OIA compiles first sustainability report
27/07/2018
The report, entitled State of Sustainability in the Outdoor Industry, was compiled after a survey of 120 individual small, midsize and large companies. Its aim was to quantify the outdoor industry’s efforts to reduce the impact of its products and processes.
The OIA hopes it will provide a baseline for measuring the industry’s sustainability performance and will serve as a guide for future initiatives. It also highlights examples of proactive approaches that companies are taking towards sustainability.
The organisation listed four key takeaways from the report which it says show that sustainability is a core value of the outdoor industry regardless of company size, product type or location. They are:
•The greater good is a priority – 75% of participating companies have at least one employee who is responsible for sustainability efforts in their organisation;
•Higg Index provides helpful tools to compare and improve – 87% used the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index to guide internal sustainability conversations or benchmarking efforts;
•A sustainable materials and product design programme is key – Products and materials emerged as a priority for all sizes of companies, with 69% of respondents prioritising their efforts accordingly; and,
•Companies are investing in efforts to cut carbon emissions – 63% of the companies surveyed invest in renewable energy.
The OIA will share the report with the industry at upcoming meetings and conferences. It will be updated every two years. More details about the report are available on the organisation’s website.
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