For the average outdoor enthusiast, the European Outdoor Group (EOG) might be unheard of. But within the industry, the trade organization has been both pushing and guiding its 148 members in the transition over the last years. Suston talks to Scott Nelson, Managing Director, about the impact – and limitations – of EOG.

Looking back, what are the most important parts of EOG’s work when it comes to sustainability?

I’d like to point out three things in no particular order. The first one is working together within our industry. Katy Stevens, Head of CSR and Sustainability at EOG, and her team truly foster a collaborative culture, and they deserve the credit. The outdoor sector is small compared to fashion, sports, tech, etc. We need to pull our resources together. Initiatives such as the Carbon Reduction Project and the Single Use Plastics show that our collaborative and pre-competitive approach can really have an outsized impact.

The second one is to prioritize impact over optics, which I think is true both for the EOG and the leading outdoor brands when it comes to sustainability. In the industries I come from, marketing and ROI often come first when assessing where to invest. Yet I have seen time and time again examples of brands within the industry openly sharing and collaborating even with no immediate measurable benefit. I have seen them give away some of their best ideas – opportunities which could easily result in a clear competitive advantage – in order to make a larger difference. In our industry, we care more about making a difference than making the front page.

The final one is saying ‘no’! This is not meant to be negative; there are so many opportunities, needs, developments, and so many engaging topics, and we are approached by numerous attractive sustainability services. It can be hard to paddle past some of those in order to remain firmly fixed on our priorities – in order to do less but to do it well.

It’s incredibly easy to drift, especially in sustainability. We need to be thoughtful about how and where we allocate our resources. To set a priority, narrow down, and keep focusing on what we believe should be our guiding North Star. And say ‘no’ to the rest.

And looking forward – what is coming next? And is there something you and the team are missing that you hope for?

Overall, carbon has been such a dominant theme for years and for good reason. But we need to carry more things at the same time. The ecological crisis is multi-faceted, interconnected, and dovetails with social issues as well. Coming back to the “saying no” – how can we remain intently focused but also avoid being negligent to the many related issues we are facing?

I believe this is where individual suppliers, brands, and retailers can make a big difference. Within the outdoor industry, champions in different areas are going to emerge. And then others will be inspired by and learn from these pioneers and hopefully join them. EOG can support as a platform to help foster this type of progress.

How much can an industry organization such as EOG influence its members? And what are the limitations where EOG needs to accept that different member companies choose different roads?

It’s a balance, of course. In some ways, we can be part of the strategic and long-term work for our members. Our portfolio is big and strong with education opportunities, joint initiatives, and regular discussions with senior management among our members. We facilitate and sometimes also finance projects, such as with the impact accelerator fund.

The EOG organization also has a very active board pushing the trade to take more action. For example, there was a great debate around if the CO2 reduction commitment Race to Zero should be mandatory for our members, and in the end, the board decided to go ahead with this.

At the same time, we don’t want to be seen as punitive or authoritarian. We intend to push the industry – but if our members no longer see themselves in the organization’s decisions, we are no longer their voice. It’s about helping them see into the future. Not only to avoid failing – but to go from strength to strength and seize the incredible opportunities in front of us.

In September, the European Outdoor Summit (EOS) will have its 10-year jubilee, this time in Cambridge. The summit is organized by EOG – how has this event evolved over the years?

The EOS is a crucial touchpoint for our industry. Looking back, the EOS began as an opportunity for executives and senior leadership to network outside the trade show context. It continues to do exactly that, but the summit has evolved and expanded to deepen its educational and aspirational content.

At the same time, many business leaders work in a more fragmented environment today. Both the outdoor industry and community are constantly changing. This makes it even more critical for executives to come together, to listen to specialists debate, and have those important casual conversations in between. A gathering like the EOS is the perfect place to seed many impactful sustainability collaborations further down the road.

 

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