Pollstar Announces Inaugural Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability

Pollstar has announced the recipients of the inaugural Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and Mike Sciortino, the GM of UBS Arena, which is located within Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The award – which is named for the superstar artist and her leadership in championing sustainability practices in the live industry – will be presented during the 36th annual Pollstar Awards on Wednesday.

The Pollstar Awards takes place during this year’s Pollstar Live! conference, which is being held April 15-17 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Today’s announcement notes that Eilish has inspired the entertainment business “through her leadership and advocacy for sustainable practices not just in the live and touring sector but also in merchandise, physical music product, and all other aspects of her musical career.”

As part of Pollstar’s special 2025 Earth Day section, included in the May edition of the magazine, we detailed how sustainability was at the heart of Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour.” Support + Feed, a nonprofit founded by Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird, that promotes a plant-based diet to help combat climate change, and GOAL (Green Operations and Advanced Leadership), a program launched by Oak View Group that offers venues a comprehensive roadmap and resources to sustainable operations, worked together to promote sustainability in food and beverage at nine venues on the tour.  

The venues included CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Newark’s Prudential Center, Pittsburgh’s PG Paints Arena, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center, Chicago’s United Center, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Portland, Oregon’s Moda Center and Inglewood’s Kia Forum. The participants developed individual programs that included plant-based menu items, and hosting plant-based food drives. As a group, there were three zero waste shows; eight venues had a reduction in single-use plastics; and four arenas offered free or discounted alternative transportation for attendees

The winners of the inaugural Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability were selected by a committee of sustainability experts in the live entertainment industry. Going forward, the award will be expanded to include a variety of market sizes and geographies. In future years nominations will be solicited, as with any Pollstar Award, with nominees vetted by a committee of sustainability experts and voted on by subscribers and industry leaders.

GM Mike Sciortino is being honored as the Sustainability Champion, an award celebrating the individual leaders of the sustainability movement in sports and entertainment.

Sciortino has spearheaded UBS Arena’s efforts in becoming carbon neutral for operations ahead of the venue’s initial targeted timeline, obtaining GOAL Medals, LEED Certification, and TRUE Zero Waste Certification, with the team having a successful 94%+ diversion rate since the initiative started. Along with his duties as general manager, Sciortino leads the venue’s sustainability program called Sustainable Brilliance, Community Resilience, including facilitating a monthly Sustainability Committee, which brings various business stakeholders from across UBS Arena and the New York Islanders together to continue to chase their ambitious sustainability efforts. Today’s announcement adds that “Sciortino is also pushing to find what more can be done and is never inhibited by challenges or barriers – he’s always collaborative and is open to sharing lessons learned across the industry.”

Climate Pledge Arena will receive the award for Sustainable Venue, which recognizes venues that enable all events that they host to have a positive impact on the environment and their community. The venue (which is operated by Pollstar parent company Oak View Group) prides itself on being the most sustainable venue in the world. Accolades received by Climate Pledge Arena include 38 Gold GOAL Medals, ranging in building design and operations-focused objectives. The arena has received the ILFI Zero Carbon Certification, which validates carbon neutrality in scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and achieved TRUE Zero Waste Certification. In partnership with its affiliated nonprofit, One Roof Foundation, Climate Pledge Arena leverages its platform with artists to support youth and communities most impacted by environmental harms, including a recent investment to provide potable water to students at a local Title 1 school.

To go along with the inaugural Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability, Pollstar has announced a commitment to a monthly print feature called “Sustainability Matters,” which will shine a spotlight on successful sustainability efforts across the live entertainment industry that are helping to lead the way forward on this critically important issue.