13 Jul 2023
The Genesis Scottish Open provided the backdrop this week for a special gathering of experts and stakeholders exploring opportunities to accelerate sustainability and climate action at golf tournaments and wider events.
Hosted jointly by the DP World Tour, VisitScotland and GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, the forum discussed what golf tournaments and events need to do to deliver greater responsibility and value - economically, socially and environmentally.
Held at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian, the Genesis Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event, is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and at the forefront of the European Tour Group's Green Drive initiative.
Opening presentations featured Jonathan Smith and Kelli Jerome, Executive Directors of GEO Foundation; Professor Liz Grant, of the Edinburgh University Human and Planetary Health Academy; Andrew Lynch, Head of Sustainability at DP World Tour; Fraser Thornton and Andrew Baptie of Scottish Golf.
The discussion shone a spotlight on how events can continue in their journeys to fulfil their potential as all-round ‘forces for good’ in local communities and landscapes, and in terms of wider societal awareness and behaviour change. Specific focus areas were carbon and waste reduction; the links between communities, nature and social and environmental justice; and how environmental quality and human health are connected.
Jonathan Smith said: “It is so exciting to push the boundaries on thinking about how temporary events, particularly those in the great outdoors, can deliver on all fronts - providing jobs, investment and prosperity; enjoyment, health and wellbeing; while enriching local landscapes and addressing the hard challenges of low carbon, waste-free staging. There is so much re-imagining taking place in sustainability and the opportunity is there to tap into the creativity and visibility of the events sector to drive meaningful change."
Solutions and examples of work in progress were also highlighted, with a range of activities taking place during the Genesis Scottish Open this week as part of the European Tour Group’s Green Drive initiative, which includes:
Andrew Lynch said: “We were delighted to host yesterday’s discussion, which was enlightening and inspiring. While our Golf for Good initiative seeks to address many of these issues, there is so much more we need and can do. Being in the same room with partners, problem solvers and other experts reminds us that events demonstrate how people can come together to achieve bigger outcomes than any one of us can drive on our own."
Following a visit to the tournament, Culture Minister Christina McKelvie commented: “It was great to visit to the Genesis Scottish Open for the first day of this world-class golf event.
“I’m particularly pleased to see the work the DP World Tour, and their tournament partners and suppliers, are doing with the Golf for Good programme. They have donated surplus food from the event to the East Lothian Foodbank and ensured that the Genesis Scottish Open is the first tournament venue to have a mains water supply across the whole site for players and the public.
“As the Home of Golf, Scotland should continue to be seen as a world-leader in sport as well as driving forward important initiatives around community engagement and sustainability.”
Kelli Jerome, Executive Director of GEO Foundation, provided an insight into the credible standards and range of advanced sustainable golf solutions available to clubs, developments and tournaments including the cloud based programs, analysis and reporting.
“There are lot of things for golf to be proud about in sustainability, from thousands of grass roots clubs, to developments and high profile tournaments,” she said. “Golf is well advanced in in readily available sustainable golf solutions but there is a lot more to do and scaling up is important. Events like this help us lean in to do more, more quickly.”
Tournaments on the DP World Tour are among a range of global events engaged with the OnCourse® Tournaments program helping accelerate commitments, tracking and results through guidance, toolkits, ideas and support.
One important segway was how high profile events can raise wider awareness and inspiration across the grass roots of sport, an aspect highlighted by Fraser Thornton from Scottish Golf, who said: “It is wonderful to see golf and other events lead the way and we are fully supportive of the Scottish Government targets for events and wider sustainability - including biodiversity, need zero carbon, circular economy and sustainable communities. That’s where we come in. We are excited about launching our new sustainability strategy this year, delivering in partnership with GEO Foundation and others, and taking this energetically out to support and help celebrate our member clubs and golf across Scotland."
The spotlight event was part of a particularly green day at the Genesis Scottish Open, with OCEANTEE also running a fantastic education and beach clean with the Marine Conservation Society.
