Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Climate Action Corps released data from its 2023 Annual Impact Report, summarizing the group’s progress in protecting the outdoor experience upon which we all depend.
A member-led collective of outdoor brands, specialty retailers and suppliers both big and small, the 2023 Climate Action Corps consisted of 75 businesses working toward a shared goal of taking bold, collective action against climate change by reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions across the outdoor industry, carving a new bold path for others to follow.
“When members join OIA’s Climate Action Corps,” the organization said, “they commit to participating in an annual progress report to transparently report on sustainability progress and be held accountable for climate goals.”
The 2023 Annual Impact Report showcases the collective progress of the Climate Action Corps, which continues to make crucial progress on measuring, setting targets, reducing emissions and advocating for policy action in Congress. Progress reports for individual companies are also made available for increased transparency and accountability.
“The impacts of the climate crisis we observed throughout 2023 underscore the urgent need for ambitious climate action and adaptation measures at local, national and global levels to mitigate future risks and build resilience to a changing climate,” said Julie Brown, director of sustainability at OIA. “Through industry-leading programs and pre-competitive collaboration, we’re helping our members learn quickly to apply realistic and proven solutions to reduce greenhouse gases, innovate and adopt safer chemicals, and lead the charge for a more sustainable future.”
Now in its fourth year of reporting, notable highlights from the 2023 Climate Action Corps Annual Impact Report include:
- 94% of Corps members have measured their operational greenhouse gas emissions (measured, estimated, or in progress for scope 1 & 2 emissions).
- 89% are measuring their value chain emissions (measured, estimated, or in progress for scope 3 emissions).
- 70% have set Scope 1 and 2 targets and 59% have set targets for Scope 3 (set or in progress).
- 19 Corps members are engaged in 6 Impact CoLabs to help accelerate emissions reductions.
- In addition, the Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition (CCMC) was created to address the growing need for safer chemistry education and legislation guidance.
“Amidst the mounting climate and market challenges, the dedication and commitment demonstrated by our members engaged in driving positive change within the outdoor industry has been commendable,” Brown said. “Not only have OIA members sustained their efforts to reduce emissions, but they have also embraced a new sustainability challenge ingrained in our industry — addressing the need for safer chemistry with the launch of the Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition in summer 2023.”
“I’d recommend the Climate Action Corps and Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition to any brand looking to advance their climate and responsible chemistry efforts,” said Greg Gausewitz, senior manager of product sustainability at REI. “OIA is a go-to partner for REI in our sustainability work. They do a great job of bringing together leading brands and sustainability experts, as well as providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for newer and smaller brands looking to make progress in their sustainability work.”
In addition to the CCMC, OIA’s Impact CoLabs programs continued to expand in 2023, as 19 members collaborated pre-competitively on six different projects to reduce shared emissions in the supply chain. CoLabs help many OIA members meet their sustainability goals in less time and with less cost by working together, focusing on topics such as renewable energy, reduction target setting, electrification, low impact materials, and more.
“OIA’s Climate Action Corps convenes a fantastic cohort of outdoor industry sustainability professionals, facilitating meaningful conversations and CoLabs. At Columbia Sportswear, we are particularly excited about and pleased with our participation in the Virtual Power Purchase Agreement CoLab, which could play a pivotal role in our scope 1 & 2 emissions reduction strategy,” said Guru Larson, director of sustainability at Columbia Sportswear.
The Impact Report also reveals that 2023 was a watershed year for climate policy with numerous landmark policies enacted across the globe. In 2023, Climate Action Corps members continued to advocate for sustainable change by supporting the establishment of the American Climate Corps and advocating for state level climate and sustainability policies while defending investments in climate and sustainability in the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Working together we’ve made solid progress in our mission to reduce the outdoor industry’s collective emissions by 50% by 2030, but we still have a lot to accomplish to achieve our goal of net-zero by 2050,” added Brown.
Access the full 2023 Annual Impact Report, along with individual companies’ progress reports, on the OIA website.
