The Omega European Masters is more than just a leading fixture on the international golf calendar: the tournament has set out to become a benchmark for sustainable sporting events. Since 2019, the organisation has worked closely with the Swiss agency bloomUp and the GEO Foundation, the world's leading body for sustainable golf, to improve its environmental, social and economic practices at a local level. This commitment, already recognised through GEO certification in 2022 (up for renewal this year), forms part of several regional and national frameworks, including Switzerland Tourism's Swisstainable programme and the Agenda 2030 strategy of the canton of Valais. Six key pillars structure this approach, each backed by measurable targets that are tracked annually.
The tournament measures its carbon footprint every year and, together with Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, has drawn up a three-year biodiversity protection plan featuring nesting boxes, insect hotels, restored wetlands and safeguarded sensitive areas. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are fully offset through the Swiss Olympic Climate Fund, and spectators are also encouraged to contribute through ticket sales. On the resources side, the event runs on green electricity and gravity-fed mountain water, while sustainable travel is promoted through free shuttle services, electric vehicle charging points, and easier access by train and electric vehicles from the airport.
Furniture and infrastructure are reused from one edition to the next, printed tee-time sheets have been scrapped, and a deposit scheme now applies to bottled drinks sold on site. On the catering front, a sustainable charter adopted by all suppliers favours short supply chains and seasonal produce, alongside a growing range of vegetarian options, with ambitious 2026 targets such as 100% reusable tableware and 75% sustainable food sourcing. Finally, inclusivity remains a priority: free entry for under-18s, dedicated facilities for visitors with reduced mobility, and partnerships with local schools and associations to make golf more accessible to all.
