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Ethical investment seeks to maximise both financial return and social good. In an increasingly conscience-focused consumer society, the demand for more ethical business actions is increasing, and the business rationale is considerably stronger.

Businesses can often attain short-terms gains by acting in an unethical fashion, however, such an approach tends to undermine local, regional and international economies over time.

Best Management Practices

Spending Well

  • Demonstrate concern for the conservation and enhancement of the environment
  • Protect consumer safety and public health
  • Respect the basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled
  • Benefit people of diverse age, sex, ethnicity and race

In the context of golf development, an underpinning focus on business ethics can play a major part in increasing both the security of investment in the project, and also the ultimate return on investment.

An ethical approach to golf development can play a major part in achieving a low resource, ecologically rich, stunning landscape which local people and customers value as a venue with unique sense of place. It can also deliver a golf facility which provides a high quality service integrating local cultural, social and environmental attributes.

In a time of significant shifts in framework conditions for golf development, there is increasingly good reason to adopt such an approach. Fuel and energy prices are rising and security of supply more volatile; land is becoming more expensive as demand for food and energy increases; water is becoming more scarce.

In this context, it is clearly unethical to invest large sums of money in golf developments which require needlessly high resource inputs both in construction and throughout their life-cycle.

Given the right conditions, private sector investment in the form of golf facilities, can improve the lives of people in the low-income segment of society through direct employment, procurement from local suppliers and delivery of affordable products and services.

Golf facilities and resorts can contribute to vocational training and capacity building, invest in energy infrastructure and renewable energy solutions, support healthcare initiatives and education, reduce dependence on scarce raw materials, create new businesses to preserve ecosystems (wetland banking etc.) and help governments embed good governance, thereby increasing regulatory transparency for their own and other businesses.