Sustainability & CSR
News, reports, and analysis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices across the sporting goods value chain – covering climate strategies, materials innovation, human rights, regulatory compliance, and commercial implications for brands, suppliers, retailers, and investors.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Women still wait for a seat at the top: the 2026 data
Women hold 30 percent of board seats and 24 percent of executive roles in sporting goods. The numbers are improving — but barely.
Worldly names VP for human rights risk
Supply chain intelligence platform Worldly taps a 12-year Walmart responsible sourcing veteran as new regulations raise the stakes for social data.
Clean200 2026: Nike, Adidas and Puma ranked
Five sporting goods firms feature in the global ranking of largest companies by sustainable revenue, with Nike at rank 57.
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WFSGI and Commonwealth call for sport in youth mental health policy
A World Health Assembly side event on May 20 brought together Nike, ASICS, WHO advisers and Commonwealth ministers to argue the case
Purpose-led sponsorship gets a new playbook
A UK consultancy unveils a new service to help rights-holders and brands convert social impact into measurable commercial returns.
Ortovox retains Fair Wear Leader status sixth year
An 11-point score jump and a structural shift: social compliance now sits inside procurement, not alongside it.
Sympatex rescued, but the hard question remains
The brand survives, but whether Pidigi can fund the R&D needed to keep Sympatex competitive against Gore-Tex is the deal’s central open question.
Technogym scores 100/100 on ESG transparency
Fitness equipment maker joins Dow Jones Best-in-Class Europe Index with near-perfect scores on health, energy and reporting.
YKK joins ZDHC as signatory supplier in May 2026
YKK’s ZDHC membership brings chemical transparency to a supply chain tier brands rarely reach
Cross-border trial takes textile-to-textile to scale
A France-Japan collaboration has processed tens of tons of post-consumer garments into recycled polyester monomer – a first at this scale for the textile industry.
EU textile recycling still below 1%: the industry response
The 2030 Circularity Blueprint sets a target of 2.7 million tonnes of textile-to-textile recycling capacity in Europe by 2035.
Circular Economy
From take-back programs to resale platforms, repair services to material recovery: tracking circular economy developments: rental models, recycling technologies, and business innovation transforming product lifecycles.
Decathlon UK pays instant cash for used bikes
New one-hour bank transfer payouts and Easter bonuses aim to boost trade-ins and cut sporting waste.
Shein study: durability beats green claims
A large-scale fast fashion study finds consumers equate sustainability with product longevity — a signal sporting goods brands should not ignore.
Uniqlo launches garment longevity campaign
A free enzyme-treatment sample at 23 European studios anchors Uniqlo’s April longevity campaign.
New Balance expands resale program to include apparel
The Boston brand brings apparel into its two-year-old resale program after recirculating more than 100,000 pairs of shoes.
Women redefine performance beyond function in active lifestyle industry
Influenced by a strong female perspective in design and strategy, the industry is moving toward a balance of high-functionality, circularity, and sensory comfort.
EU’s new Ecodesign law takes effect
The new regulation requires companies to disclose discarded items and limit waste, with large firms required to comply by February 2027.
eBay expands circular fashion grants to more startups
eBay is accepting applications until March 8 for $50,000 grants plus mentorship. Eight businesses will be selected, with one eligible for $300,000.
Lenzing, OceanSafe pioneer circular fiber
Lenzing and OceanSafe have teamed up to develop biodegradable performance fibers, setting new sustainability standards for global sportswear.
Lenzing earns fifth EcoVadis Platinum rating
Lenzing secures EcoVadis Platinum status for the fifth year and ranks first in Canopy’s Hot Button Report, reaffirming its position as a sustainability leader in the global fiber industry.
European textile coalition demands mandatory circular economy policies
A 12-company alliance has launched a manifesto calling for binding EU policies to transform Europe’s textile waste into resources.
Gore‑Tex launches kids’ jacket subscription
The outerwear materials brand introduces a circular subscription service for children’s waterproof jackets in Europe.
Xpore e2cycle: A new pathway for polyester recycling
From screen to seam. Xpore e2cycle transforms LCD e-waste into award-winning performance textiles. A new, sustainable pathway for polyester recycling.
ESG
ESG reporting and finance—disclosure standards, green bonds, traceability technologies, and transparency frameworks shaping investor confidence and regulatory compliance across the industry.
Textile-to-textile firm Reju gets €135m grant
Dutch state backing brings Technip Energies-owned Reju closer to a final investment call on its Chemelot polyester regeneration facility.
Zalando leads retailer initiative on due diligence data
Eight retailers and two industry bodies streamline human rights reporting with standardized questionnaire and free digital infrastructure.
WFSGI partners with Worldly on ESG intelligence tools
WFSGI and Worldly announce a partnership to equip sporting-goods companies with enhanced supply-chain sustainability intelligence, offering free platform access and training for new users
Otto ties marketplace fees to verified climate goals
The German e-commerce platform rewards suppliers with validated science-based climate targets, signaling a stronger push for corporate decarbonization.
Italy fines Shein €1m for misleading environmental claims
Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) has fined fast-fashion retailer Shein €1 million for deceptive environmental marketing.
EU Green Claims Directive is dead, for now
The Commission’s laconic announcement came on June 20 from spokesman Maciej Berestecki, who said: “In the current context, indeed the Commission intends to withdraw the Green claims proposal.”
Asics and Adidas stop using kangaroo leather, but what’s next?
After Puma, Nike and New Balance stopped using kangaroo leather, Adidas and Asics have now communicated that 2025 will be the final year the material will be used in the production of football cleats.
Eight ski resorts form Global Sustainability Ski Alliance
The collaboration is designed to accelerate climate action and drive sustainable innovation in winter tourism.
The sports industry is urging the EU to sustain funding
The EU’s next multiannual budget framework is under pressure from more than 150 organizations across Europe, who are urging it to safeguard sport funding.
Equality and diversity
Diversity, equity, and inclusion: representation metrics, pay equity, inclusive hiring, leadership diversity, and the workforce strategies driving competitive advantage through diverse talent.
UK study maps girls’ fading sports fandom
Four in ten young UK people cannot name a sportswoman, as new research maps how girls lose fan identity through secondary school.
Women still wait for a seat at the top: the 2026 data
Women hold 30 percent of board seats and 24 percent of executive roles in sporting goods. The numbers are improving — but barely.
Women redefine performance beyond function in active lifestyle industry
Influenced by a strong female perspective in design and strategy, the industry is moving toward a balance of high-functionality, circularity, and sensory comfort.
WPA and IPPA seek to boost women’s padel in Asia
New alliance aims to boost memberships, train coaches and professionalize the sport across the continent.
Melissa Kaar: 'Regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability – there is a place for everyone in sport'
Managing director Melissa Kaar discusses the adidas Foundation’s evolution from startup phase to independent entity, detailing challenges from bank accounts to building trust with grassroots partners using sport for social change.
Sporting Goods brands quietly retreat from DEI messaging
Major sporting goods companies are quietly revising or rephrasing their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.
Arena new global campaign focuses on freedom and inclusivity
The swimwear brand celebrates swimming as a universal and inclusive activity.
European Parliament calls for comprehensive European Sport Model reforms
For a strengthened European Sport Model the EU parliament demands improved governance, financial integrity and athlete protection.
Women are massive sports fans, yet feel unseen
A new study reveals that many women sports fans feel misunderstood by brands and leagues.
Design for tomorrow: Circular Economy RE:THINKING Business Special
Best practices, success stories, circular models: re:sale, re:pair, re:cycle, re:design, re:invest, re:think.
>> Explore the specialThe Impact of Sports – Why the industry must act now
Physical inactivity is rising rapidly. Explore the data, initiatives and action plans as the sporting goods community transforms a societal challenge into an opportunity.
>> Explore the specialCSR: RE:THINKING Business Special
How the Sporting Goods Industry redefines corporate social responsibility amid political pressure, regulation and consumer fatigue. Stories, voices, facts and data.
>> Explore the special
Intelligence, analysis and advice for the global sporting goods industry.
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