The Sustainability Working Group (SWG) has been having regular meetings and is progressing on several levels. The mission of the SWG is to provide business relevant insight and solutions to sustainability challenges facing the outdoor industry and its global stakeholders. Incorporating a comprehensive lifecycle perspective, the Sustainability Working Group’s key areas of focus are:
• Improving the ecological / environmental impact of the industry
• Ensuring the industry is up-to-date on relevant environmental and health and safety legislation as it relates to products and services
• Maintaining dialogue with relevant stakeholders
• Facilitating facts-based communication of sustainability credentials, including review of certification and labeling schemes
• Providing common positions on sustainability topics for the (EU) Outdoor Industry

The website is now live at www.europeanoutdoorsustainability.org and is currently accessible to everyone. As we develop and build the site further levels of membership will be introduced that will allow access to specific areas of the site. The area currently live is the basic level of introduction for anyone to see what the SWG is doing. We encourage everyone to sign up to the site to ensure that they are kept up-to-date on what is happening, when you sign up you will be contacted and asked at what level you would like to be involved.

An important and highly topical Sustainability Workshop will be held during OutDoor this summer. The Workshop will take place from 8.30am on the Friday morning of the fair. The Workshop will offer an opportunity for the industry to get involved, hear the latest developments, and the SWG are also inviting key industry professionals along to ensure that the event is of benefit to all in the industry. Please ensure that you let your colleagues know about this event. Further information about the event will be available shortly but please ensure you mark it in your diary.

The SWG has now set up committees to look at End-of-Life and also Regulations and Standards, others will be added as we progress.

The SWG has also established a relationship with Defra (the UK’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and was present at the launch of the Clothing Sustainability Roadmap in March. Discussions are also progressing with the US ECO Working Group concerning how the Groups can work together to ensure a cohesive approach to sustainability for an international industry.

The work of the SWG is NOT exclusive to members of the European Outdoor Group, it is operating on an open source basis and welcomes involvement from all areas of the supply chain.