The IGF was rewarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Worldwide Olympic Partner Dow at the 2019 IF Forum for taking concrete action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the reward, carbon offsets were offered to the IGF to compensate its unavoidable 2019 emissions.
Full IOC media article here.
UN Sports for Climate Action Framework
The IGF has joined the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, a UN Climate Change Initiative co-developed by the IOC and launched at the UN climate talks (COP 24). As part of this framework, the IGF is part of several working groups that cover the five principles in the framework:
- promoting greater environmental responsibility
- reducing overall climate impact
- educating for climate action
- promoting sustainable and responsible consumption
- advocating for climate action through communication
More information on the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework here.
Clean Seas ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ Campaign
The IGF has joined the Clean Seas campaign, which was launched by UN Environment in February 2017, to join the fight against marine plastic pollution. The campaign addresses the root-cause of marine litter over a five-year period by targeting the production and consumption of non-recoverable and single-use plastic.
More information can be found on the Clean Seas Campaign here.
Milestones
A selection of recent landmarks, milestones and highlights in sustainable golf from across the industry:
Further news and updates on golf’s sustainability journey can be found on www.golfenvironment.org
The IGF proudly supports and represents the actions of its partners in the area of Social Responsibly.
An example of the actions being taken may be seen in the comprehensive report issued by The PGA of America in January 2018 – “The PGA and Its Members: Bringing Energy to the Game”. This report reviews the long-term positive impact that Social Responsibility offers to the future of golf.
The report highlights success stories of how the PGA of America is achieving its strategic mission to “serve the Member and grow the game.” This is accomplished by reaching out to diverse audiences to expand participation; developing the workforce to reflect the demographics of our country; and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Developed with sustainability consultancy Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the report was spurred in part through a partnership with Constellation, the PGA’s Official Energy Provider and Sustainability Partner. The study is designed to attract future partnerships and talent that further the PGA and its mission, while showcasing best practices and case studies.
“Social responsibility is intrinsically linked to the success of the PGA of America and the entire golf industry,” said PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua. “Golf has many wide-reaching positive impacts—from the jobs created in local communities to green space and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide to the significant philanthropic contributions our industry delivers to worthy causes. Our future relies on how well we can expand these initiatives to new audiences, while injecting new energy into the services we provide to our PGA Professionals, in order to grow the game worldwide.”
In developing the report, ERM conducted a sustainability assessment with PGA Professionals and nearly 30 key industry stakeholders that defined six key priority areas to develop a long-term vision and strategy for sustainability within the PGA including:
- Fostering Diversity & Inclusion
- Engaging the Next Generation
- Educating the Workforce of Tomorrow
- Enhancing Lives through Golf
- Growing the Game around the Globe
- Improving our Environmental Footprint
As well, the PGA has joined the Green Sports Alliance, which leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where people live and play. The Alliance brings together venue operators, sports team executives and environmental scientists to exchange information about better practices and develop solutions to their environmental challenges that are cost-competitive and innovative. The information gathered is to gain a better understanding of how sporting events can be performed in an environmentally sensitive manner.
“Constellation is proud of the progress we’ve made in partnership with PGA of America in reducing the environmental footprint of the game of golf and raising awareness of responsible energy use among its Members,” said Joe Nigro, CEO of Constellation. “We congratulate them on this groundbreaking new report and look forward to continuing to work together toward a more sustainable future.”
To view “The PGA and Its Members: Bringing Energy to the Game” report, please visit PGAImpact.org.