GEO Certification achieved in 2023 for the
first time in tournament history
ATLANTA, Aug. 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company today announced
that for the third consecutive year its system is delivering 100%
renewable energy for the TOUR Championship, professional golf's
season-ending event. Southern Company and its subsidiaries Georgia
Power and Southern Company Gas collaborated with the tournament and
the PGA TOUR to drive sustainability measures on and off
the golf course.
The PGA TOUR's season-ending event returns
to Atlanta and the newly restored East Lake Golf
Club, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2024. Every year, it all comes down to
the TOUR Championship and the finale of the FedExCup Playoffs,
where the 30 top-performing golfers compete for the
season-long title. The TOUR Championship has become Atlanta's
must-attend outdoor sporting event of the summer, with something
for every fan to enjoy.
The 2023 edition of the TOUR Championship became a GEO
Certified® Tournament for the first time in the event's history,
recognizing its sustainability commitments, actions, and
progress.
"We really couldn't have been GEO Certified without Southern
Company," said Brazos Barber, director of sustainability at the PGA
TOUR. "They are honestly the kind of a partner that you dream of,
especially on the sustainability front. They really believe in
sustainability and in reducing their energy footprint."
The PGA TOUR's season-ending event received the international
award for sustainability in golf, overseen by Scotland-based GEO Sustainable Golf
Foundation, reflecting measures across the staging, communications,
and legacies of the event.
The 2023 event met specific criteria outlined in the voluntary
standard for Sustainable Golf tournaments, which embodies
requirements for planning, delivery, and continual improvement
across a comprehensive suite of key sustainability themes and
action areas including energy, waste and resource management, site
protection, and procurement, as well as social impacts and
legacies.
"For us to be certified, it's proving that we're not just
talking the talk. We're walking the walk and actually accomplishing
the sustainability outcomes that we're setting out to achieve,"
Barber said. "It's a stamp of approval."
The independent third-party verification was carried out by the
Council for Responsible Sport with a thorough review by GEO
Certification Ltd, and agreement to various Continual Improvement
Points for future editions of the event.
For the 2024 event, Southern Company's custom, sustainable
solution includes:
- 500,000-kilowatt hours of renewable energy credits to avoid
emissions generated from fossil fuel-based electricity used on
course
- Renewable natural gas (RNG) to avoid emissions from the
clubhouse's natural gas appliances by integrating environmental
credits from carbon neutral RNG captured from landfills
- 90% of golf carts are electric
- 11,000 gallons of renewable diesel (R99) replacing traditional
diesel
- Battery-powered and solar-powered cell phone charging stations
for fan use on course
- Electric vehicle chargers in the East Lake Golf Club parking
lot for player and patron use
- Renewable and recyclable materials in Southern Company's Good
Energy Pavilion fan experience
Driving sustainability on course links up with Southern
Company's goal off the course – achieving net zero emissions across
its system's electric and natural gas operations by 2050. The
company reduced its system's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 49%
in 2023 relative to 2007 levels. The net zero goal includes direct
GHG emissions across the company's electric and natural gas
businesses.
Since 1999, Southern Company has been the Official Energy
Company of the PGA TOUR. Southern Company is now in its ninth
year as a Proud Partner of the TOUR Championship. Southern Company
remains alongside The Coca-Cola Company and Accenture as the Proud
Partners of the TOUR Championship.
Southern Company is committed to providing clean and resilient
energy solutions that connect communities, businesses and future
generations to opportunity and growth.
For more information, please visit Southern Company |
Golf.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is
a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the
Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing
clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service
is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in
three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a
competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy
company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and
telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment
to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action
to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal
of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising
values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of
everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are
transforming energy into economic, environmental and social
progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices
have earned the company national awards and recognition from
numerous organizations, including Forbes, The Military Times,
DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights
Campaign and more. To learn more, visit southerncompany.com.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/southern-company-and-pga-tour-again-partner-to-power-tour-championship-with-100-renewable-energy-302235168.html
SOURCE Southern Company