The Outdoor scene’s premier gathering place in Europe for networking and inspiration is going from a one-off annual event to become a year-round platform – and taking sustainability to the top of the agenda. Suston meets with Event Manager Toni Clifford to find out how.

 

The European Outdoor Summit (EOS) has been inspiring industry innovation and driving collaboration for a thriving outdoor sector in Europe since 2014. Where did we leave off with the last European Outdoor Summit in Annecy?

Last year was the first time European Outdoor Group (EOG) emphasized sustainability to such a degree on the EOS platform. It was also the first time we gathered physically for the EOS since the pandemic began, so nobody knew what to expect. Would anybody come? Had we as an industry moved on to digital meet-ups permanently? But people did come, and they were very happy to be together again face-to-face.

Many will also remember that we didn’t choose the most comfortable sustainability topics. Instead, we dug deep into concepts like degrowth and diversity & inclusion. We’re excited to see that these discussions didn’t stop at the door; since the summit, Dr. Jason Hickel is continuing the degrowth discussion with the EU Commission, and several partnerships have been initiated with Opening Up The Outdoors (OUTO).

 

The European Outdoor Group will be running a European Outdoor Summit at OutDoor by ISPO in Munich. Can you explain what the idea is here?

EOS is already widely seen as a strong platform upon which to deliver content and initiate collaboration. But we’ve been envisioning going beyond the summit as a standalone event for some time, and see the potential it holds to become the authoritative place where the industry turns to get information and to network.  We’re now beginning to realize this vision, so that EOS infuses all EOG courses and content. Among other things, members will already begin seeing changes on the EOS website later this year.

In the meantime, and in-real-life, our EOS at OutDoor by ISPO will provide a range of presentations that contribute to the sustainability conversation and inspire. Following the EOG Industry Breakfast on Monday, for example, we’re offering back-to-back presentations on circularity, care, decarbonization and more. We’re particularly excited about the two workshops – one dealing with repair and the other durability – which are geared toward setting into motion precompetitive collaborations between individual outdoor actors.

 

The main 2023 European Outdoor Summit is planned for 28-29^th September in Berlin. What can attendees expect this year?

The overwhelmingly positive response that we received from last year in Annecy bodes well for the EOS’ continued role in boldly pushing the industry out of its comfort zone.

While the agenda is still being developed, the theme has been set: “The New Era – Business and Beyond.” The underlying premise for this theme is that we find ourselves in a brand new era, where the criteria for success, monitoring key performance indicators, and engaging with our communities have undergone significant transformations. This shift in paradigm compels us to reconsider our business models, placing collaboration and sustainability as essential foundations for a thriving and responsible outdoor industry.

The two-day programme will be filled with engaging presentations, networking opportunities and exploring the latest (and future) developments in the specific context of the outdoor industry that stimulate debate and discussion in a non-competitive environment. The ultimate aim will be to improve business practices and promote sustainable growth and innovation, and that attendees will leave with both inspiration and actionable tools.

 

Photos: European Outdoor Group