The Outdoor Retailer Climate Commitment (ORCC), a voluntary coalition of European outdoor retailers, has published its 2024 Annual Report. The report consolidates the climate data provided by its members and gives an overview of key developments in emissions measurement, climate strategies, and joint industry standards. Progress has been made in reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions as well as improving data availability in Scope 3 through the development of a shared supplier database.

The ORCC was founded in September 2021 as an initiative by European outdoor retailers. Major players in the industry—including Sportler AG, Yonderland, Bergfreunde GmbH, Bergzeit GmbH, Sport Schuster GmbH, Sport Conrad GmbH, Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports Ltd., Sport Pursuit Ltd., Globetrotter GmbH, and Transa Backpacking AG—have joined forces to advance climate action. Their goal: to promote climate protection within the outdoor industry and to contribute to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement through targeted measures. In 2024, ORCC members achieved the following milestones:

Progress in Scope 1 and 2, improved data availability in Scope 3

70% of retailers fully measured their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for 2024. Compared to their respective company-specific base years, improvements are evident—driven by measures such as the use of renewable energy, more energy-efficient building technology, and adjustments to vehicle fleets. In total, retailers reduced their combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 4,857 tonnes of CO₂e compared to their baseline years.

Collecting Scope 3 data remains complex. Nevertheless, 70% of members recorded data for relevant categories in 2024. At present, comparability remains limited due to differing system boundaries, data sources, and methodologies. In this context, a shared database for generic Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) has been developed. The database is based on information from multiple manufacturers and is intended to enable retailers to calculate emissions in Scope 3.1 more consistently and accurately in the future. This project complements existing ORCC efforts to harmonize calculation methods.

Overview of suppliers, brands, and their climate targets

Another key focus of the report is providing a clear overview of the brands and suppliers represented by ORCC members, including whether they have set climate targets such as Science Based Targets (SBTs) or are currently developing them. This transparency aims to support more structured and targeted collaboration across the value chain. The ORCC sees a major milestone in strengthening collaboration with suppliers, further developing the shared supplier database, and representing a unified retailer perspective in discussions within the European Outdoor Group (EOG).

Outlook

In the coming years, the ORCC will continue to focus on creating greater transparency around Scope 3 emissions, further developing shared standards within the network, and supporting suppliers in their climate efforts. Member exchanges will also help to address ongoing challenges more systematically.

Statements from ORCC members:

“The outdoor industry has the opportunity to take a leading role in climate protection through collaboration and transparency.” – Bergfreunde GmbH

“Building a PCF database is a crucial step for accurate Scope 3 calculations and a strong signal of collective progress.” – Bergzeit GmbH

“More brands are committing to climate action—and the PCF database is increasing transparency across the entire industry.” – Globetrotter GmbH

“Only through shared responsibility can we protect the natural environment that defines our industry.” – Sport Conrad GmbH

“Collaboration across the entire supply chain is essential to achieving real emissions reductions.” – Sportler AG

“You cannot claim to love the outdoors and fail to act on climate change. Climate leadership isn’t optional anymore. Retailers are demonstrating rapid progress – we now need suppliers and brand partners to accelerate with equal urgency.” - Yonderland

The full annual report can be downloaded HERE.