one planet – one chance – one voice
HEALTHY SPORT, HEALTHY PLANET
An introduction to healthy and sustainable sport, with a special report on the sustainability of international sporting events and a selection of news items, followed by company profiles.
Giving our next generation thinkers a voice at PUMA.
Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, PUMA is a leading multinational company specialising in the design and manufacture of athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories. The company pushes the boundaries of what is possible and approaches sustainability in the same way. Report by Antonia Cole.
Founded in 1948, PUMA has an impressive history of sports innovation and cultural impacts. Driven to create products that support footballers, tennis players, athletes and more, the company has played a part in some of the world’s greatest sporting achievements.
From Pelé being crowned the “Player of the Tournament” in the 1970 World Cup to Usain Bolt breaking two world records in the 2009 World Athletics Championships, PUMA has been part of over 75 years of historical sporting achievements. The company has a global impact, generating €8.602 billion in sales in 2023. Whether on the foot of a stranger or the back of the world’s biggest stars, PUMA’s impact can be seen everywhere.
This year, PUMA was named among the ‘World’s Most Sustainable Companies’ by TIME magazine, Chief Sourcing Officer AnneLaure Descours said: “Being ranked among the most sustainable companies by such a prestigious publication is a great recognition of our FOREVER. BETTER. sustainability
AS A SPORTS BRAND, WE KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT PUSHING OURSELVES TO BE BETTER. WE APPROACH SUSTAINABILITY IN MUCH THE SAME WAY
“
strategy, for which we achieved important milestones last year. We will take this as an incentive to work even harder and continue to reduce our environmental footprint.”
Setting the pace
The FOREVER. BETTER. initiative identifies PUMA’s strengths and weaknesses, inspiring action towards sustainable development based on the company’s 10FOR25 targets. PUMA strives to improve human rights conditions throughout the supply chain, take a leading role in climate action and the move towards a more circular business model.
As part of this approach, PUMA launched the Voices of a RE:GENERATION initiative in 2023, giving next generation thinkers a voice within the industry. This has helped PUMA to engage with sustainability in a way that is meaningful for future generations.
Three young people were given the opportunity to visit PUMA’s manufacturing partners and learn about the company’s supply chain. Focusing on sustainability and best prac-
tices, PUMA gave the young people the opportunity to document their experience and thoughts in unfiltered footage.
“PUMA has a long history of reporting on our sustainability performance, but it is more important than ever to engage younger gen erations in sustainability decisions,” commented Ms Descours. “We hope that by inviting our 'Voices’ to experience our supply chain, we’re able to share the genuine progress and passion that our suppliers have invested, as well as the realities and challenges we face in our efforts to improve.”
Pushing the limits
With circularity being one of PUMA’s core sustainability targets, the company launched its Circular Lab in 2021. Led by innovation and design experts, the lab has launched two projects, RE:SUEDE and RE:FIBRE.
RE:SUEDE transforms PUMA’s classic suede material into a compostable material. The company plans to implement this
innovation on a commercial scale in the future, along with a takeback scheme for optimum circularity.
Then, RE:FIBRE transforms textile waste and other used materials into new apparel. PUMA hopes to address textile waste with a long-term recycling solution, diversifying recycled polyester sources from just clear plastic bottles.
PUMA has scaled up this project to create millions of replica football jerseys with a minimum of 75% recycled textile waste, Ms Descours said: “RE:FIBRE gives football fans a tangible example of how PUMA is working towards creating a Forever Better. Our wish is to have 100 per cent of our polyester products created from textile waste.
Rethinking how we produce and moving towards a more circular business model is important and RE: FIBRE is central to that.”
A front runner
With greenhouse gas emissions being a leading contributor to global warming, PUMA has committed to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90%, plus Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services and upstream transportation by 33%, all by 2030 from a 2017 baseline year. Additionally, the company will source 100% of energy from renewable sources by 2030.
“We are very proud of the progress we have achieved on our sustainability journey, particularly when it comes to the reduction of greenhouse gases,” said Ms Descours. “We will not stop there, however, and continue to execute our FOREVER.BETTER. sustainability strategy and our 10FOR25 targets.”
To minimise water pollution, PUMA has agreed with facilities that use a lot of water, such as dye-houses and tanneries, to test wastewater according to globally accepted standards and publish transparent reports. Also, to limit the impact of chemicals, PUMA has implemented a Restricted Substance List.
In terms of materials, PUMA has committed to 100% of cotton, polyester, leather and down feathers being sourced sustainably by 2025. Currently over 99% of the company’s cotton originates from sustainable sources, as well as almost all polyester in apparel and leather in footwear. PUMA also aims to use 100% recycled materials in packaging by 2025, creating a structures sustainability strategy.
Looking to the future, PUMA will continue to invest into sustainable development and innovation. Not only will the company follow its mission to be forever faster, but also take the strides necessary to be forever better. n
The latest company and industry related developments from the healthy sport, healthy planet world.
Increased sustainability at the 2024 Olympics
Torqeedo, the global market leader for electric mobility on water, eagerly anticipated the 2024 Olympics. An exciting highlight was the opening ceremony on July 26, featuring a grand parade of ninety boats on the river Seine. At least four of these were powered by Torqeedo’s electric motors and batteries.
The vessels, which were equipped by Torqeedo’s in-house Customized Solutions division, show the future of sustainable transport on the water. The Customized Solutions Business Unit specialises in integrating high-voltage powertrains into vessels for commercial use.
In light of the 2024 Olympics, Paris celebrated its goal to improve local emissions during the opening ceremony by placing the longest and heaviest electric boat ever on the Seine, “Mistinguett”, at the heart of the ship parade. Powered by two Torqeedo Deep Blue 100i electric motors and six units of the new Deep Blue Battery 80, “Mistinguett” transported athletes during the opening ceremony.
“The City of Paris has set itself the goal of halving the environmental footprint of previous Olympic Games at this year’s Games,” said Matthias Vogel, Senior Vice President of the Customized Solutions
Business Unit at Torqeedo. “We are proud to support the city with our latest Customized Solutions Business Unit project, while setting new standards in sustainability for the 2024 Olympic Games.
“The conversion of the Mistinguett to an all-electric propulsion system demonstrates how traditional vessels can be equipped with state-of-the-art technology to glide quietly and emission-free across the water in the future. As the world leader in electric mobility on the water, we have been developing customised electric propulsion solutions for over 19 years to create the best boating experience for our customers.”
The deployment of electric boats on the Seine is a testament to Paris’ commitment to reducing emissions and pollution in its waterways and urban areas. Torqeedo’s advanced electric propulsion systems provide a zero-emission alternative to conventional engines, ensuring cleaner air, fewer noise emissions, and a healthier environment for residents and visitors.
Large battery capacity for long cruises
“Mistinguett” started out being powered by a diesel engine for its propulsion system, and a power generator for the kitchen,
lights, and air cooling. It has been retrofitted with two Deep Blue 100i motors and six Deep Blue Battery 80 systems this year to set a new standard for eco-friendly transport on the Seine, with zero carbon, in accordance with French policy on sustainable events and tourism.
The vessel can hold up to 248 passengers and will ferry tourists up and down the Seine in two tours every day, each of them lasting two and a half hours. To allow for this range, each Deep Blue 100i motor with 100kW of input power is fed electricity by two Dee p Blue Battery 80s.
The “Mistinguett” also serves as a showboat for dinner cruises and artistic shows while cruising the Seine. Throughout the year, “Mistinguett” hosts professional events for incentive meetings, teambuilding, and celebrations, as well as private events like weddings and birthdays.
Two more Deep Blue Battery 80s power the hotel load of lighting, food refrigeration, and other amenities. With this integrated drive system, the team from Torqeedo’s Customized Solutions business unit has successfully fulfilled all the requirements for approval on the Seine with an electric drive. As the first fully electric ferry of its size on the Seine, this
initiative highlights the importance of sustainability in transportation and flies the flag for more alternative propulsion systems on water.
France supports conversion to electric ship propulsion
Inland navigation plays a vital role in France, with 800km of rivers and 600km of canals. The French government supports retrofitting boats with electric propulsion through the state-owned waterway navigation authority Voies Navigables de France (VNF). With an offer to subsidise up to 90% of retrofit costs, France is setting a great example in making the transition to electric powertrains feasible for many vessels. This effort underscores a national commitment to reducing carbon footprints and preserving the country’s natural waterways.
Torqeedo’s participation in the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony with at least four electric-powered boats, including the “Mistinguett”, marks a significant milestone in promoting electric transport solutions on water on a global stage. The grand parade, featuring 90 boats in total, was accompanied by dance shows and vibrant celebrations along the riverbank. n
The latest company and industry related developments from the healthy sport, healthy planet world.
Warrior ® expands range of protein bars
Following the huge success of the CRUNCH bars range, Warrior®, the leading sports nutrition brand, has expanded its portfolio of low sugar and high protein Crunch bars to include two new delicious flavours: Chocolate Orange and Maple Syrup.
The range of Warrior® CRUNCH bars are ideal for those on a low carb, low sugar diet, as well as anyone wanting to improve their healthy snacking habits with additional sources of protein in a tasty, convenient format. Both new flavours of the 64g bars are brimming with protein and contain less than 3g of sugar, helping to keep blood sugar levels low and maintain energy levels for longer.
Aiming to bring the best sports supplements to the market and improve the athletic performance and mental focus of those who consume them, Warrior® is committed to helping those from all walks of life.
A richly delicious, multi-layered, crunchy low-carb, protein bar that
is perfect any time of day, Warrior® CRUNCH bars are one of the bestselling low-sugar, high-protein bars in the UK.
Warrior® CRUNCH bars are the result of over 12 months of research and development, working 24-hour days to blend a high protein, low carb, healthy nutritional profile into the true ‘candy bar’ experience. CRUNCH bars are packed with 20g of healthy protein, encased in a layer of gorgeously gooey caramel and wrapped in delicious chocolate. Warrior® CRUNCH bars have almost as much protein as a chicken breast yet taste like a Michelin-starred desert. Warrior® CRUNCH is the perfect protein bar for dieting, eating clean and keeping lean all year round. Built for warriors, designed for athletes, driven to victory.
The bars are available in over 1,000 supermarket locations, including ASDA, and in all the amazing flavours direct from the official Warrior® website. n
Nike Football’s Third Club Kits celebrate the ascendency of women’s sport
The Nike Football Third Club Kit Collection, ‘Together We Rise’, incorporates each club’s distinct identity, story and community, while celebrating the ascendency of the women’s game.
Designed in close partnership with clubs throughout Europe and Latin America, the all-gender collection reflects Nike’s belief that women and girls are on the leading edge of change, redefining the parameters of sport and how it serves the next generation.
For example, in a nod to the female punk artists who pioneered a new sound where the River Mersey meets the Irish Sea, the Liverpool Third Kit fuses iconic club colours with a loud pattern that pays homage to the city’s fearless artists.
On all the kits, a vertical, double Swoosh opposite the club crest nods to the acceleration of the women’s
game. Dri-FIT ADV technology, Nike’s pinnacle standard for performance apparel, provides reinforcement, mobility and breathability where it’s needed most.
In addition to the competition kits, the collection also covers all aspects of athletes’ journeys, from training to travel, with a variety of performance and lifestyle apparel. The collection is available globally at Nike.com and selected retail locations.
- LFC Third Kit 2024/25 season -
A Special Report about elite training routines.
For an elite athlete, driven by dedication and discipline, there are no average days. That said, there are plenty of typical ones. From the alarm at the crack of dawn to the final stretch of evening, every moment is meticulously crafted to enhance prowess. Join Hannah Barnett, as she explores the intense training routines, strategic nutrition and the unwavering focus that drives athletes toward excellence.
A
day in the
life of an athlet
6:00 – Wake up. The first thing many athletes do is drink a glass of water with a slice of lemon to kickstart metabolism and remain hydrated.
6:15 – Pre-run snack. Easy digestible options are best – a small banana or a slice of whole-grain toast with a thin layer of almond butter.
6:20 – Light stretching. A series of dynamic stretches prepare muscles for the morning run.
6:30 – Run time! Beginning with a slow jog for 10-15 minutes to gradually increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, into a longer distance session. Stretches to cool down. Hydration is key post run. Many athletes drink electrolyte-rich beverages to replace fluids lost during the run.
8:00 – It is important to have a nutrient-rich breakfast after a hard workout, such as a large bowl of porridge topped with sliced bananas, berries, a handful of walnuts and a drizzle of honey. Also, a protein smoothie made with spinach, Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder and almond milk.
8:30-1 0:00 – Rest! Recovery time is just as crucial as exercise. Many athletes use this time as an opportunity to catch up with their life admin.
10:05 – Mid morning snack – light and energising. A small bowl of mixed fruit with a handful of almonds or a yogurt parfait granola and honey to stay fuelled.
10:15 – Strength training session at the gym focusing on building core strength and leg muscles. This followed by a cool down with foam rolling to aid in muscle recovery.
12:30 – Lunch. Another balanced meal such as a large mixed greens salad with grilled chicken, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado and a variety of vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers. Plus hydration, more water throughout the meal and maybe a herbal tea.
13:30 – Nap or rest period to recharge body and mind. Mindfulness or deep breathing exercises are also helpful.
14:30 – Cross-training workout like swimming, cycling or an easy 3–5-mile recovery run to keep muscles active without pushing too hard.
16:00 – Afternoon Snack. Recovery-focused snack such as a protein bar, or rice cakes with peanut butter. Another glass of water or a hydration drink.
17:00 – Personal time, it is important to maintain a health balance between training and rest!
19:00 – Dinner, make it hearty and nutritious. An athlete’s dinner may include grilled salmon or chicken breast, brown rice and a large portion of steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and asparagus.
20:00 – Wind down. A warm bath with Epsom salts to soothe muscles, plus stretching or using a foam roller.
21:00 – Many athletes choose to turn off screens and spend 30 minutes reading or listening to calming music to prepare for sleep. Ensure the room is cool and dark to promote restful sleep.
22:00 – Sleep. A strong 8-9 hours of sleep are essential for recovery and maintaining peak performance for the next day’s training.
Special report on the sustainability of global sporting events
Sustainability in sport
Sustainability is the topic on everyone’s tongue. With 2024 filled with several major sporting events, including the hotly anticipated Olympics in Paris, Inside Sustainability has taken a deep dive into the commitments these events have made to ensure they are as green as can be. Report by Imogen Ward.
The 2024 Olympics and Paralympics were held in Paris, and with the host city’s promise to halve the emissions of previous years, what exactly was done to ensure this commitment was upheld?
The Olympics’ opening ceremony was one filled with excitement and awe as crowds gathered to watch the parade of boats of all shapes and sizes. Some of the chosen few were even powered by electric motors, kicking off the event and solidifying the agenda for greener games straight off the bat.
The perfect plan
The Olympic Legacy and Sustainability strategy was developed over a number of years and laid out six main pillars designed to produce an Olympics unlike any other .
The pillars focused on ensuring eco-responsible games that harness sustainable solutions, boost regional
growth and appeal, and open up opportunities for everyone.
It was also hoped that this major sporting event would leave a significant social and environmental legacy, leading to improved health, education and civic engagement, better quality and inclusion, and a brighter environmental transformation overall.
The Games Committee took on a responsible approach to purchasing, designing and construction to ensure that all the pillars were abided by.
As a result, 95% of the buildings utilised in the games were already existing or built on temporary measures, and 100% of them were connected to the public electricity network. Additionally, the Aquatics Centre (arguably the star of the show) is home to 4,680 square metres of solar arrays, which can cover 20% of the building’s electricity requirements. The venue also sports seats made from recycled bottle caps and more
than 100 trees were planted to retain natural ecosystems and provide green spaces around the site.
The Games also opted for signage that could be reused or recycled and committed to reducing the number of single-use plastics by half.
When it comes to the competitors themselves, they were supplied with equipment that supported a more circular economy within sport. 75% of all equipment was either rented or supplied by sport federations.
Finally, the Games committed to offsetting 100% of the residual impacts
of its Scope 3 emissions, in order to make this the most sustainable Olympics the world has ever seen.
Greener games globally
Sustainability in sports is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Passing the ball to this year’s Euros in Germany, the world saw a clear-cut commitment from UEFA to make further improvements compared to the World Cup that took place two years ago in Qatar.
The World Cup emitted an eyewatering (estimated) 3.63 billion tonnes of CO2, and
Finally, the Games committed to offsetting 100% of the residual impacts of its Scope 3 emissions, in order to make this the most sustainable Olympics the world has ever seen “ “
the 2024 Euros was determined to be better. The Euros set out to come in under 500,000 tonnes – 80% of which was generated by fans getting to the matches.
To counteract this number, the organisation implemented the Climate Fund to improve the sustainability of the sport. €25 euros per tonne was allocated to environmental reduction projects in the hopes that these projects would have a greater long-term benefit than the more conventional methods of carbon offsetting.
Every stadium used within the tournament also underwent upgrades to ensure efficiency and the environment were a top priority. The UEFA’s Circular Economy Checklist for events was also abided by at every stage running up to the competition.
AELTC has also made similar pledges in its effort to conduct a more sustainable tournament at Wimbledon. The club has committed to balancing all emissions associated with flights, players and staff. It is also looking to introduce flat-pack construction methods to further reduce emissions.
For this year’s tournament, the club introduced a living wall on No.1 Court, which features a flourish of flowers, as well as beehives positioned at the Community Tennis Centre to help restore bee populations. The Technology Services and Broadcast roofs are now home to living roofs too.
The 2024 tournament also saw all gas equipment removed from the site’s kitchens and the introduction of carbon weighted menus to highlight the environmental impact of each dish.
Sportswear spectacular
The participants are also making key changes to their operations. Jaguar TCS Racing, a major contender in the all-electric carbon net zero sport of Formula E, has recently signed up with a new official teamwear supplier.
Reflo is a sustainable performance wear brand and now the official provider of all Jaguar’s team wear. The new gear will be ready for season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E
World Championship and is designed with sourcing, recyclability and circularity in mind. This is the brand’s first partnership within the world of motorsports, and hopefully will be the first of many as it seeks to make a difference one stitch at a time.
Not only will the new gear be worn by the entire racing team, but fans will also have the opportunity to purchase the exclusive apparel on Reflo’s website. The gear will be produced using recycled materials and the company’s circular solution known as RELOOP.
RELOOP clothing is made with mono-fibre to ensure easy recyclability and reduce the number of textiles heading to landfill. The company even has a returns system in place, to make end-of-life recycling a piece of cake. Best of all, the company offers a 30% discount off a future purchase as a thank you for thinking sustainably.
It is clear that the world of sports is opening its eyes to sustainability, and the team here at Inside Sustainability can’t wait to see what area the sporting giants focus on next. n
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta has been set on sustainability since it opened in 2017. Renowned businessman and owner Arthur M. Blank challenged his leaders at AMB Sports and Entertainment to raise the standard and create the most sustainable stadium in the US. Adam Fullerton, VP of Stadium Operations and Andrew Bohenko, Sustainability Initiatives Manager, explained to Hannah Barnett how the stadium manages its environmental footprint on such a vast scale.
Home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta United of MLS, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a key part of its community. It also stages large concerts, recently welcoming both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
The stadium first achieved zero waste in March 2022. Covering 1.9 million square feet, with a capacity of 75,000, the stadium welcomed three million visitors last year and produced three million pounds of rubbish. Consequently, getting to zero waste is no mean feat.
However, in 2022, Mercedes-Benz Stadium diverted 90% of its waste away from landfill without incineration.
It is an impressive achievement, but one, like the rest of the stadium’s sustainable policies, that relies on cooperation from its employees and wide range of partners. “We can’t do this alone,” VP of Stadium Operations Adam Fullerton said. “It takes all of us to get there.”
Zero-waste
Composting is a vital element of the stadium’s sustainability and something it has scaled-up in just a few years. “When I started this job in 2019, our composting operation was done in a couple of paint buckets,” Mr Fullerton recalled. “Now we have two 34-yard self-contained compactors. And we turn those over several times a week.”
The stadium became TRUE Platinum certified in 2022. The base requirement for the accreditation is demonstrating a 90%
diversion rate over a 12-month period, as well as showing that certain materials are upcycled, with zero waste policies implemented company-wide.
As the stadium was already operating as a zero waste facility, it achieved the TRUE Platinum certification for zero waste in six months rather than the usual 12 to 15 and established itself as a leader in the industry.
“TRUE certification is meaningful in many ways, because it shows that everybody at every level of this company believes in what we’re doing,” Sustainability Initiatives Manager Andrew Bohenko said. “It’s impossible for any one person to make this place
zero waste. It takes everybody to push this across their departments and for the fans to be on board as well.”
“It also cemented us in the United States as the front-runner in sustainability,” Mr Fullerton added. “We are having the sustainability conversation with venues around the country now and our goal is to bring everyone along with us.”
Social sustainability
Situated in downtown Atlanta, it is important for the stadium to be part of the community.
As a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum-rated facility, and the first LEED Platinum certified professional sports stadium in North America, part of its certification came from its water-diversion programme. This was to alleviate some of the flooding typically experienced on the west side of Atlanta.
When constructing the new stadium, the company instituted a 1.1-million-gallon water retention vault and 680,000-gallon cistern to collect water from the west side
to the 14-acre roof. The reclaimed water is used to supplement the stadium’s AC cooling towers and used to water the onsite urban garden. Between the underground retention vault, cistern, and three bio swells; Mercedes-Benz Stadium can divert over two million gallons of water away from flooding in the west side communities of Atlanta.
Then there is the food donation programme, which processed over 70,000 meals last year. “It is a very robust program,” Mr Bohenko said. “It’s something we’re very proud of. Last year, we donated 86,000 pounds of food, that’s over 260,000 pounds of donations since the building opened, and the number keeps going up.”
As with all its sustainable initiatives, the company works closely with other businesses to ensure a smooth operation,
in this case food and beverage partner Levy, and Second Helpings, a local nonprofit organisation.
“It’s not just typical stadium food like chicken wings and French fries being
donated,” Mr Bohenko added. “A lot of the food donated comes from the premium areas and includes things like prepared steak, chicken, etc. It’s portioned up and made into meals.
“By utilising our resources, we’re getting food to people that need it. Composting is great, we’re very proud of our composting programme. But to take a material and use it for its intended purpose, is the pinnacle of sustainability.”
Another significant initiative is Recycle for Good, in partnership with Novelis, the world’s largest aluminium recycler, also
located in Atlanta. The cans collected from the stadium are recycled and the financial rebate is donated back through Novelis to build homes with Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta.
“Recycle for Good is one of the best programmes we have,” Mr Fullerton said. “We’ve built four homes now, just from the proceeds of aluminium recycling. It’s a wonderful partnership and something that ties our stadium to the neighbourhood and the city.”
Significant partnerships
All full-time employees at Mercedes-Benz Stadium are now given sustainability tours, to encourage collaboration across the workforce.
“We show them things like the resource recovery room, where waste items like our Phade biodegradable straws are sorted,
because most of them will never go down there otherwise,” Mr Bohenko explained. “It’s for employees to understand the impact of their actions and to consider the labour hours lost if they throw something in the wrong bin.”
With its LEED Zero and TRUE Platinum certification for zero waste, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is making a name for itself in sustainability circles. It has developed a zero waste playbook to document the first five years of the stadium and show how it became the zero waste establishment it is today.
“The idea is that others can take our best practices, and lessons learned, bring that to their stadiums, and hopefully shrink our timeline,” Mr Bohenko said. “We’ve had representatives visit from the University of Michigan, University of Georgia, Georgia State and Georgia Tech. We’ve also had several professional sports teams and developers come through, with the intention to take what they learn back to those they work with and institute it in their spaces.”
With the success of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AMB Sports and Entertainment remains a pioneer in sustainable stadium construction and management. The vision for the future is simple: carry the message.
“It really is an exciting, emerging industry within stadiums,” Mr Bohenko concluded. “We reach so many people each and every event, but we want to communicate our message to all 10 million Georgians.
“It’s very challenging work but it’s also very rewarding. On my first day, our COO Dietmar Exler said: ‘get us to zero waste as quickly as possible.’ That was the mandate. It wasn’t ‘here’s your budget to get us to zero waste.’
That gave me a lot of leeway and confidence to try new things.” n
Founded in 1955, Atomic Austria manufactures high-quality winter sports equipment. It is the largest ski manufacturer in the world with 1,000 in-house employees at its headquarters in the Pongau valley, near Salzburg. The Atomic workforce is united by shared values of innovation, authenticity and, most recently, data driven sustainability. Ronald Schwarzenbrunner, Sustainability Manager, told Hannah Barnett more about what this means.
Atomic is the sort of company that brings a rigorous technical approach to everything it does. This means it is driven by data and guided by science. As its sustainability statement says: “We don’t take leaps of faith. We don’t make assumptions. And we never claim anything we can’t justify.”
An Atomic overview
With distribution across 49 countries, the company produces over 400,000 pairs of skis annually, along with 505,000 pairs of alpine boots and 350,000 helmets. The skis are manufactured mere metres from where they are designed, at the company’s cutting-edge Altenmarkt facility. As well as providing a perfect playground in which to test prototypes, the factory gives the company the ability to experiment. From energy efficiency to the materials
used, every step of the manufacturing process is controlled in-house, meaning Atomic can reduce emissions across all product categories.
Altenmarkt has been fully audited using the Higg Facility Environmental Module and work is underway on a further introduction and audit using the international standard for an environmental management system ISO14001, firmly establishing the facility as the global benchmark in lower-impact ski production. Lessons learned in Altenmarkt are set to be applied at the company’s facilities in Bulgaria and Romania too.
Atomic is doing all it can to overcome the inherent tension between mass production and sustainability. The company has already undertaken a number of practical measures to improve its ski manufacturing process, which requires a lot of heat and
pressure and therefore consumes a high amount of energy. (though less per ski than smaller scale production due to higher efficiency).
Using local wood chip instead of oil to heat the Altenmarkt factory has resulted in a 95% carbon footprint reduction on heating, with over 2,176 tonnes of CO2 kept out of the atmosphere a year. Atomic also changed to sourcing its electricity from renewable energy suppliers back in 2014.
Three-pillar strategy
The Atomic sustainability policy goes much further than heating, however. Alongside a third-party consultancy firm, the company has devised a three-pillar strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change and herald substantial change.
The first pillar looks at the Atomic value chain. This involves conducting a greenhouse gas inventory and setting science-based targets to reduce emissions.
“It’s about reducing the impact from our factories,” said Sustainability Manager Ronald Schwarzenbrunner, “but also, our
suppliers, our sourcing partners and everything else in our supply chain. We try to be as science-based as possible, using the best or most credible standard SBTi. We base all our greenhouse gas calculations for the whole value chain on that standard and guidance.”
The second pillar, innovation for sustainable performance, is based on the products themselves, and incorporating lower impact into their design.
“ We do a lifecycle assessment (LCA) on everything we produce,” Mr Schwarzenbrunner explained. “So, if we are thinking of changing a process or material, we always calculate the impact ourselves. And we built a tool for developers to use too.”
The Atomic brand is built on providing a high performing product for athletes, so the main challenge is adapting its design without skimping on quality, or performance, for the sake of sustainability.
“At the beginning, we thought it might be a compromise,” Mr Schwarzenbrunner said, “but we found that sometimes it’s
the opposite. Because of the lifecycle assessment, our developers were able to try something completely new.”
The company found that performance improved on its first low impact design of a ski. After calculating a carbon footprint baseline, the developers reduced the CO2 impact from the material by 30%, and found the skis were lighter and rode better than before.
“The LCA also gives the product a new performance indicator,” Mr Schwarzenbrunner explained. “Because our developers are dedicated to building everything based on figures, so bending strength or milliseconds in the race will count. And if there is, for example, a CO2 equivalent, they immediately understand how to quantify sustainability. But if we don’t have the baseline, then we don’t know how to improve and quantify that improvement.”
The third pillar is collaboration for mass movement. Atomic is just one enterprise: it cannot make much of difference alone, so , the company is trying to usher in substantial change by leveraging the voices and influence of the athletes it works with, as well as other players in the sector. Atomic hosted the first climate industry event in Salzburg in September 2023 alongside competitors, all major ski brands, suppliers and retailers – all with the goal of collaborating towards more climate action.
This year Atomic also announced a global partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW) which works to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on winter sports and advocates for political action. Snow loss is obviously a big con cern for the industry and the collaboration will allow Atomic and POW to amplify their respective voices in the fight against climate change.
“That is why we did the climate summit because warmer winters are not just affecting us, they are affecting the whole
skiing industry,” Mr Schwarzenbrunner said. “And that is also why I believe there were so many participants; because everybody’s so interested in exactly that.”
Small changes, big picture
With by far the largest sustainability department in the ski industry, Atomic is undoubtedly a driver in its sector. The company has a largely vertical supply chain, meaning it can exert a certain amount of control over the sustainability of its own production.
Atomic does, however, rely on external suppliers for materials, all of whom are subject to an auditing process to acquire the necessary data to create a baseline. The company then works in close collaboration with suppliers and partners to determine the most effective ways to reduce impact and lower CO2 emissions.
Unlike many in the sector, Atomic is extremely well-equipped to collect and analyse data. It even has a full-time staff member whose job it is to calculate lifecycle assessments.
“That is a resource most of our suppliers just don’t have,” Mr Schwarzenbrunner said. “But they are happy to get the data on the impact of the products they are selling to us. It means we can also give them suggestions about reducing the use of a product, or switching a technology, or using a renewable energy source and things like that. We do not just take the data and use it for ourselves, we really want to collaborate.”
T here is no doubt the company is making a significant shift in the industry. And for Mr Schwarzenbrunner, these are changes he takes seriously.
“This is my dream job,” he concluded. “It combines my two passions: sustainability and skiing. Before I worked here, I built my own skis in my basement, because I love skiing and engineering. What really excites me about the job itself is seeing the improvements as they happen. Everybody in our company seems willing to change something. It’s exciting to think about what we can do.”
