IG27 launches most ambitious Impact Strategy in Games history

The Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 has today launched its Impact Strategy which aims to deliver lasting benefits for over 1,500 international WIS (Wounded, Injured and Sick) service personnel, veterans, and their families, as well as communities across the UK.

The strategy includes becoming the first Invictus Games to pursue ISO 20121:2024 certification, demonstrating world-class sustainability and independent verification of impact.    

Focussed on the core themes of recovery, resilience and reconnection and rooted in the founding principles of the Invictus Games Foundation, the strategy sets out the most ambitious impact plans for an Invictus Games to date, including over 1,000 adaptive sport and adventure opportunities for WIS, a dedicated education programme for 25,000 schoolchildren in Birmingham which is already underway, extensive volunteering and paid roles for WIS and local residents, and pursuit of the ISO 20121:2024 certification for sustainability.  

The programme will directly support more than 1,500 WIS and their families and also engage communities in 60 locations across the UK in the lead up to the Games. Over half of the volunteering and employment opportunities will go to WIS and Birmingham / West Midlands residents with focus on opportunities for young people.   

Accessibility will be embedded across every aspect of the Games, guided by an established Accessibility Advisory Panel, providing specialist, independent advice, alongside consultation with experts and individuals with lived experience, inclusive venues, and tailored accessibility training for staff, crew, and volunteers.  

To support the success of the Games, over 1,000 volunteer opportunities will be offered through an accessible, targeted programme, with tailored accessibility training provided to all volunteers, crew, and staff to ensure an inclusive and confident workforce. 

For the first time in Invictus Games history, Birmingham 2027 will pursue ISO 20121:2024 certification, an internationally recognised measure of event sustainability first introduced at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and later updated for the Paris 2024 Olympics.  

By operating across existing venues, including the NEC, and reusing, recycling, or composting 95% of Games-related waste, the event will set a new benchmark for environmental responsibility and best practice in Invictus Games history.  

Jules Merrison, Director of Impact, Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, said:  

“Our Impact Strategy signals our commitment to delivering an inspiring, accessible and sustainable Games, supporting over 1,500 WIS, engaging 25,000 schoolchildren, and setting a new standard as the first Games to pursue ISO 20121:2024. 

“Birmingham and the West Midlands have a proud history of supporting the recovery of WIS and is a centre of excellence for Armed Forces healthcare and rehabilitation. It is also a young, inclusive, diverse and sport loving region. Our strategy reflects this and is a unique opportunity to create impact through the power of recovery, resilience and reconnection.” 

Clive Smith, three-time Invictus Games competitor from the Midlands, said:  

“As someone from the Midlands, seeing the Invictus Games come to Birmingham in 2027 feels like a real full-circle moment. After I was injured, Birmingham played a huge part in my recovery, with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham providing the specialist medical care and as well as Fisher House supporting my wife when I had surgery.  

To now see the Invictus community returning here is hugely significant and it’s incredible to see Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 putting such a strong focus on impact.

Programmes offering opportunities in adaptive sport, education and volunteering can make a real difference for people rebuilding their lives after injury. Knowing the Games will support thousands of service personnel and their families, while engaging communities nationwide, shows how powerful the Invictus movement is when it’s about more than just the competition.” 

With the Invictus Games returning to the UK in 2027 and taking place in Birmingham - a city where many UK wounded, injured and sick veterans first began their recovery journey - this edition of the Invictus Games holds particular significance.

Click the button below to download the full Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 Impact Strategy