May 2017’s Champions of the Green are the team at Golf Club Domaine Impérial, Switzerland. The club, which has hosted several EGA championships in the past, is highlighted by GEO owing to their innovative Environmental Charter.
Golf Club Domaine Impérial is situated on the north side of Lake Geneva and lies within a natural forest reserve with a very high biodiversity of both flora and fauna. Over recent years the club has strongly moved towards a more sustainable future, managing the club in an environmentally responsible way, while still providing a first class product to the members.
In February 2016, the club adopted an Environmental Charter, and a new Nature Commission was set up, headed by John Stoke, committee member to be in charge of sustainability affairs, maintaining continuity and driving action.
“The Environmental Management Charter is central to our sustainability work at Golf Club Domaine Impérial” said Christian Beaumann, President. “Its development and approval has secured full buy-in from all areas of the club, including senior management, and it provides a strong focus for driving forward our work as a club.”
The 13 Articles defined in the Charter address: health and wellbeing; duty to take part in the preservation and improvement of the environment; purchasing of products; use of resources including water, electricity and fuel oil; waste disposal; use of organic fertilisers; management of the forests and out-of-play areas to protect and favour flora and fauna; education of staff and communicating aims and activities to visitors.
“We’ve found the charter to be very effective”, continued Jean-Michel Hérissé, Green Keeper, "a few examples of the projects we’ve recently implemented include increasing out-of-play grasslands, investing in a highly efficient irrigation system and construction of an efficient, self-designed, bio-filter for the wash pad area.”
In 2016, Golf Club Domaine Impérial became GEO Certified®, the independently assessed global eco-label, which demonstrates a club’s commitment to social and environmental value. You can start your journey to becoming GEO Certified® by joining golf’s new sustainability guidance and reporting platform at www.getoncourse.golf.
Golf Club Domaine Impérial’s Environmental Charter can be found on their website www.golfdomaineimperial.com
