Seattle Seahawks’ Lumen Field Awarded TRUE Gold Certification For Zero-Waste Sustainability Success

The NFL home of the Seattle Seahawks, Luman Field, was awarded TRUE Gold Certification by Green Business Certification Inc. for its zero-waste sustainability practices on Nov. 30. The official plaque was presented during a special in-game moment during the sold-out Seahawks’ 26-0 home win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Lumen Field is the second NFL venue to achieve TRUE Gold Certification under the Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) rating system. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Falcons in Atlanta, was the first.

The venue previously announced its TRUE pre-certification in December 2024. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, TRUE certification is a leadership standard that recognizes zero waste performance through sustainable resource management and waste reduction methods.

To achieve TRUE Gold, the Seahawks and Lumen Field were required to track and demonstrate sustainable practices over a one-year period. During the 12 month window, the venue’s closed-loop recycling program diverted more than six million pounds of waste – or 93% – from the landfill.

“Being a global leader in sustainable practices continues to be one of Lumen Field’s top operational priorities,” states Zach Hensley, Seahawks Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Lumen Field in a release. “We are thrilled to demonstrate our continued commitment to the environment and being a zero-waste venue through this achievement.”

The stadium introduced MRFi sorting technology in 2022, which has streamlined the stadium’s ability to sort and properly discard waste, including compost, cardboard, aluminum and plastic. Since implementation, the stadium has reduced waste sorting time following events from five days to 36 hours. When the stadium first began waste tracking in 2006, the facility recorded a diversion rate of just 4.66%.

“We congratulate Mr. Hensley and the Lumen Field team for achieving this impressive milestone,” adds Peter Templeton, President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. “Lumen Field is only the second NFL venue to achieve TRUE certification, setting an example for stadiums worldwide to create positive environmental, health and economic outcomes. Attaining a 93% waste diversion rate while reducing waste sorting time by 70% is a true sign of the team’s commitment and leadership.”

For their commitment to sustainability, the Seahawks and Lumen Field have also been awarded the 2024 Green Sports Alliance Energy Player Award and 2025 Green Sports Alliance Waste Champion Award and are working towards LEED certification.

First & Goal Inc. operates the Lumen Field stadium complex, which includes Lumen Field and the 325,000-square-foot Lumen Field Event Center and WAMU Theater. Lumen Field, which opened in 2002, has a seating capacity of 68,740 and is home to three professional sports teams – the Seahawks, the MLS’ Seattle Sounders and the NWSL’s Seattle Reign FC. The Lumen Field campus hosts 300+ event days a year attracting more than 2 million people. That figure is likely to increase in 2026 when the stadium hosts six international soccer matches as part of the FIFA World Cup in North America.