Culligan Teams Up with United Center to Reduce Plastic Waste and Empower Consumers

American sports fans are just about to enter that sweet spot in the year where team sports are on practically every day. With the NFL, NHL, and NBA all set to be in full swing later this month, fans across the country will flock to stadiums to enjoy the atmosphere of live sports. Win or lose, fans at these sports stadiums will generate tons of waste but thankfully Culligan International (Culligan) is a great matchup for the ongoing fight against plastic waste.

Culligan recently announced partnering with the United Center, the Chicago Bulls, and the Chicago Blackhawks on a major sustainability initiative. This will see Culligan replace all single-use plastic water bottles with aluminum Culligan bottles. I caught up with Scott Clawson, Chairman and CEO of Culligan International, to dive into this partnership and learn about the benefits the United Center will enjoy as a result. Clawson, who is a member of the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, participates in the UN Global Compact and the UN-Water Resilience Coalition and serves on the board of directors of The Water Council, shared details on the importance of sustainability at venues like the United Center, how Culligan will work to educate visitors about sustainable choices, and what the future holds for Culligan and the great city of Chicago.

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Culligan set out to make one of Chicago’s more notable landmarks, the United Center, where visitors can access safe and clean water while taking part in a positive change to our environment. Along with the replacement of plastic bottles, Culligan is introducing 90+ closed-loop recycling receptacles that over 2 million sports fans, concertgoers, and other attendees will have access to. Plus, the United Center is installing 62 premium Culligan water fountains and refill stations throughout the venue, allowing attendees to easily refill their reusable water bottles.

“We love to collaborate with like-minded partners that are just as committed to making an impact on the planet as Culligan,” said Clawson. “We are meeting people where they are and helping educate, engage, and inspire them to be more mindful of their own plastic footprints.”

The United Center is the largest arena in the United States and plays host to more than 20 million fans each year. Clawson says that with Culligan’s integration into the arena, the partners anticipate eliminating roughly hundreds of thousands of single-use plastic water bottles annually.

“We recognize the massive impact on reducing plastic waste we have together and will share more details on these sustainability milestones as we reach them,” said Clawson.

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While the partnership is good for Culligan and the United Center, it’s also serving the desires of consumers. Clawson cited Trivium Packaging’s 2023 Buying Green Report which found that four out of five consumers want their products to be packaged more sustainably and have access to more rebillable options.

“Ultimately, these types of initiatives where we can make a big impact, like with the United Center, are extra meaningful to us as a company, as they align directly with Culligan’s purpose of transforming water to impact lives and protect the planet for all,” said Clawson.

“Altogether, it’s a win-win-win for us, event attendees, and the planet. We get to introduce Culligan to new fans, those fans can make more sustainable choices, like reusing and recycling, and we all create less plastic waste. This partnership also serves as a model for other large event venues across the country that might want to reduce their environmental impacts, too.”

Going back to the Trivium Packaging’s 2023 Buying Green Report, it also found that three out of five consumers will likely purchase environmentally harmful packaging because they don’t know what features to look for. Lack of education is the gritty rival of the recycling and sustainability industries, luckily Culligan has a game plan in place to take on this longtime adversary. As part of the partnership, Culligan will hold several fan engagement initiatives over the next five years which will work to educate attendees on why and how they can cut down on single-use plastics. And if that wasn’t enough, Culligan is targeting the reason why fans may attend a Bulls game this year, with free stuff.

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“Culligan is presenting the Bulls Holiday Game on December 23 against the Milwaukee Bucks and select fans will receive a co-branded Bulls and Culligan reusable water bottle at entry,” said Clawson.

“Our goal is to make it incredibly easy for fans to be environmental stewards … These small changes to the fan experience are intended to drive greater awareness of the cost of consumer waste and inspire people to continue reusing and recycling beyond the United Center walls.”

The free, co-branded bottles will come in handy to use at one of Culligan’s newly installed water fountains or refill stations throughout the arena. Clawson did confirm that the water, although it may taste good, could not heal Lonzo Ball’s knee. Sorry, Bulls fans.

“Not only do we get to partner with one of the largest indoor arenas in the country, home to two beloved Chicago teams, but we also get to collaborate with our community to make a substantive, positive impact on the planet by cutting back on plastic waste. That is what sets this work apart,” said Clawson.

“These partnerships contribute directly to the achievement of our goals to avoid one billion kg of single-use plastic and avoid 65 billion single-use plastic bottles through product use in 2030.”

Outside of the United Center, further intertwining the company’s sustainability goals and initiatives with the city, Culligan is preparing to partner with the Chicago Marathon. Culligan will be providing premium water refill stations and replacing all single-use plastic water bottles at the finish line in favor of aluminum Culligan bottles for the roughly 50,000 runners.

“Overall, this partnership supports Culligan’s global efforts to reduce reliance on single-use plastics and shows the big impact that small changes can have on the planet. Other venues that want to decrease their environmental impact should consider starting with simple swaps like aluminum instead of single-use plastic. When multiplied by the millions of fans who come through these venue doors, it adds up to major waste reductions,” said Clawson.

Culligan’s partnership with the United Center and the city of Chicago represents a significant step toward reducing plastic waste in major event venues. The actions taken by Culligan to reduce plastic waste and increase education and awareness are paramount for our industry and I anticipate a lot more stories just like this one to follow suit. Companies like Culligan have the resources to provide materials to empower consumers to make mindful choices that contribute to the environment’s health. As partnerships, such as this one, continue to come together, the future of live events is looking a lot greener.

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