At the end of November, ISPO Munich opens its doors for the first time since 2020. Tobias Gröber and Lena Haushofer share why the show has become even more relevant for the sustainability crew.

The presentation of ISPO Munich, taking place on November 28-30, states that “it’s clear to everyone that sustainability is an essential megatrend in the sports industry. But does this only apply to material trends? The answer is of course no, and ISPO Munich will highlight everything from social standards to Circular Economy, promising that the trade show will “get to the bottom of these and many other topics in the Sustainability Hub and in workshops.”

At ISPO Munich, sustainability will be one of four topics, “New perspectives on sports,” will be the motto. Why did you choose this?

“Today’s challenges cannot be answered with yesterday’s solutions. That’s why we need new perspectives on the market, consumers, retail and sport itself. And that’s why ISPO Munich 2022 is taking a new look at innovations, sustainability, diversity and retail, together with big players, thought leaders and experts from the industry,” explains Tobias Gröber, Head of ISPO Group.

The Sustainability Hub has been one of the most popular hotspots at the trade shows, and now it’s coming back as a part of the Future Lab. What is the Future Lab?

“We are turning a central hall at ISPO Munich into an innovation lab, where the most important minds in the industry will meet and discuss what needs to be done now. We want to be a lobby platform and give sport the important voice that corresponds to its position in society,” says Tobias Gröber.

How would you describe the Sustainability Hub to first-time visitors?

“The Sustainability Hub is a designated area to support education, information, spark interdisciplinary discussions and create a playing field for synergies in sustainability and social innovation. Also, pioneering brands, suppliers and other companies will showcase their best practice cases,” explains Lena Haushofer, ISPO Munich’s Exhibition Director.

A roadmap was launched at OutDoor by ISPO for how to make the outdoor trade shows more sustainable. Where are you at today?

“The roadmap became the blueprint for other trade fairs at Messe München and is also largely responsible for the fact that Environmental, Social and Governance has now been incorporated into the strategic corporate goals of Messe München as a whole. Originally we planned to make OutDoor by ISPO carbon neutral in 2035, but we have now set ourselves the goal of 2030,” says Lena Haushofer and continues:

“The company has also restructured itself and set up an internal task force including external expert support as well as a new function of Head of ESG*. A new Go-Green ticket provides visitors the option of making their journey climate neutral.”

Inclusion is another one of the four main topics. How can the trade shows contribute to a more inclusive outdoor community?

“Diversity, inclusion and body positivity have long been more than just a trend and are also an increasingly relevant topic in the sports industry. Be it in retail presentation or the development of new target groups, sports must be thought of inclusively,” says Lena Haushofer. *ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Main photo: Copyright 2020, Messe München GmbH