Organisers of the 2014 Ryder Cup, to be held at Gleneagles in Scotland, launched a major effort to ensure the event is as green as possible.

The 2014 Ryder Cup Green Drive, coordinated by Ryder Cup Europe and the Golf Environment Organization and featuring a steering group that also includes EventScotland, Zero Waste Scotland, the Scottish Golf Union, Perth and Kinross Council and Scottish Natural Heritage, will set out to integrate sustainability into all aspects of event planning, staging and legacy.

Speaking at the launch, held recently at Gleneagles, Ryder Cup match director Edward Kitson said: “We are currently putting in place the building blocks that will enable us to minimise and mitigate the event’s unavoidable impacts, and also look at many new ways to maximise positive opportunities to outreach, advocate and engage for a lasting legacy.”

Gleneagles golf courses manager Scott Fenwick added: “This initiative fits very well with our proven track record of environmental management and community engagement. Having employed professional sustainability and environmental managers for over a decade we feel well placed to contribute. We look forward to identifying new opportunities across the resort’s operations, and raising our own performance further in line with the Green Drive.”