A commitment at all times

The Omega European Masters and the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club have been committed to the environment for many years. In its quest for continuous improvement, the tournament has set itself the goal of becoming GEO certified, an international benchmark for sustainability. The club received this certification last week. "We all have a responsibility when it comes to our carbon footprint. We use 60 hectares of land in the middle of the resort. Our aim is to return them to nature as much as possible. For example, it is interesting to beautify them with flower meadows or to green the lakes. We have been working on this certification for two and a half years," explains Pascal Schmalen, director of the Crans-sur-Sierre GC.

The OEM calculates its carbon footprint

As of 2019, the GEO Foundation and the SHIFT have analysed each area of the Omega European Masters, both before and during the competition, recommending actions for improvement. Because it's not about the certification, it's about what you do with it. The tournament's commitment is in line with Swiss Golf's ambition and vision of sustainable development, as well as the Canton of Valais' Agenda 2030. 

Since 2021, the event has been calculating its carbon footprint in order to assess its impact and enable the implementation of dedicated reduction programmes. "For example, we have installed insect hotels and nesting boxes on the course. This project was carried out in collaboration with the schools of Crans-Montana. There are small projects that can have big effects," says Neil Beeroft, head of sustainability for the tournament.

Waste management is also an important focus. The Omega European Masters has stepped up its work upstream with all partners to reduce single-use plastics. "As far as food is concerned, all caterers offer vegetarian meals and use washable and recyclable tableware. This is not the case on all events of this size," says Neil Beeroft.

Water management is important

With this very dry summer, some golf courses have had problems with water supplies. In Crans-Montana, the subject has already been studied for two years. At that time the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club changed its entire irrigation system at a cost of 2 million francs. This renovation was made possible thanks to the support of the Omega European Masters and the communes of the Haut-Plateau. During the event, water management and consumption are also closely monitored.