Umhlali Country Club has won the 18th John Collier Sustainability Top Club Award for environmental compliance, social responsibility and good governance 

Special congratulations go to Umhlali Country Club and its members, the chairman and governing body, general manager Derick Reinke, sports manager Jason Herbst and course superintendent Robin Naicker on winning the Sustainability Top Club Award in the John Collier Survey Report Review for 2024-25.

The John Collier Survey Report is underpinned by the three pillars of sustainability – environmental compliance, social responsibility and good governance (ESG).

Data is collected from golf clubs throughout South Africa, and combined with desktop research and interviews with people knowledgeable about golf courses throughout the region. It is then analysed, after which the John Collier Annual Survey is published every March.

Greg Payne (Exco member), Derick Reinke (GM), Andre Boje (chairman), John Collier and Shalen Ramcharan (greenkeeper)

After the publication, the data is revisited, in order to determine which golf club has submitted the most comprehensive report. With a 46% participation rate from golf clubs, and a 31% national compliance level, there will always clubs that stand out as being exceptional.

In its 18th year, there were once again a number of very strong contenders, however, Umhlali Country Club was adjudged the winner. Special mention is also made of Reading Country Club and De Zalze Golf Club in their efforts towards sustainability and its three ESG pillars.

The work being done at Umhlali Country Club is really impressive, and it is fitting that on World Environment Day (WED), the club’s efforts should be appropriately recognised.

Shalen Ramcharan (greenkeeper), Marna Coetzee (marketing) and Derick Reinke (GM)

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, and over five decades. It has grown exponentially and is now one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach, with tens of millions of people participating online and through in-person activities, events and actions globally.

This year WED focuses on ending plastic pollution, as this particular environmental scourge exacerbates the deadly impacts of the triple planetary crisis – climate change, nature, land and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.

What Umhlali Country Club did so well in their survey questionnaire was illustrate its understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities) which have become the common language of sustainability, and are supported by the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies and objectives.

Gallery below

This understanding was further demonstrated by the club’s strategic alignment through their published vision, values and mission statements.

This vision is for the club to be the venue of choice for sports and recreation on the KZN North Coast, and to strive to provide members, guests and visitors with an affordable and beautiful eco-friendly club, with a top-rated golf course and sporting and recreational facilities. All of which offer an enjoyable experience, with quality service, in a hospitable and family-friendly environment.

The survey document submitted also reflects the club’s values, which include a non-discriminatory organisation with professional management and service at its core; a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, in and through golf; and a recognition of the importance of playing the club’s part to protect and restore nature, conserve resources, take meaningful climate action and strengthen communities.

Furthermore, the Umhlali survey report illustrates how the club seeks to use its reach to raise awareness and positive action among golfers, partners and the wider public, and live the commitment to make an important difference, and help golf become a valued leader in sustainability.

Umhlali’s understanding, and implementation of the three pillars of sustainability, sets a standard that many clubs in South Africa would want to emulate

What the board and management illustrated in the survey questionnaire is their understanding of the relevance of the ESG principles, and the importance of the SDGs for the club. It is this understanding that has laid the groundwork, by setting a sustainability approach that takes into consideration the positive and negative impacts of their business on the ESG risks and opportunities, and setting up short-, and long-term, environmental compliance, social responsibility and good governance goals that are aligned with the ESG and SDGs, overseeing the progress on them, and then reporting, and engaging with stakeholders.

Umhlali’s understanding, and implementation of the three pillars of sustainability – environmental compliance, social responsibility and good governance (ESG) – sets a standard that many clubs in South Africa would want to emulate.

Winning a Sustainability Top Club Award is only achieved with the support of committed and passionate people, who are prepared to wholly embrace sustainability, and its three ESG pillars, in an integrated and methodical manner.