Waste Management Phoenix Open Named "Inspire" Event by Council for Responsible Sport

The Council for Responsible Sport, an Oregon-based non-profit promoting sustainability in sports, has named the Waste Management Phoenix Open as an Inspire event following four-consecutive zero waste tournaments. Inspire event status is given after achieving multiple certifications to recognize the legacy that sporting events committed to sustainability and thoughtful resource management provide to their audiences and communities.The Waste Management Phoenix Open is the first PGA TOUR tournament and the largest sporting event in the world to achieve Inspire status. Only two other events have achieved Inspire status, including the Eversource Hartford Marathon in Connecticut and Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Both events gained Inspire status in 2016.“The Waste Management Phoenix Open has demonstrated true leadership in producing responsible sporting events and in the process, is inspiring other events to improve their social and environmental performance,” said Shelley Villalobos, Managing Director of the Council for Responsible Sport.Inspire events provide important sustainability metrics and are expected to share their story with fellow event organizers. Inspire event organizers are also asked to mentor other Council-affiliated events on aspects of their responsible sport program. This year, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is providing mentorship to the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) to pilot a new sustainable golf tournament certification, GEO Certified, which builds on the Council for Responsible Sport’s framework. Through this project, the Waste Management Phoenix Open strives to support other golf tournaments in their pursuit of sustainable best practices and inspire other golf tournaments around the world to become GEO Certified. Inspire events have earned the right to be recognized industry-wide as leaders in responsible sport through their commitment to continuous improvement and transparency and are ready to share what they have learned as champions for a healthier world.Read the full press release here.