City Diggers and Dapto Leagues Club have been awarded silver membership of the Office of Environment and Heritage Sustainability Advantage Program.
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They are among only three other clubs to become silver members in NSW.
The Illawarra Sustainable Clubs Alliance, an initiative of Rana Environmental, presently has 19 members including Oak Flats Bowling and Recreation Club, which is recognised as the most sustainable club in Australia.
City Diggers and Dapto Leagues Club are now following similar success by the Oak Flats club, which was previously one of only seven businesses in NSW to progress to gold membership of the Office of Environment and Heritage Sustainability Advantage Program.
Matt Gooden has been overseeing much for program at Dapto and said Rana Environmental was instrumental in getting the club involved.
He and chief executive David Hiscox said Dapto Leagues Club's success could be largely attributed to a dedicated sustainability team and the entire staff, who looked at everything from reducing energy consumption to waste going to landfill.
At City Diggers electricity consumption has been reduced by 27 per cent, gas by 31 per cent, water by 27 per cent and landfill by 22 per cent since 2009/10.
Dapto Leagues Club has had a 53 per cent reduction in waste to landfill, a 19 per cent fall in electricity consumption, 17 per cent drop in gas and 53 per cent in water.
"They are big numbers that have been achieved since our baseline year in 2009," Mr Gooden said.
Mr Hiscox said the business outcomes had social outcomes as well.
"The key thing about the program I think is it is not management driven," he said.
"It is about staff engagement and having a sustainability committee. It is about the team driving it internally and upwards."
Both clubs are encouraging sustainability within the region by supporting sustainability related community projects and other businesses within their supply chain.
City Diggers general manager Phil Ryan said the club had been making progress in the area for about six years and always welcomed the audit of the entire operation and in encouraging members by showing them how they could help and improve their own recycling habits.
