ESG impact
Visible, reportable social value with an 18-year track record and national award nominations behind it.
Real face time
Every marketplace organisation must deliver a hands-on workshop. Your team engages directly with hundreds of young people.
Green careers showcase
Connect with young people who are actively thinking about their futures. Tell them what a career in your sector looks like.
CPD co-delivery
Lead or contribute to one of three dedicated CPD sessions for teachers, senior leaders or school governors.
Follow-up school visits
Arrange visits to attending schools and extend your reach well beyond the conference day.
Partnership tiers
Sponsorship packages
From headline partnership to event-level sponsorship, there is a meaningful role for every organisation.
Headline / Principal Sponsor
fully exclusive · one sponsor only
The true cost of the conference. This investment covers the full cost of delivery: venue, technical staging, safeguarding, insurance, educational resources and marketplace infrastructure. The Headline Sponsor tier is mutually exclusive with Stream Sponsorships.
- Naming rights across all marketing, flyers, applications and digital content
- Prime marketplace stand (largest footprint, best position)
- Keynote and speaking opportunity
- CPD session access and co-delivery opportunity
- Logo on all printed and digital materials distributed to 50+ schools
- Social media and website recognition throughout the year
- All three conference streams included
Stream Sponsors
These sponsorships are closed while a Headline Sponsor is in place. If no Headline Sponsor is confirmed, all three streams are available independently.
Primary Conference Stream
Branding on all primary-stream materials, prime marketplace stand, and CPD session access.
EnquireSecondary Conference Stream
Branding on all secondary-stream materials, prime marketplace stand, and CPD session access.
EnquireLeadership & CPD Stream
Branding across the CPD programme, prime marketplace stand, and co-delivery opportunity.
EnquireEquipment & Infrastructure
£1,000 – £10,000Fund AV equipment, software or safety kit. Your organisation will be named permanently on all future Sustainability Learning Conferences events that use the equipment, with permanent recognition across all future events that use it.
Event Sponsorship
| Sponsorship item | Investment | What you get | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEM Workshop | £1,000 | Marketing + preferential stand | Enquire → |
| Trashion Show | £600 | Marketing + preferential stand | Enquire → |
| STEM Prizes | £600 | Present prizes + photo opportunity | Enquire → |
| Trashion Show Prizes | £400 | Present prizes + photo opportunity | Enquire → |
| Zero Waste Lunch Prizes | £400 | Present prizes + photo opportunity | Enquire → |
| Global Production Line | £1,000 | Activity sponsorship + prize fund (bundled) | Enquire → |
Beyond sponsorship
Other ways to get involved
Financial sponsorship is just one way to support us. Whether you can contribute time, expertise, equipment or simply a willing team, there's a meaningful way to get involved.
School Support
£30–£80 per schoolDirectly fund a school's attendance and remove travel cost barriers, giving children access who might never otherwise be able to go.
Get in touchMarketplace Stand
Contact us for pricingExhibit in the marketplace and deliver a mini workshop or interactive activity. Pricing depends on size, power requirements and setup.
Enquire about a standSpeak at the Conference
Share your expertise with young people and educators on green careers, energy innovation or sustainability in practice.
Express interestIn-Kind Support
Printing, catering, AV equipment, transport: every contribution reduces our running costs and directly increases our reach. All in-kind support is recognised.
Tell us what you can offerVolunteer on the Day
Send a team to support students, facilitate workshops and assist with logistics. Our conferences run on passion and we are always grateful for extra hands.
Sign up to volunteerRegional Conference Sponsor
£25,000
Support expansion of the Sustainability Learning Conferences to new football club venues across the UK, bringing this proven model to communities that have never had access before.
Discuss regional expansionWhere your money goes
What your support makes possible
Students who attend our conferences go on to lead eco-teams, influence school policy, and carry sustainability values into their communities and careers. Your investment compounds.
Richer programmes
More STEM challenges, sustainability workshops, retrofit and fuel-poverty sessions, and expert-led CPD for teachers.
Wider school reach
Reducing and removing cost barriers so schools in the most disadvantaged areas can attend.
Professional infrastructure
Building the operational foundations to grow and scale: owned AV equipment, dedicated coordination and the systems to run bigger events, in more places, year after year.
More events, more regions
Expanding the Sustainability Learning Conferences to new football club venues across the UK.
Long-term impact
Students go on to lead eco-teams, influence school policy and carry sustainability values into their communities and careers.
Our network
Our current partners
We're proud to work alongside organisations who share our belief that sustainability education changes lives.
Founding delivery partner
Lancashire Schools Sustainability Forum
Our founding delivery partner, providing year-round CPD and INSET training for sustainability leads across Lancashire and working in close association with Sustainability Learning CIC to deliver the annual North West conference.
Visit website →
Venue partner, Sustainability Learning Conferences NW
Blackburn Rovers FC
Venue partner for the Sustainability Learning Conferences NW, providing world-class facilities at Ewood Park and demonstrating that professional sport and sustainability go hand in hand.
Visit website →Educational & CPD partner
Solar for Schools
Educational and CPD support partner for over five years, connecting our schools programme with practical solar energy knowledge and resources.
Partner school - catering, design and photography
Accrington St Christopher's CE High School
Long-standing partner school and key contributor to the conference experience, providing catering, flyer design and photography on the day. The school's Eco Group - established by Wendy Litherland and now entering its twentieth year under John Gerrard - holds five Green Flag awards, chairs the Hyndburn Eco Cluster Group and has been part of the Eco-Schools programme for over 17 years.
Visit website →Your organisation here?
We're actively looking for sponsors and partners ahead of our 2026 conferences
If your values align with ours, we'd love to explore what a partnership could look like. Whether that's headline sponsorship, a marketplace stand, or something else entirely.
Start the conversationReady to make a difference?
Whether you have a specific idea in mind or just want to explore what's possible, drop us a line. We respond to every message personally.
[email protected]