Sport, Innovation, Sustainability: Notes from SHARE 2.0

We joined SHARE 2.0 in Brussels to take stock of eighteen months of collective work on EU sport policy and to exchange ideas for the next eighteen months. Nearly one hundred participants from across Europe came together—federations, clubs, cities, NGOs, researchers—to reflect on what has been achieved and where the agenda should go next. For us at Collective Innovation, it was a chance to listen, contribute, and help connect local realities to Europe-wide priorities.

A central thread throughout the day was innovation—social and digital. Speakers showed how sport is being reshaped by new ways of engaging communities and by the tools that make participation easier, fairer, and more impactful. From youth and grassroots efforts to the systems that run facilities and events, the message was consistent: innovation in sport is not a side project; it is part of Europe’s broader competitiveness and social resilience.

Sustainability came into sharp focus with the Green Sport Manifesto. Rather than abstract aims, the manifesto translates sustainability into practical commitments that organisations can act on now—cleaner mobility around events, serious reductions in waste (including microplastics from playing surfaces), and procurement that aligns with ethical and climate goals. The point is to build confidence through visible progress and to generate credible evidence for partners and funders.

Community of Practice (CoP) also highlighted its work on the AI in Sport paper. The conversation is no longer about whether AI will matter; it’s about how to adopt it responsibly so that it builds capacity and trust. The paper lays out opportunities and safeguards—explainability, consent, data minimisation, and human oversight—so that clubs, federations, and public bodies can make informed choices that fit their context.

As the conference closed, the spirit was collaborative and forward-looking. SHARE 2.0 is, at its core, a community that learns out loud: reporting back on what worked, adjusting where needed, and inviting others in. We were glad to be part of that conversation and will continue sharing materials and reflections across our channels.