On Course for Continual Improvement

Widespread recognition of golf’s positive social and environmental impacts is gathering pace – and is being led by a group of clubs who have shown the way toward ever-stronger achievements and credible communications through the GEO Certified™ ecolabel.

Sweden’s Forsgårdens Golf Club is a leader among leaders, stepping up in 2009 as one of the very first golf clubs to become GEO Certified™. Three years later, they are the first club in the world to be re-certified by the Golf Environment Organization.

Re-certification is a vital point of credibility for all ecolabelling, demonstrating how sustainability can extend deeper into decision-making and communications over time, and affirming the important ‘continual improvement’ principle that makes sustainability a mindset and a journey rather than a static destination.

The announcement represents a milestone in golf’s sustainability movement; the first time that any golf club, anywhere in the world, has been re-certified via a dedicated, third-party verified and transparently reported programme for golf.

Gordon Shepherd, GEO Board Member and former Head of Global Policy for WWF International recognized the significance:

“Having worked on the development of many industry certification programmes and ecolabels, from forestry to fisheries, I have seen landmark points in time, when something significant demonstrates a clear path to a more sustainable future. This is one of those moments.

“GEO was founded to support clubs in their sustainability actions and bring forward real, transparently reported results; steering away from one-time awards that risk bringing complacency, in favour of driving continual improvement.”

‘It is to Forsgårdens’ considerable credit that through this re-certification, they demonstrate clear and quantifiable improvements across a comprehensive range of issues. Amongst all the processes and protocols, we are reminded that it’s positive individual, personal engagement and action that environment and society needs.”

Ole Riger-Kusk, an independent verifier accredited by GEO, conducted the initial certification and the recertification and found that Forsgårdens upheld and strengthened a solid environmental performance. Making more improvements in the three years since becoming GEO Certified™, especially around landscape and ecosystems, energy and resource conservation, waste management, and also more communications with authorities and the surrounding community.

Read more at www.golfenvironment.org/clubs/forsgaardens-golfklubb