By Alistair Collier | The Business of Golf Magazine
SEVENTEENTH JOHN COLLIER ANNUAL SURVEY
THE RESULTS INDICATE FURTHER DECLINES IN COMPLIANCE BY GOLF CLUBS AND HOW TO TURN THIS AROUND
Dear Club Manager, Director of Golf, Course Superintendent:
As referred to in Info Brief Number 119 the seventeenth John Collier Annual Survey on environmental compliance, social responsibility, and good governance (ESG) has been published. For those of you who ‘missed’ the survey, you may catch up by visiting our website using this link
The survey focuses on evaluating golf clubs in terms of the three pillars of sustainable golf and emphasises the relevance of the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), in guiding golf clubs towards responsible and sustainable practices.
The main takeaways indicate that the compliance levels of golf clubs in South Africa have declined for the fourth year in a row, which shows a need for greater attention to be focused on compliance with governance principles and ESG matters. The decline in compliance levels is across almost all of the ESG focus areas, such as environmental management planning, biodiversity, landscape and cultural heritage, water resource management, turf-grass management, waste management, and energy management. Furthermore, there are areas in respect of governance that need particular attention, and this is compounded by the ever-increasing promulgation of legislation and regulatory requirements, which impact on the day-to-day business of the golf industry.
There are several potential factors contributing to this decline, which include:
Lack of awareness: golf clubs may not be fully aware of the importance of compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and regulations.
Limited resources: golf clubs, especially smaller ones, may face resource constraints in terms of finances, staff, and expertise.
Inadequate training and education: golf clubs may lack the necessary training and education on ESG principles and regulations, making it difficult for them to understand and implement the required compliance measures effectively.
Resistance to change: some golf clubs may be resistant to change and may not see the value or benefits of implementing ESG practices.
Complexity of regulations: ESG regulations and principles can be complex and constantly evolving, and golf clubs may struggle to keep up with the changing requirements, leading to non-compliance.
Lack of enforcement: if there is a perception that non-compliance with ESG principles and regulations goes unpunished, or is not rigorously enforced, some golf clubs may be less motivated to prioritize compliance.
It is important to note that these are potential global factors, where there will be variances from club to club, but the reality is that compliance levels by South African golf clubs is declining.
The question is how to turn this around?
The Annual Survey makes two proposals. Firstly, golf clubs need to put greater pressure on GolfRSA, through their provincial unions, to provide leadership and direction in respect of the ESG and SDG principles, and secondly, golf clubs need to embrace the value of independent third-party review of their ESG practices.
If you have any queries, why not contact the John Collier Golf through our website or via email ajcollier@telkomsa.net?
Yours in Sustainable Golf
JOHN COLLIER
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com