Aix-en-Provence, France, May 6, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Camille Chevalier has become a Sustainable Golf Champion – partnering with the non-profit GEO Foundation to help support the group’s mission to advance sustainability in and through golf. 2017 Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year partners with GEO Foundation to help raise awareness and encourage action across the sport.
The move follows in the footsteps of nine-time Solheim Cup player Suzann Pettersen and represents another significant step forward in building a community of credible champions across the sector.
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As part of this network, Camille will work closely with GEO Foundation to promote and celebrate the positive impacts golf has on nature and people, as well as encouraging further action on key issues such as pollution prevention; resource efficiency and climate change.
In addition, all activities will be closely aligned to The Ladies European Tour sustainability initiative – “Celebrating the Green, presented by Dow”, which was launched last year and aims to showcase environmental, climate and community action across women’s golf and celebrate sustainable activities stemming from players, tournaments, venues and partners.
“I have always had a special relationship with nature and the outdoors – one of the main reasons I have loved golf is because it takes place in beautiful environments,” said Camille, who won the Hero Women’s Indian Open in her first season on the Ladies European Tour. “My interest naturally evolved towards the preservation and protection of nature as I grew up during a period of increasing awareness of the impacts of climate change, plastic pollution, biodiversity loss and the need to live more sustainably.
“As a golfer, I used to practice a lot at Le Golf National and became particularly interested in the course preparation and maintenance, learning a lot about turf and agronomy from passionate people. Now on Tour I am always looking at the different ways of managing the course environment.
“Golf courses can play a key role in creation and preservation of local ecosystems. Biodiversity is very rich throughout a golf course environment and can flourish in areas subjected to very little or no maintenance. This way, local species can develop and blossom naturally.
“And it is important golfers look around them when they play. They can marvel at landscapes and wildlife that can be found on the course – to be amazed is already a first form of action to protect the ecosystem. By keeping this close contact with nature we become aware of its need for protection.
“I am excited about working with the GEO Foundation, exploring how I can live, work and play more sustainably and help celebrate all the good things that are happening in golf for nature and people.”
Camille joins a growing community of Sustainable Golf Champions across the sport, a group which also includes course and club managers, and association leaders who are making real and measurable contributions to sustainable golf. As well as promoting the positive activities throughout golf, as a Sustainable Golf Champion Camille is committed to becoming a “Climate Neutral” golfer. To do so she is calculating all unavoidable travel emissions each year relating to her playing schedule, and offsetting those in the most credible and impactful way using an approach developed by GEO in direct partnership with The Gold Standard.
Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, GEO Foundation, said: “Athletes have the power to draw wide attention to really important issues as well as inspire change. We are very excited about the energy, passion and commitment that Camille will bring to driving sustainability in and through the sport. We hope that more professional players with follow her own and Suzann’s lead, and step forward as champions for sustainable golf.”
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Emma Allerton, Commercial Director at the Ladies European Tour added “As an organisation, the LET is also seeking to demonstrate leadership in sustainability and climate action through our ‘Celebrating the Green’ initiative, and this will also give Camille a wonderful platform to help raise awareness of some of the issues and the solutions throughout golf and inspire her fans around the world. Sustainability needs a big team effort, and we welcome others across the LET community to join and take action.”
About Camille Chevalier
Camille Chevalier is from Aix en Provence, France and turned pro in January 2017 at the age of 23. After earning a degree from Indiana University in the US, Camille earned full status through the 2016 Qualifying School to play on the Ladies European Tour. During her first season she secured her maiden professional win at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, finished 10th of the Order of Merit, and became the 2017 Rookie of the Year. The following season she competed on both the Symetra Tour and the Ladies European Tour during which she made cut made in her first Major, the Evian Championship and gained a top 10 in the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open and in 2019 came close to adding to previous win with a third place finish at La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational. She will be embarking on her fifth season on the LET in 2021, starting her campaign with the Investec South African Women’s Open in May.
About GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf
GEO Foundation is the international not-for-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability in and through golf. Its goal is to work collaboratively to help the sport embrace environmental and social issues and become widely acclaimed for its role in fostering nature, conserving resources, building healthy communities and taking climate action. In addition to its strategic support through partnerships with associations, GEO assures the OnCourse® programmes for grassroots golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, each of which can lead to the internationally accredited, endorsed and independently verified GEO Certified® label.
About LET ‘Celebrating the Green, presented by Dow’
Championing environmental, climate and community action across women’s golf.
Celebrating the Green, the LET’s sustainability initiative, aims to recognise and promote great environmental work being achieved through the Ladies European Tour community. The initiative aims to celebrate and support the successful sustainability activities stemming from our wonderful players, partners, tournaments and venues, whilst inspiring and encouraging others to become involved and engage in sustainability and climate action, addressing some of the most important issues of our time.
