Ethical & Environmental Buying
How we buy determines how we live. Maximizing benefit, minimizing harm to our environment and our communities is common sense and shrewd business as it chimes with what today’s consumers want and expect.
Ethical and environmental buying supports the growth of a fairer, greener economy. Consumers increasingly equate sustainability with quality - all golf businesses should be working to perform in this area.
Golf-related businesses can implement an ethical and environmental policy across their supply chains to radically increase their sustainability influence. The positive impact of tens of thousands of businesses purchasing in this manner will help golf’s transition to a sustainable industry built on environmentally and ethically sound products. This is golf helping to drive a greener economy.
Eco / ethical procurement
- Receive a supplier’s copy of their sustainability commitments and policy
- Minimise road miles associated with getting products to your site
- Select suppliers with the best environmental and ethical performance, or at least ensure you understand the implications of your purchasing decisions
- Find opportunities for products to be ‘de-packaged’ before arriving at your site
- Find ways to return packaging to suppliers so that your business does not bear the disposal costs
- Find ways to have packaging recycled and reused
- Maximise the amount of recycled products and materials in use across your business
- Minimise your overall consumption of products and materials
- Maximise your use of Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, FSC Certified and other sustainability-assured products
- Communicate to your customers that ethical and environmental responsibility has been a core part of selecting products and services that your business is providing
- Invest in the most energy and water efficient appliances
- Regularly service vehicles to prolong their life-cycle
- Buy certain items in bulk to reduce transportation costs
- Minimise your consumption of hazardous products and dispose responsibly
- Source the very best local suppliers
- Consume organic and seasonal food
- And of course - use the GEO Certified™ eco-label to inform your customers of your ethical and environmental approach
