Outdoors
SUSTAINABILITY IN
We’re committed to inspiring adventurers to spend more time outdoors—and to making sure the natural spaces we love will be here for everyone to enjoy.
Helen P. Johnson-Leipold Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Making That Make a Difference The Choices
OUR PASSION FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS CREATES A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF MORE PEOPLE AND MORE COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME
On land, on water and under the water, consumers trust Johnson Outdoors products to deliver the best possible experience. They know the choices we make add up to innovation, quality and reliability. We also make choices to protect the environment—through our people, our operations and our community participation. We’re changing lives for the better today as we outfit anglers, campers, divers and outdoor adventurers with topquality equipment. And in sharing our passion, we’re also making a difference for tomorrow.
JOHNSON OUTDOORS Environmental Manifesto
We are Johnson Outdoors. Trusted
for Adventure.
Nature lives within all of us.
IT IS THE THREAD THAT CONNECTS US TO OUR WORLD, TO EACH OTHER, AND INSPIRES SOMETHING DEEP WITHIN US. AND WHILE NATURE FEELS INFINITE, ENDURING AND TIMELESS—THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS OF TODAY REMIND US THAT ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
As a family of brands, we celebrate the outdoor spaces we love, because it’s in our nature to protect what we value most. We have the power to undo the damage that threatens our cherished places, and a burning desire to keep nature wild.
But we can’t do it alone. Just as we share the waters and the trails, our obligation to conserve, protect and restore our nature is also shared and our responsibility to act must be collective.
Good For Today… And Tomorrow
Since our founding in 1970, Johnson Outdoors has encouraged a sense of awe for the great outdoors—and inspired preservation of our shared wild spaces. We consider it our responsibility to leave the world a better place and to accelerate our environmental efforts. By focusing on continuous improvement within our sustainable operations, products and packaging, and communities, we are making real progress in driving a lasting, positive impact. To ensure progress, we’ve established a sustainability subcommittee that meets quarterly, reports to the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Committee, and ultimately to our Board of Directors.
Our Sustainability Focus Areas
Sustainable Operations
1. Identify opportunities to increase recycling and reduce waste from our operations
2. Drive energy efficiencies and increase our electricity supplied through renewable sources
Sustainable Products & Packaging
1. Increase the amount of recyclable materials in our packaging
2. Design products with a commitment to high quality and reliability
Sustainable Communities
1. Invite individuals and groups to participate in the Clean Earth Challenge with Johnson Outdoors, our family of brands and the National Wildlife Federation
2. Engage, educate, and empower employees and customers to make environmental improvements
Sustainable Operations
We’re committed to responsibly managing our resources and ensuring ethical business practices.
RECYCLING
We are working diligently to enhance our recycling practices. One key focus is reducing waste produced in our operations and diverting as much as possible from landfills.
We recycle approximately 70% of our manufacturing and production waste from our global sites. We continue to look for innovative ways to improve our processes, create efficiencies, and reduce waste across all of our businesses.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Reducing our energy and natural resource consumption is an important priority for Johnson Outdoors. In 2023, we completed a comprehensive energy consumption assessment performed by third-party experts. The collected data on our energy use is critical in helping us understand and identify opportunities for energy reductions.
We continue to explore using renewable energy to power a portion of our operations.
By initiating many energy efficiency projects in our facilities that encompass energy-efficient LED lighting, heat recovery, air compressor improvements, and HVAC controls, Johnson Outdoors has cut approximately 1,175,120 kWh per year of electricity usage over the past three years. This is the same amount of energy consumed in 107 (average U.S.) homes in a year.*
An example of this is in Old Town, Maine, where the Old Town Canoe and Kayak manufacturing facility repurposes excess heat generated during production processes to warm the building, reducing natural gas consumption and cutting heating costs by 15%.
*According to EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
SPOTLIGHT
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT IN EUFAULA, ALABAMA
THE JOHNSON OUTDOORS MARINE ELECTRONICS LOCATION IN EUFAULA, ALABAMA, UNDERWENT A BUILDING EXPANSION PROJECT IN 2023. As part of that work, we installed a solar array to power part of the electricity load. We estimate that the solar array will produce 200,000 kWh of electricity each year, the same amount used by an average of 16 homes per year.*
*According to EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Sustainable Products & Packaging
Our top-quality products elevate outdoor experiences today, while our business promotes preserving natural spaces for adventures tomorrow. We work to continuously improve the sustainability of our products, packaging and shipping, using recycled materials and minimizing plastic and packaging volume.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING AND SHIPPING MATERIALS
One way we do this is by prioritizing waste reduction across our businesses, which we are currently addressing through the increased use of sustainable packaging and materials.
Our brands have increased the sustainability of shipping containers and product packaging designs by focusing on reducing packaging volume and using recycled materials, while still preserving the integrity of the products.
Collaboration between Johnson Outdoors’ Minn Kota® brand and Old Town® Canoes and Kayaks are good examples of our sustainable packaging work. Between 2020 and 2023, we have reused shipping packaging containers in the transport of key components shared between the two locations. Since its inception, this initiative has saved over 700 shipping trays, reducing the equivalent of 12 dumpsters of landfill waste.
The removal of plastic from our product packaging is a focus for all of our brands.
Nearly half of SCUBAPRO® products are shipped without plastic packaging and the Humminbird® HELIX, our best-selling fish finder, has transitioned its internal packaging from closed-cell foam to recycled cardboard pulp that can be recycled again.
Old Town is committed to protecting the quality and appearance of our kayaks and canoes in transit, and has implemented a new highperforming package initiative that uses a 40% recycled content wrap, while also reducing up to 100,000 pounds per year of plastic.
SPOTLIGHT
JETBOIL® STASH PLASTIC-FREE PACKAGING
Jetboil has been on a continuous journey to remove plastic from its packaging since 2016. Over the past seven years, redesigned packaging initiatives have eliminated the use of 95,000 kgs (209,400 pounds) of plastic. This is equivalent to removing approximately 1 million milk jugs from circulation.
In 2022, Jetboil created the Stash stove system. It’s Jetboil’s lightest and most compact system to date and their first with 100% plastic-free packaging made from 80% recycled material.
“The removal of plastic from the Stash product packaging design was a major achievement for the Jetboil team. We believe the Stash’s packaging reflects the backpacking community’s commitment to protecting and preserving the environment for future generations,” said Graham Webb, Vice President of Camping and Watercraft.
Fishing
Trolling motors
Fish finders
Downriggers
Shallow water anchors
Digital charts & maps
Diving
Regulators
Buoyancy compensators
Dive computers
Masks/fins/snorkels
Divewear
Camping
Personal & family cooking systems
Watercraft Recreation
Kayaks & canoes
Fishing craft
PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
To remain a trusted leader in outdoor recreation, we know we must continue to work diligently to ensure our products are made with a commitment to quality, durability, efficiency and ease of use to enjoy your recreation.
We hold our supply chain partners to expectations which include quality assurance systems, socially responsible business practices, and other basic standards to ensure our products are made to meet or exceed our specifications and made by ethical means.
SPOTLIGHT
SCUBAPRO ®
Just as SCUBAPRO remains the industry’s gold standard for innovation, performance, reliability and durability, the product development team has achieved many great successes in sustainable design. SCUBAPRO offers the EVERFLEX Yulex® divewear—a revolutionary plant-based foam made from FSC-certified natural rubber that is able to withstand compression at great depths. Additionally, it is lined with polyester made from recycled bottles. The team continues to drive sustainability in the supply chain and is now initiating a regional program to take back and recycle used SCUBAPRO neoprene suits and accessories into products intended for non-divewear accessories. SCUBAPRO has also made improvements in sustainable packaging, including significant reduction in the use of plastics. Much of the divewear and fins are now shipped in reusable bags, and apparel and rash guards are shipped in either recycled or recyclable/reusable packaging. These changes have resulted in the elimination of thousands of pieces, and tons of plastic packaging no longer being shipped to consumers.
Sustainable Communities
We want the communities where we operate to be better because we’re there, and we encourage positive, repeatable actions that lead to scalable change. We believe that the more people are outdoors, the more they’ll work to preserve and protect the natural places and spaces we all love.
CLEAN EARTH CHALLENGE
In 2022, the National Wildlife Federation and Johnson Outdoors launched the Clean Earth Challenge to strengthen natural resource resilience.
This multi-year effort has activated our employees, outdoor enthusiasts, educators, students, and many other organizations through collective, high-impact volunteer clean-up events.
We believe simple, repeatable actions—like removing litter and protecting wild spaces—can spark meaningful change: fostering new connections, increasing empathy and responsibility for our environment, and offering an approachable first step for those feeling overwhelmed by the scale of global challenges.
So far, over 70 employees from Minn Kota, Humminbird, Cannon, SCUBAPRO, Old Town Canoes & Kayaks, and
Jetboil have served as Challenge Champions, facilitating more than 35 clean-ups worldwide, with over 89% of global locations participating.
The passion of our employees has fueled the program, inspiring thousands to protect and restore the places they love. In its first year, volunteers helped us remove one million pieces of trash from local ecosystems. By September 2024, Clean Earth Challenge participants have removed over 8.7 million pieces—700% above our original goal.
The speed of these achievements highlights the power of collective action toward a common goal. Learn more at www.cleanearthchallenge.com.
What Our Employees Say
Johnson Outdoors employees have stepped up their efforts, helping clean up and inspire their local communities. In 2023, our employees worldwide participated in 19 clean-ups, removing 184,368 pieces of trash. This is a 109% increase in number of pieces of litter removed by our employees compared to 2022. SOURCE: 2023
would likely participate in another cleanup 95% believe Johnson Outdoors is a company that truly cares about the environment 92% said the cleanup experience helped add to their connection to nature 82% felt more hopeful that there is something they can do to help make a difference 87% about participating
SPOTLIGHT
TRACY DOHENY REMOVES ALMOST
37,000 PIECES OF TRASH FROM HER LOCAL COMMUNITY
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics employee Tracy Doheny never realized how much litter she could remove from her community until she entered the first Johnson Outdoors employee Clean Earth Challenge contest. Doheny, a Mankato native, claimed her 2023 title by removing an astounding 36,979 pieces of trash from local trails, waterways, and neighborhoods in the Mankato area.
“Each week I went out, I tried to pick up more garbage than the week before. At the end of the two challenges, I ended up with almost 37,000 pieces.” Doheny said.
36,979 PIECES OF TRASH ONE EMPLOYEE
Partners in Conservation
OUR BRANDS ALSO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS. THESE PARTNERSHIPS UNIQUELY EXPRESSED THROUGH THE BRANDS, REFLECT THE VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS OF JOHNSON OUTDOORS’ APPROACH TO CONSERVATION ACTION AND STEWARDSHIP.
SCUBAPRO and MOTE Partner in Coral Reef Restoration
Since 2018, SCUBAPRO has provided equipment to MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium to power their ongoing mission of ocean education, science, conservation and coral reef restoration. The equipment donations offset MOTE’s expenses and allows their focus to remain on reviving Florida’s coral reef.
To learn more about the partnership and to get involved in the coral reef restoration project, visit: SCUBAPRO.com/Mote.
Minn Kota & Humminbird Support Habitat Restoration
Sponsored by Minn Kota and supported by Humminbird, the Major League Fishing (MLF) Fisheries Management Habitat Restoration Program aims to enhance and restore aquatic habitats across various fisheries, ensuring healthier ecosystems for future generations. The program includes habitat restoration programs, research and monitoring, and educational outreach. The partnership has led to some significant achievements, including:
Restored Habitats: Numerous habitats have been successfully restored, resulting in increased biodiversity and healthier fish populations.
Community Participation: The program has engaged hundreds of volunteers in restoration projects, promoting community involvement in conservation efforts.
Enhanced Fish Populations: Restoration efforts have contributed to the growth of fish populations, supporting both recreational and commercial fishing activities.
For Generations To Come
At Johnson Outdoors, we believe that we all have both an opportunity and a responsibility to leave the outdoors better than we found it. The efforts—big and small—that we have undertaken this past year are continuing a legacy proving that business can be a force of good for the great outdoors. With the support of our employees, consumers, and partners, we are committed to upholding this legacy in what lies ahead and to continue to accelerate our environmental efforts...always striving for a better future for generations to come.
Energy Savings
200,000 kWh Produced 1,175,120 kWh Saved
Installed solar panels in our Alabama operation generating about 200,000 kWh of electricity and resulting in electricity purchase savings of $30,000 per year, approximately the same amount of electricity used by an average of 16 homes per year.*
Cut approximately 1,175,120 kWh per year of electricity usage. This is the same amount of energy consumed in 107 (average U.S.) homes in a year and is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by over 900 acres of U.S. forests each year.
*According to EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Waste Reduction
We recycle approximately 70% of our manufacturing and production waste from our global sites, amounting to the diversion of 2,300,000 pounds of waste from landfills in 2023.
200,000 lbs Plastic
Since 2016, by replacing plastic with paper packaging, Jetboil removed 200,000 pounds of plastic, equivalent to removing approximately 1 million empty milk jugs.
700 Packaging Containers
SCUBAPRO has eliminated plastic packaging in nearly half of our products. By using reusable packaging containers to ship Minn Kota motors, we have saved over 700 shipping trays, reducing the equivalent of 12 dumpsters of landfill waste.
Social Impact
Donated $147,000 of in-kind product to the National Wildlife Federation, strengthening connections to the outdoors for youth through participation in conservation-based programs.
19 Clean-ups Worldwide
In 2023, our employees worldwide participated in 19 clean-ups, removing 184,368 pieces of trash. This is a 109% increase in number of pieces of litter removed year over year.
8.7 Million Pieces of Trash Removed
As of September 2024, 8.7 million pieces of trash have been removed through the collective efforts of participants around the world, a 700% increase over the original 1 million piece goal.
Certain matters discussed in this report are “forward-looking statements” intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Please see “Forward-Looking Statements” in the 2023 Form 10-K for a discussion of uncertainties and risks associated with these statements.
www.JohnsonOutdoors.com
© 2024 Johnson Outdoors Inc.
Publisher: Patricia Penman
Chief Marketing Services & Communications Officer
Johnson Outdoors Inc.
Editor-In-Chief: Allison Kitzerow
Design: Lynne and Gil Leigh, Modern Media www.modernmediausa.com
Corporate Secretary
Johnson Outdoors Inc. • 555 Main Street Racine, WI USA • 53403-1015
For more information, contact: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
Patricia Penman
Chief Marketing Services & Communications Officer
262-631-6600
patricia.penman@johnsonoutdoors.com
To contact the Board of Directors, visit: https://www.johnsonoutdoors.com/contact-us
