The R&A has had a core mission over recent years to ensure that golf is thriving in 50 years-time. To achieve this, The R&A encourages good sustainable practice. The Open and the AIG Women’s Open provide the perfect platform to achieve this mission – staged on iconic links courses in coastal regions, surrounded by nature. This setting makes sustainability both relevant and essential.
Mastercard’s sustainability strategy focuses on climate action and restoration of nature. Over the past five years, through this shared mission, The R&A and Mastercard have extended their partnership at The Open and AIG Women’s Open to work together to build a sustainable future for golf, helping to ensure the sport continues to thrive for the next 50 years.
This has been actioned over the last 6-years through Mastercard’s sponsorship of The Water Initiative at The Open and AIG Women’s Open. An initiative to provide free clean drinking water at The Championships, while tackling climate issue. The R&A and Mastercard have share the following goals to achieve this:
- Adopt sustainable behaviours on-site, while having zero single-use plastic consumption the Championships
- Support the Priceless Planet Coalition in funding the restoration of 100 million trees
- Create a legacy that extends beyond The Championships, while allowing The R&A to invest in additional sustainable initiatives
Through The Water Initiative at The Open and AIG Women’s Open, fans have already helped fund the restoration of over 100,000 trees and eliminate over 500,000 single-use plastic bottles.
