SUSTAINABILTY, ITS THREE ESG PILLARS – SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

By Alistair Collier | The Business of Golf Magazine

SUSTAINABILTY, ITS THREE ESG PILLARS – SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

In Part Four of the 17th John Collier Survey on environmental compliance, social responsibility and governance (ESG) for South African Golf Courses (this survey can be accessed on the John Collier website), the research deals with the issue of social responsibility.

To better understand what social responsibility entails, one needs to look no further than the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). For example, SDG 1 deals with “No Poverty”, SDG 2 “Zero Hunger”, SDG 3 with “Good Health and Well Being”, SDG with 4 “Quality Education”, SDG 5 with “Gender Equality” SDG 6 with “Clean Water and Sanitation”, SDG 8 with “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, SDG 10 with “Reduced Inequalities”, while SDG 12 covers “Responsible Consumption and Production”.

In terms of social responsibility reporting, the issue of clubs understanding their relationship with their stakeholders, such as neighbours, communities, municipalities, provinces, government and regulators, is becoming increasingly important, and requiring closer attention.

As an example, according to the GOLF RSA website, in 2023 there were 437 golf clubs in South Africa.

As a comparator, research carried out by Stuart McLean and published in SA’s TOP 100 Courses found that there are some 414 courses affiliated to Golf RSA. This research indicated there are 219 nine-hole courses and 195 eighteen-hole courses, which equates to golf course land usage of some 30 thousand hectares.

To put it into perspective, the total land area of South Africa is approximately 123 million ha, of which 100 million ha is made up of farmland.

By comparison, golf courses use approximately 0.024% of the land area of South Africa.

Notwithstanding that 0.024% of land is under the stewardship of golf clubs, it is this stewardship which is generating increasing attention from all stakeholders.

It is for this reason that reporting on social responsibility and social inclusion, in terms of ESG, has already become an important issue.

Examples of this closer scrutiny, include comments made by members of the Sport, Arts and Culture Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Meeting with Golf RSA on land usage, the Western Cape Province rapid review of golf course and polo field developments, the Cape Town City Council decisions on leases for golf courses in and around the City, research by Ndifuna Ukwazi, a non-profit activist organisation, and law centre that combines research, organising and litigation in campaigns, to advance urban land justice in Cape Town, and its report “City Leases – Cape Town’s Failure to redistribute land”, and a focus on at least 8 golf courses in and around Cape Town.

Furthermore, there are many other examples, throughout South Africa, where the issue of land stewardship by golf clubs is under closer scrutiny by stakeholders, for the reasons set out in the Ndifuna Ukwazi Report.

From a legislative perspective, the Constitution is clear that the right to housing must be realised, and that land must be redistributed on an equitable basis.
The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), requires municipalities to redress apartheid era spatial planning, and segregation, by obliging them to advance spatial justice, and build efficient and sustainable communities.

Adding further to the above, is the passing of the Promotion Protection Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Act and its policy, which is an enabling framework to stimulate and strengthen the contribution of indigenous knowledge to social and economic development in South Africa.

It is important to keep in mind when golf clubs talk about sustainability, they are also talking about social responsibility and social inclusion, which requires a methodical process of collecting the data, and recording it, measuring it and interpreting this same data in a transparent manner.

Yours in Sustainable Golf
JOHN COLLIER