Sustainable Tennis Paradise

OUR SUSTAINABILITY PILLARS

1. Waste Management

Our tournament pays careful attention to the amount of waste that we generate, and we seek solutions that both minimize overall waste production and repurpose waste effectively.

What we’re doing to mitigate waste effects:

• As of 2021, the BNP Paribas Open has implemented a comprehensive digital transformation plan across a variety of tournament resources for consumers:
  • Digital tickets and digital parking passes
  • 100% cashless venue
  • Reduction in print collaterals including the event program and daily drawsheets
• Eco-friendly food & beverage practices from Levy Restaurants
  • 100% recyclable and/or compostable food packaging for concessions
  • 1800lbs of food donated and 9.91 tons of food composted (2021 tournament)
  • Single use plates and cups in Luxury Suites are 100% compostable
  • 18 different compostable concession food and carry trays
• Existing plastic retail bags used at the tournament are reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable. Beginning In 2022, an ingredient was added to the plastic bags to speed up the biodegradable process. Natural kraft bags are being added in 2 sizes. They are biodegradable and recyclable. A premium poly non-woven tote is being added with the event logo and IWTG logo will be sold in retail outlets. $1.00 of the purchase price will be donated to charity.
• Each day, throughout the tournament, staff and Burrtec Waste Industries comprehensively sort all trash from the venue, identifying any and all materials for recycling/repurposing

2. Energy Efficiency

All buildings at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden are designed to reduce energy consumption and promote efficient energy usage wherever possible.

What we’re doing to maximize energy efficiency:

• All stadiums at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden have been classified by the California Energy Commission as ‘Energy Efficient’ under the department’s Title 24 Standards
  • Approved in both 2019 and 2022, and evaluated every three years
• As of 2021, the venue has shifted to using exclusively LED lights on the property – highlighting our facility’s ongoing commitment to using energy efficient resources

3. Strategic Sustainable Partnerships

Our team is dedicated to partnering with brands and vendors who have a proven track record of commitment toward protecting the environment.

Examples of our partners’ sustainability efforts:

• BNP Paribas
  • For the past four years, our title sponsor, BNP Paribas, has supported tree planting initiatives through its Aces for Trees program. Two trees will be planted for every ace served throughout the tournament and an additional two trees for every social media share using the hashtag #Aces4Trees and tagging @bnpparibas. This program assists the American Forest Foundation in planting trees in family-owned forests to increase carbon storage, mitigate wildfires, improve wildlife habitat, protect clean water sources, increase sustainable wood supplies and support rural communities.
• Eventscape Flowers
  • The official flower partner of the BNP Paribas Open annually donates flowers to local nurseries and holds plant sales after the tournament ends, to ensure that all plants used at our venue have a home beyond their two weeks at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden
• Penn 
  • The tournament’s official ball features plastic cans that have been enhanced to be more efficiently recycled. The new design of the cans includes a shorter removable sleeve (covering two-thirds of the can instead of the full can), which means less ink is used and it can be more easily separated by automatic waste separation technology. The new cans feature an organic additive produced by Midori Bio Inc. into its new PET cans and plastic lid caps. So, if the cans are not recycled and end up in a landfill, they will break down within only 3-5 years.

OUR VISION FOR 2023 AND BEYOND

The thrill and excitement of the BNP Paribas Open makes the Indian Wells Tennis Garden the epicenter of the tennis universe each spring. We take great pride in our standing as one of the world’s premier tennis events and facilities, but we also recognize that such a title comes with a significant level of responsibility. By working alongside the ATP and WTA Tours in partnership with their sustainability programs and in promotion of our own, we are committed to setting an example as a leader in organizational sustainability.

The BNP Paribas Open’s future goals are to continually increase our commitment to sustainability by maintaining and updating our efforts to align with our sustainability pillars and by continuing to work with partners that share our mission.

In 2023, the BNP Paribas Open will pursue a heightened commitment to sustainability through a continued digital transformation of the tournament program and daily drawsheet, alongside several other new initiatives. While the 2023 BNP Paribas Open will be the most environmentally friendly iteration of the tournament yet, the work of building a sustainable Tennis Paradise will extend far beyond this spring.

In 2023 and beyond, the BNP Paribas Open is committed to pursuing a number of new concrete goals to elevate our commitment to sustainability. Here is what you can expect to see at this year’s tournament and in our future plans:

• Marketing Awareness Efforts
  • The 2023 BNP Paribas Open will feature sustainability awareness messaging through multiple tournament-owned communication channels such as media, advertising, digital and social, at-venue experience for video screens and public address announcements. Our goal is to amplify awareness of our sustainability practices and encourage fans to utilize our eco-friendly options while on-site

• Increased Venue Signage
  • The 2023 BNP Paribas Open will feature new signage across the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, with the goal of driving awareness of our sustainability practices and influencing our global fanbase to stand with us by taking action in their own lives

• Comprehensive Food Repurposing 
  • The BNP Paribas Open will work with our lead concessionaire, Levy Restaurants, to ensure that the maximum amount of food and food packaging is donated, recycled, composted, or dealt with using additional eco-friendly practices after each day of the tournament in order to cut down on waste as much as possible

• Yearly Accountability Reports
  • Intend to produce an annual sustainability report that recaps the impact of that year’s eco-friendly practices, and provides updates on ongoing and future ‘Sustainable Tennis Paradise’ initiatives

• Pursuit of ‘Green Certification’ from Accredited Organizations 
  • Seek official accreditation from sustainability organizations to affirm our status as an environmentally responsible event

• Greater Recycling Accessibility 
  • For the 2023 BNP Paribas Open and beyond, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is committed to providing more than double the amount of recycling bins for attendees on-site than previously provided, and will require all vendor concession stands to have an easily accessible recycling option
    • All on-site recycling bins will be accompanied with clear instructions about what materials belong in each bin to ensure no confusion