Royal Automobile Club

Notable Observations

• Chalk Grassland & Biodiversity Integration: Set within 330 acres of chalk grassland, the club actively protects diverse habitats, from ancient woodland and standard trees to bat roosts and reptile-friendly zones—forming vital green corridors that connect into the surrounding countryside.
• Pollinator Habitats & Nature-Friendly Practices: Dead hedges, bug hotels, and wild patches are managed with care, while mowing is minimised in lower-use areas. Play is monitored to maintain balance between sport and nature.
• Smart Water Use & On-Site Supply: Water for the courses comes from a custom-built reservoir and EA-monitored boreholes. Moisture mapping and hand watering are the norm, supported by weather-linked systems and a greenkeeping WhatsApp group to report issues in real time
• Waste Separation & Reduction: From kitchen clingfilm reduction trials to recycling in hotel rooms and composting green waste, the club manages waste comprehensively. Plastic crate deliveries and zero bin bag use are part of the operation.
• Closed-Loop Machinery Washdown System: A fully bunded, waste-to-water system recycles water used in machinery cleaning, paired with fuel station tag readers and compliant chemical storage—minimising risk and footprint across maintenance operations.
• Support for Charities & Local Good Causes: The club donates tee times, venue space, and auction items, raising over £30,000 annually through the captain’s charity alone. Charitable giving is structured and wide-reaching.
• Communications Hub for Members: The club communicates its sustainability efforts to 17,000 members through regular updates in the member portal, quarterly magazine features, and targeted news—building awareness and engagement across the full membership.
• Environmental Social Group and Action Planning: A dedicated ESG group meets monthly to track sustainability actions using a traffic-light system. Member-led and cross-departmental, it drives improvement while keeping the whole organisation aligned.

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“With some clubs, the greenstaff tend to take the lead with the club often failing to recognise the importance of sustainable working. This is certainly not the case at The Royal Automobile Club. Sustainability is part of the ethos of the place. It is being considered through all areas be it by the chefs looking to find alternatives for single use cling fill, to non-hazardous chemicals use and management through the built environments, through to the careful consideration given to protecting the species and habitats on the golf courses. This club support over 17,000 members which likely means a huge number of opinions. The club employ a whole series of communication platforms which keep all members abreast of the clubs’ workings and this includes periodic advice on energy and water use and efficiencies, on course management and waste stream management to mention just some of the initiatives practiced. If I were to choose a couple of highlights, the first would be in terms of the water management which includes careful use of wetting agents and monitoring using POGO coupled with a strong reliance on hand watering rather than relying on blanket irrigation. The club also abstract water from an on-site reservoir and if required from EA monitored boreholes. Water use is considered and appropriate. A second highlight would be the collection and reuse of all arisings from the courses which coupled with the drive to install new waste separation bins on the course will ensure much less general waste to landfill. This links into the much broader ethos of minimising waste in the first instance through to recycling. Discussions and relationships with suppliers are ongoing and are aimed at ensuring appropriate delivery of all produce entering the club. Even though the RAC is an exclusive member facility the degree of effort that goes into charitable assistance is considerable. This I trust is adequately outlined in the community element of the verification review.”

Bob Taylor (GEO accredited independent verifier)