Aku offers retailers Impacto, the first manual of its kind that estimates CO2 emissions from outdoor footwear. The issue of environmental impact will continue to be a central topic in the outdoor industry.

Aku’s commitment to researching design and production solutions to reduce this impact has long been one of the main assets driving the brand’s development strategy and its relationship with retailers. “Impacto” is an innovative tool developed by Aku that involves the quantification and certification of CO2 emissions levels for individual products and the entire organization.

Complex system in a simplified manual

The launch of Impacto represents the final stage of a two-year analysis process by Aku. The calculation of its Carbon Footprint of Product, was conducted according to internationally recognized standards and was verified by the external body Bureau Veritas, underscoring the reliability and credibility of the results.

The CO2 footprint is not a generic framework into which data can be simply inserted. Instead, it is a meticulously developed model that takes into account Aku’s distinct organizational structure, procurement practices, production methodologies, and shipment processes. Consequently, the calculation of the CO2 footprint now enables Aku to work with a specific and accurate data model. The data collection process encompasses all stages of Aku’s operations, extending up to Tier 3, which entails tracing the footprint back to the raw materials.

All this information forms the basis of the CO2 calculation system, and empowers Aku to determine the CO2 footprint for each individual model within its product collection.

A long and complex work, but now made simple and accessible through a working tool that explains to retailers how to realistically estimate the CO2 emissions resulting from the sale of outdoor footwear in different categories. This quantification enables the retailer to independently or in collaboration with the manufacturer take concrete actions aimed at offsetting the impact.

Photo: Uri Golman and Helle Olsen (www.wild-explorer.com) / Aku