GEO certification acknowledges Turnberry’s sustainability efforts
Iconic Scottish golf resort and multiple Open Championship host Turnberry has been certified for its sustainability efforts by the Golf Environment Organization.
The GEO Certified ecolabel guarantees that a golf facility has met a credible standard in the areas of nature, water, energy, supply chain, pollution control, and community, and is committed to continual improvement.
The management philosophy at Turnberry adheres to a programme of continuous development and sustainability improvement, which is documented in an Environmental Management Policy document. The result is a facility that caters for golf, corporate events and includes the involvement of local children in educational activities.
Turnberry golf courses and estates manager Euan Grant said: “This really has been a team effort as going for the GEO certification guided us through a complete review of our practices across the resort. We will not be resting on our laurels and are already looking forward to the new projects and ideas before recertification in three years’ time.”
Jonathan Smith, chief executive of GEO, added: “It’s great to have a world renowned and respected venue like Turnberry stepping forward as a sustainability leader in golf – and to see them contributing to the R&A’s positive policy of high performance and continual improvement across all Open Championship venues.”
Bob Taylor, the GEO Accredited independent verrifier who approved Turnberry’s certification, said: “Positive, proactive, ambitious and involved are all words that I would associate with Turnberry and it was more than encouraging to see the efforts being made towards routine (day to day) sustainable management and their consideration given to reducing their overall impact upon the environment.”
Turnberry’s property on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast is dominated by important coastal dune habitat, including two Sites of Special Scientific Interest.