Hello and welcome to the STG media zone.

We are live from UN headquarters at um

from New York during the UN 80th General

Assembly. Our next session is about to

start. I'm going to pass it to Christine

Koopo from CBS Sports. Thank you.

>> Hi everybody. Obviously, you're all here

to see me and not the man to my

immediate left who Liverpool fans

affectionately nicknamed God. So, thanks

for showing up. Um, next to me is Robbie

Fowler. He really needs no introduction.

Liverpool legend, England legend,

captain all around. How many goals?

>> You don't know. He's lying.

>> How long have we gone? [laughter]

>> Next to Robbie, we have Lex Shalot

representing soccer forward for US

Soccer director. And all the way on the

other end we have uh Liverpoolian Rishi

Jane who is the director of what I like

to call all good and well at Liverpool

but he is the director of impact and

we're going to talk a little bit today

about the SDG and the impact that they

have managed to make since 2021 and and

going forward. So to kick it off um I'm

going to stick with Rishi all the way on

the end here. Um Liverpool have done

something really impressive and that is

we've addressed a lot from the football

community in terms of equality and uh

culture. However, you have boldly

stepped in the direction of many many

more facets of SCG climate control and

things like that that you've managed to

to move forward. How did you step into

that and how did nobody say wow that's a

lot. Um so I say wow it's a lot a lot of

the time. Um so back in 2021 as a

football club we recognized that we

really need to create an identity around

sustainability. When I talk about

sustainability I mean it in its most

holistic format. So that's where we

developed the redway. So the redway is

Liverpool Football Club's commitment to

build a better future for our people,

our planet and our communities. When

it's around people, it's about

leadership, accountability, how we

really taken our responsibility to make

the world a better place, particularly

around diversity and inclusion on the

planet. It's our environmental

commitments 2030, 2040 net zero

ambitions, waste, water, circularity,

biodiversity,

food, oceans, etc. And then our

communities pillar is a bit of a hybrid.

So, it's the incredible work of LFC

Foundation, the club's official charity.

So they have targets to work with

500,000 young people every season by

2030 and just the latest numbers from

them is that it was 145,000 young people

last year. So there's a way to go but at

the football club we're all incredibly

proud of and then a lot of my role is

also taken up by engaging with our

commercial partners. So work with our

commercial partners and we have targets

to align 100% of our commercial partners

to the Redway. So all in all Christine

the Redway is it's our north star. It's

essentially it's become a a values and a

behavioral trait for everything that we

believe in as a football club. And when

there are moments where we need to level

up that messaging, for example, around

diversity, equity, and inclusion, we

really ramp up that people pillar. But

then obviously this week with it being

climate week, we've been talking a lot

about our planet pillar as well. and I

have the the privilege to lead that on

behalf of the football club foot, but it

success is very much measured not by

just what we do, but the fact that

there's a significant part of our

business is really bought into the Red

Wing and everything it stands for.

>> It's it's really remarkable and I'm sure

that it probably helps that Liverpool

are the reigning Prem champions on pitch

and you're doing such gold standard work

off. How does that play into your role,

Robbie? How did you get involved and

what are your sort of initiatives uh in

the red way?

>> Yeah, look, I'm obviously to sort of get

educated and you know, we've been

obviously in various panels throughout

the week and uh I'll be honest with you,

I'm I'm here to learn and you know, I

know obviously what the the STGS and the

United Nations are doing in terms of

trying to make the world a better place.

Um I mean talking about Sarah, you know,

zero um you know, poverty. Uh but one of

the the big well-beings for me is um

obviously the the mental side of you

know trying to improve people um you

know the mental health um and also

education I think that's massively

important and where I come into that is

uh I have a college I know obviously the

college systems uh you know very

different to the you know the education

over here uh you know it's a 16 to 19

year old college and and our aim is

quite simply to try and educate beat uh

people to to better themselves um you

know educate them in terms of what can

and can't do uh and just generally make

them better people. Uh and look, if I

can help in any way whatsoever, then you

know, I'm all for that. I think we as um

you know, I'm sure everyone else here

will say the same thing. Anyone who

who's been a football, I mean, we are

essentially influencers. Um you know,

okay, we're not influencers in the term

of where you you look at social media

now. I mean, everyone's got a you know,

a YouTube channel. I mean, people pay

attention to what uh you know, football

players do, football managers or anyone

involved with football. So um I think we

are maybe a good focal point to sort of

get in that in that forefront of of

anything that can happen and promote any

you know any sort of activity that can

can benefit anyone.

>> What has been one of your biggest

lessons getting involved?

>> Um I mean I think it's it's getting

educated myself. you know, I I was quite

lucky uh in terms of where I I went on

to my career and uh you know, done

reasonably well in football and had a

decent career, but I'll be honest with

you, if I hadn't been in football, you

know, my education suffered. Um so, um I

mean, I suppose I I've been one of the

lucky ones, but other people aren't as

lucky. So, obviously, my role now is to

try and

do what, you know, I I could have done

if I hadn't have been a football player.

So, you know, I think we all in here

have a duty of care. we all have to try

and promote whatever we think is, you

know, is the best um activity or or or

promote what is um is better for making

the the world a better place. And I'm

all for that.

>> That that's actually brilliant. Um just

looking to the future for future

footballers or people that maybe are

just football fans to get educated and

also the transparency about mental

health that we've gained in more recent

years is wildly helpful. just to have

conversations that are active in the

air. Um, I do want to bop over to Lex

Shalot who I want to hear a little bit

about what you've been doing with Soccer

Forward.

>> Well, first of all, I mean, you just put

me in between two liver podlings. I feel

really outnumbered here. Like I guess

it's the red way and I can share a

little bit about the US way. The red,

white, and blue way. [laughter]

>> Yeah. Um, but so grateful to be here and

actually between the the the legend and

the club, it's it's an honor. Um but

soccer forward foundation was launched

by US soccer federation as the legacy

initiative. We all know that the men's

world cup 2026 is coming to the to the

US, Mexico, and Canada next year. We're

so incredibly excited, but with that

excitement also comes um a real

opportunity and also a responsibility.

Um there is so much that can be done and

should be done through soccer just as um

Richie and Robbie were just mentioning.

And here in the US, our goal is really

to use the power of the World Cup next

year, but also the um LA Olympics coming

in 2028 and of course the women's World

Cup coming in 2031, which is very

exciting to see how we can truly

[clears throat]

make soccer available for everyone

everywhere in this country. What does

that look like is really what Soccer

Forward Foundation is here to attempt to

achieve. And we're really looking at a

slew of ways to do that. We listened. We

heard. We know that there's incredible

work being done in communities all

across the country by community

organizations, by our clubs, by coaches,

by PE teachers. How can we really

support them? How can we equip them to

do more, to reach more people and really

kind of enable a lot of people who might

not have seen themselves in our game, in

our sport here in America, um, how can

they have a sense of belonging and see

the power of of soccer? So, we are

actually kicking off a really exciting

project next week where we are collating

a lot of amazing practices around the

benefits of soccer and and um putting

them on a a collective resource hub

where anyone and everyone can access

that. There are tools, trainings,

research. How can you get more places to

play? How can you get more soccer in

your schools? how can you equip your

coaches to be better aligned and and

better engage young people with the

challenges they're facing today? And

we're really excited to be um sharing

that and evolving that as we move

forward over the next 18 months. But in

addition to that and that that national

vision, we know that local impact is

incredibly important. And so we are

engaging and working very very locally

supporting and equipping local

organizations using soccer to address

issues in their community and seeing how

we can truly enable them to work

together harness that power of soccer to

truly change the landscape of their

community and do that across the country

all when eyes are on us next year. So

we're really excited about that. also

ambitious as someone who prior to my

life in media largely was in grassroots

in New York City in the community

organizing pickup groups and seeing the

diverse people I say people because I

played largely with men often uh coming

through that would look at me and say

I'm playing with you and I was their

rough introduction to playing with women

in the states but I think the more that

we see it the doors open with that I've

had a lot of dialogue about how we

remedy the problem of making the sport

accessible especially in the states. I

am looking forward to it, I'm hoping,

explode as we approach the World Cup,

which we see these sort of es and flows.

But it's such noble work because at the

heart of it, it's not just getting

people the opportunity to play football.

It's it's the community involved. It's

that it's so much else. I've learned so

much from football, from resilience, how

to lose, how to win, how to be a good

teammate, how to be nimble. um that all

of these things kind of build and and

lift at this crescendo that I hope we're

reaching together.

>> Yeah. And I think just something that

you said really sparked me, which is as

Robbie Robbie mentioned, you know, you

are influencers, these players, and

we're we're so lucky to have incredible

US women's national team and our US

men's team playing playing next year.

Um, and they they are so inspirational

and they care so much about that and

that is such a crucial part of what

we're trying to do at Soccer Ford is

kind of change the mindset of how people

sort of view soccer and see the benefits

of the game. And yes, like there is a

serious piece to that, but there's also

a fun and a joy piece to that. And we we

have to remember that. And in a time

where there is there's so much going on

and and a lot of a lot of noise and a

lot of division, um there really is this

power that soccer can play to bring us

together and and celebrate our

differences and and just have fun and

that joy that comes with the World Cup

and everything around it. How can we

truly harness that?

>> Yeah, that that's a brilliant bit. And I

do want to and you're absolutely right,

Robbie, in terms of being uh

influential. I don't want to say

influencer because you've built this

body of work where people look to you

and admire you and value your opinion.

So I'd say if you have the opportunity

to sort of turn to them and tell them

something or to your peers who have

these platforms that are able to speak

out, what would you ask of them? I I

think quite simply it's all about

structure and your preparation and look

I mean you look on the on the board on

the on the right of all use and the 17

pillars if you like of of what the UN

are trying to achieve and look it's not

something that you know you you suddenly

wake up and think oh I know we'll do

this it's like um you know any business

any football you know any football role

you know a CEO a coach you need a bit of

structure so you need to prepare and you

need to do everything right in terms of

wanting to you know to do better I know

you've mentioned in grassroots football.

So I've played in, you know, various

countries and I've managed in various

countries where they always ask me the

question, how do you make the football

better? And and the honest answer is it

starts at grassroots level, you know,

and you don't suddenly you click your

fingers and or flick a switch and you

know, everything's better. It starts

from when the kids are young and and

you've mentioned all the right things

about getting the kids prepared and

getting them ready for, you know, an

eventual growth in football. Uh but it's

also about you know preparing them for

you know what they can do how how to

become a professional you know whether

you're you're male female it's about

getting them ready uh and and and

getting it right for them in in the

future generations of of of doing what

we need to do. Yeah, I I wholeheartedly

agree with you and I I've kind of seen

it in in every aspect, especially in my

own city, having volunteered coached in

areas where it's very sparse there. It's

they're socioeconomic disadvantaged kids

and often times you see that they have a

little bit of interest, but it's more so

they also need child care. So, it's it's

meeting people where they're at and

trying to prepare them to the best of

your ability and your capacity. Um,

Rishi, there's something really

interesting about the red way that I did

want to note because we do talk a lot

about what we can do and how things are

measurable, but you've managed to figure

out a way to be held accountable both

internally and externally. How have you

approached this? I think this is really

important. So, one of the

[clears throat] one of the big things

that we've done, and this is probably

not too common in sport, is that we we

told the world what we wanted to

achieve. Um, and there's an element of

risk with that. So, when we developed

the Redway, we developed the strategy

that came with it. We we put out to

everyone, we said, "This is our 2030

goal. This is 2040. This is where we

want to get to." And we set a whole host

of ambitious targets. And don't get me

wrong, when we get to some of those

dates, we may or may not achieve them.

But it won't be through a lack of trying

and we actually won't be able to

demonstrate actual progress in terms of

what we do. So we made ourselves

accountable to that. And actually what

that's really helped us with is it's

allowed us to have more deep meaningful

conversations with potential partners,

stakeholders, solution providers who can

actually come to us and help us solve

our problems. So I spend a lot of time

talking to people who say, "Rishy, I can

help you with this because we've

actually gone through this journey

ourselves or we've got this challenge.

How have you overcome it?" So that's a

lot of what my job is now is actually

we're at the really tough stage of what

we've done where we've done everything

that we can control and more and now

we're in that position where it's

incredibly tough. So I've actually got

one quite good example is very relevant

to the SCGs. So last year when we had

the privilege to to come to the UN spoke

to the SCG team and they gave me this

big tick and said you're aligned to 16

of the 17 SCGs. I was like brilliant.

And then the competitive side of me was

like right what's the last one? um as

always and it was SCG14 life below water

and for those of you who know Liverpool

um port city rich maritime history the

water is literally on the doorstep of

our office and it's always been

something that personally I've wanted us

to do more in so in um earlier later on

that year we teamed up with AXA who one

of our principal partners so their

official training partner and they came

to me and they said Richie we'd love to

tell some stories around the oceans on

your channels I was like brilliant we're

going to we're going to take it we're

going to start our work on SCG P14 and

then they said we want to call it reds

for blue and I was like not so sure

about the blue [laughter]

and then so I let that slide. I gave

them that and said okay we we can work

with that. I'm sure we can maybe soften

that to like a purple or something. Um

and then they said we want to talk about

plankton and I was like okay we're gone.

We we've lost all sense of hope. But in

all seriousness, actually we went on

this journey with AXA to develop this

piece of content where we had players

from our men's and women's fair scenes,

including Mosal, who obviously you'll

all know on a boat for the Tar Ocean

Foundation. And this is a boat that goes

out to the Antarctic and in layman's

terms scoops up the water and micro

analyzes it and basically can see the

health of the ocean in a dish. We

obviously didn't send the players out to

the Antarctica because I wouldn't have

got signed off. [laughter]

But actually, we brought the boat into

Liverpool, spent a day on there with

some of our foundation young people and

it was incredible. And to be honest,

when you get our most recognizable stars

on there, the likes of Robbie, the likes

of MoSalah, some players from our

women's team and you actually lend their

voice authentically to a topic like

that, that's when we know we can really,

really make a difference. So, people

almost expect us to lead now. So I've

said before and I'll say in closing as a

football club there's very much almost

an expectation that we come to the table

on big issues. So for example first UK

sports seem to take the knee first UK

sports seem to be involved in UK pride

march that is what our supporters expect

of us. So for us to come out and talk

about ocean health and resilience and

advocacy that lands incredibly well and

our supporters then say to us okay

what's next and that's what makes my job

challenging but also incredibly exciting

as well. I think I have to ask now the

red way was born in 2021.

Of all the initiatives that you've

launched, which one presently are you

the most proud of?

>> If you would have asked me that before I

gave that example, I would have said

that one. Um, you know what? This is a

really boring one actually, but it was a

lot of work for us. So, we I'm going to

talk about bins. Like, I talk about bins

all the time, but actually we increased

our match day recycling rates from 25%

to 96%. And that is incredibly boring to

most people, but actually that was a

three-year campaign for us. That was

using our player messaging,

incentivization,

points to make prizes, engaging with

supporters. And now we've stripped all

that back and we've actually left a

learn behavior upon our supporters to

help us with our match day recycling

rates. And it's something incredibly

simple. It's about putting the right

plastic bottle in the right bin or the

right cup in the right bin so we can

then take it onto the right right stream

or recycling stream. But actually that

behavioral trait has become part of

their match day routine. So for those of

you who are sports fans or particularly

football fans, you'll go into the same

turn style. You go to the same kiosk and

get the same beer. You'll sit in the

same seat. You'll wear the same shirt

probably for every game. It's become

part of the superstition and that is

literally a journey that we've been on

as a football club, but very much hand

in hand with our supporters and we are

really proud of it.

>> We are a superstitious people, aren't

we?

>> Very much so.

>> Yeah. Uh football, if you haven't

realized, is so much more than just a

game. It it oftentimes it's culture,

it's family, it's religion, it's

education, it's it's a constant lesson.

I I think uh beyond that, um what are

you looking forward to as we head toward

yet another World Cup in terms of any of

the initiatives that you're engaged

with?

>> I mean, what am I looking forward to? I

want England to win it finally.

>> You know what happens, Robbie? If you

start singing the song, it's over. I

mean that that I want them to win it. So

I can stop bearing that song if I'm

being honest. Um yeah look I mean what

we've spoke about before look we want

obviously the world to be a better

place. We want football to grow. Um we

want to you know develop a grassroots

level. We want the the kids to sort of

understand that football is is is a way

of I mean you've mentioned a lot of

things in terms of what football can do

but that the health and well-being is is

also crucial crucial as well. So uh I

think it's preparing the kids for you

know be better themselves better

themselves. Um

you know as as the famous scientist

Albert Einstein once said he went uh he

said I believe the children are the

future teach them well and let them lead

the way [laughter]

he never said

>> should be swaying lighters but I mean

that that's essentially what it is. Look

you know I mentioned before and you know

probably tongue and cheek about us being

influencers and trying to sort of

educate the next level. That's what we

want to do. So, primarily, you know,

we're up here talking. Uh, but we want

to educate people to sort of do the

right things in in whatever, you know,

it could be football, it could be

business, it could be lifestyle, uh, but

just to educate them to to be better.

>> For sure. Um, now obviously many of us

are oceans apart regularly, um,

including myself, but I would love to

know how I can help with any of the

initiatives, whether or not I'm in New

York or happen to be over hanging out in

Liverpool, maybe catching a match or

heading toward the World Cup.

>> That this is an inviting

invite you to a Liverpool game, isn't

it?

>> I mean, I'm not saying I won't come.

>> You're uh, you're speaking to the right

people. I'm sure we can help with that.

I mean, but realistically, how how can

we as the more broader good help to I

don't know, share the initiatives or get

more involved or try to do more football

good?

>> I mean, I think from soccer forwards

perspective, we're just getting started.

Um, and people always ask, you know,

what are you looking forward to most

about the World Cup? Um, and I always

say the the end because actually the

World Cup is awesome, but we work in

legacy and we're here to make sure that

there's a lasting impact and you know

for for next year and and how and how

you can get involved from from our

perspective. It's very much around be

part of this com conversation. Tell us

how soccer means up for you and how it

benefits you and your community. Um,

share that through our campaign. share

what you know through our resource hub

and be part of this long-term movement

to truly enable every person in America

to have that access to play, whether

that be in school or after school as or

as an adult going to play after work.

Um, and I think we're nearly out of

time. Nobody's yelling at me yet. So, I

mean, I'll keep talking as long as you

guys want to hang out now. Um, are there

any sort of closing remarks that any of

you want to make in terms of buyins or

messaging that you haven't gotten to

share that I haven't been clever enough

to get out of you yet?

>> So,

>> the answer is no, Arishi.

>> The answer is no. It's obviously the

last part of your question, but I think

the the big thing for us is very much

that obviously we talk about everything

in the Liverpool setting because that

that's what we're here to do. But one

thing that's incredibly important to us

is that it's genuine and authentic. So,

I'm I'm speaking to the wrong room here

cuz you're here for a reason. here

because you're supportive and you're

passionate around the STGS and

everything that we stand for. But one of

the messages that we try and share in

the right way is find what is authentic

to you because there will be a topic

around DE and around sustainability

around community engagement that

resonates with you or someone at home

and then as soon as we could you can

find that yourself or someone will find

it for you then just start to pull on

that thread and that's exactly what we

try and do. So we actually see that some

of our content when we tell it in the

right way and we have an incredible

content team, it transcends Liverpool

fans. It goes through. We actually had a

piece of content around International

Day of Disability that was commented on

by one of the Kardashians. And don't get

me wrong, I never expected the

Kardashians inc collaboration to come

about. But actually, it shows that when

you get that messaging right, it can

really cut through different parts of

society and hopefully we can make a

difference there.

>> So when are you going to bring the

Liverpool women state side? No pressure.

>> When's the invite coming? Because we'll

come.

>> Sure. Sure.

>> Can I Can I come with them as well?

>> I I want to come back.

>> I mean, while I'm making demands in the

public, like when are we kicking around,

Robbie? I'm sure we have about the same

amount of knee cartilage left between

us.

>> No, I'm I'm I want to come here all the

time. I've I've obviously been here, you

know, many, many times. I've really

enjoyed this week because I've been to

many panels talking uh you know, on on

various STGS on on obviously the climate

this week. And I'll be honest with you,

I've massively enjoyed it because I've

learned a lot more this week and I can

take it. So, in terms of our messages

out there is, you know, whatever you can

take from any of the panel said, go out

there and and put it to good use. Uh,

and I'm I certainly will anyway.

>> Amazing. Lex, any any parting words?

>> Just show up next year, have a great

time, [laughter]

and make sure that you make the most of

that opportunity because we have a lot

of work to do.

Thank you everyone for joining. I hope

this was fun. You were the quietest

audience I've ever had in my entire

life. UM