The thought leaders in the field of sustainability met at the Outdoor Impact Summit at Messe München and discussed which factors are really important today in order to be able to deal with the current challenges as a sport and outdoor brand. We summarize the five most important sustainability trends. Practical impulses for everyone who wants to promote sustainability in the sports business.
This is just an outlook: Sustainability will once again be an important topic at ISPO 2025. In the new Sustainability Solutions Area, the driving minds of the industry will network, future-proof solutions will be presented and impulses will be set that will shape the sport of tomorrow.
"The way we solve problems is the problem," says Christian Schneidermeier, President of the European OutDoor Group (EOG). Long-term strategies and complex target definitions no longer help in an increasingly volatile, uncertain world. They can become obsolete from one day to the next because framework conditions change unexpectedly, for example due to political upheaval, new legal requirements or abrupt market changes. Schneidermeier thus hits on a point that many sustainability experts mentioned at the summit. We take a look at five points that are becoming more relevant instead.
5 key takeaways at a glance
- Change from within - IDGs are the new SDGs
- Culture eats strategy for breakfast
- Internal and external collaboration is a must
- Taking a stand - also politically
- Social activism for sustainability
Design revolution: How the outdoor sector is reinventing itself
How values shape brand identity and business success
Conclusion
These five insights from the OutDoor Impact Summit clearly show that sustainability is not a rigid plan, but a dynamic process that requires flexibility, value orientation, cooperation and political responsibility. Sports and outdoor brands must embrace the change in thinking, strengthen internal cultures, cooperate beyond company boundaries and actively promote sustainable framework conditions. This is the only way to achieve real progress and make sport fit for the future for generations to come.
ISPO 2025 addresses these challenges and, with the Sustainability Solutions Area, offers a central platform for exchange, inspiration and concrete solutions. This is where the most important players in the industry come together to shape the future of sport in a sustainable way.