Surf industry adopting Ecoride index

Industry Updates

The boardsports industry digs deeper into sustainable development | Française

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 November, 2012 : - - This past October, using the Ecoride assessment tool, the EuroSIMA Cluster (the federal body representing companies from the boardsports industry) carried out a survey to evaluate its members' environmental initiatives and level of commitment to sustainability. Ecoride is an index jointly created and developed by the EuroSIMA Cluster, the ADEME and InovEco. It allows users to evaluate and highlight environmental initiatives and actions of companies in the boardsports industry.

13 companies representing over 60 brands have volunteered to participate in the 2012 survey: Bic Sport, Bruno Delaye Production, Cool Shoe, Hoff Distribution, Holly Wood, InovEco, Notox, NSI h.o.5 group, Oxbow, Picture, Quiksilver Europe, Rip Curl Europe and Völkl.

The evaluation process was ensured by a committee of independent experts from the following institutions: ADEME, Aquitaine Développement Innovation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bayonne Pays Basque, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Landes, the General Council of the Landes, the General Council of the Pyrénées Atlantiques, the Regional Council of Aquitaine, Green Room Voice, Inoveco, Surfrider Foundation Europe
and the University of Bordeaux 2.

It was based on 15 reference points from 3 general areas of focus: Environmental management at the company's main location (reducing water and energy consumption, recycling waste, training employees...etc). Eco designing products or services (using recycled materials, including possible repairs to increase product life, accounting for Carbon imprint when organizing events, etc.) Level of environmental commitment (technical or financial support of environmental projects or initiatives).

The 2012 Results are presented below:

Environmental situation of boardsports companies in 2012. Each criterion includes 3 levels of performance. Level 1: evaluation; Level 2: implementation of solutions; Level 3: integration of sustainability in all aspects the  company’s activities.

Positive initiatives and exemplary behavior: The survey revealed that boardsports companies have widened their ranges of ecodesigned products. Companies are clearly making efforts to maximize logistics chains and increasingly turn to road-rail transportation as a more a more viable option. Boardsports companies have also increasingly come to ensure more traceability of suppliers, namely regarding risk management relative to chemicals used in their products.

Finally, the boardsports industry has proven its active support of environmental initiatives (protecting and saving coral reefs, reforesting areas in Africa, coastal and wave protection campaigns, etc.).

Areas to be improved: Sustainability and environmental policies are still too frequently viewed by company directors as regulatory obligations, rather than actual opportunities for business development. Most boardsports companies do not yet use overall performance indicators such as the Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSR). These new approaches and indicators would allow companies to evaluate their economic performance as well as their social and environmental policies.

The EuroSIMA Cluster will carry out this survey on a yearly basis to track the progress (or setbacks) of boardsports companies in sustainable development and provide an accurate, up to date image of sustainability in our industry.

Here are a few examples of exemplary behavior identified in the survey:

Identified exemplary behavior Bic Sport Design and manufacturing of sports equipment. Surfboards and SUP boards are  manufactured in France in an environmentally sustainable factory.

Bruno Delaye Production Organizer of the  International Surf Film Festival Selection of films, which encourage environmental awareness and ecofriendly travel. Significant efforts ere made to reduce the festival's environmental impact.

Cool Shoe Design, distribution of sports  articles. Part of the 250 companies in France to  partake in the experimental project of  “ecolabelling” their products.

Hoff Distribution Design, distribution of sports  equipment. New range of ecodesigned products: soy  based waxes & wax removers made from  recycled materials.

Holly Wood Design, manufacturing of  wood furniture. New range of recycled furniture for offices  and shops.

InovEco Sustainability consultancy firm Provide training on how to use  sustainability to develop business  opportunities to future boardsports professionals.

Notox Surf board manufacturer. New range of ecodesigned kite surf  boards.

NSI h.o.5 group Multimedia and consultancy firm, Snow park designers.Use of Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSR) indicators.

Oxbow Design, distribution of sports  equipment. 30 % of marketed products are  ecodesigned and include environmental traceability labels.

Picture Design, distribution of sports equipment.The company started an R&D project to develop single material technical clothing for easier recycling in end of life stages.

Quiksilver Europe Design, distribution of sports equipment. Winner of the European Green & Pack Award for designing a packaging for snowboard helmets made from recycled cellulose.

Rip Curl Europe Design, distribution of sports equipment. Development of a new range of  accessories made from used wetsuits.

Völkl Ski and snowboard manufacturer. 80 % of skis and snowboards are  manufactured in a German factory using the latest state of the art environmental technologies.

www.eurosima.com

Source: EuroSIMA

Author: Stephanie Godin

Tags: EuroSIMA, Environment, Ecoride

Industry: Surfersvillage