EOG addresses ‘biggest issues society faces’
29/01/2020
On the side-lines of the ISPO trade show, the organisation revealed that 97% of EOG members have now adopted the association’s Sustainability Charter, committing to pursue best practice in corporate citizenship, responsibility and sustainability.
EOG general secretary Arne Strate said: “The scale of the EOG’s work has grown significantly in recent years and we are proactively addressing some of the biggest issues that face not only the outdoor sector, but business and society as a whole. Among those are some urgent, huge challenges and as the voice of our industry, we have built internal capacity and kick-started external projects to take the lead.”
The umbrella purpose of the EOG has recently been articulated in a mission and vision statement: ‘We are the voice of the European outdoor sector and our vision is to do global, profitable business in a way that gives back more than we take from nature and people.’
EOG board member and VAUDE CEO Antje von Dewitz explained the background to this during the press conference: “The EOG is not your typical trade association. We are driving change from within the sector, not sheltering it from change. Of course, we have to consider how to develop profitable business models, but we believe that one way to do that is to stay ahead of the curve in our approach to addressing major areas such as sustainability and climate change.
“Our goal is very ambitious - we are trying to move a whole sector - and we are now working to define how that will be measured. Already, the EOG has committed millions of euros of resource into CSR and sustainability projects, while we believe that outdoor businesses in Europe have collectively invested 100 times that, without any direct return on investment, which is very commendable. It’s the right thing to do and we’re proud to lead the way.”
EOG activities are delivered through organisations and stakeholders, some of which were set up by the EOG, such as the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) and It’s Great Out There Coalition, and others which the association helped to found, including The Microfibre Consortium.
After many years of service on the EOG board, vice-president Jean-Marc Pambet (Salomon) and Treasurer Eddy Codega (CAMP) stood down at the meeting.
EOG members approved the appointment of two new board members: Paolo Bordin (AKU)
Guillaume Meyzenq (Salomon). In addition, two members who had been coopted during 2019 were confirmed as permanent members: Nikolai Rabaek Christensen (ECCO) and Benjamin Thaller (OSV). Antje von Dewitz of Vaude was confirmed as the EOG’s new vice-president and Michel Gogniat of Ternua has been appointed treasurer. Peter Ottervanger was welcomed as the EOG’s new head of retail.
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