EOS 2017 Announces First Keynote Speakers

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With online registration for the European Outdoor Summit (EOS) now open, the European Outdoor Group (EOG) is pleased to announce the first series of speakers presenting at the Summit.

kateThe EOS will present delegates with a range of keynote speeches and breakout sessions that focus on the theme: IT ALL STARTS WITH THE CONSUMER.

Delivering a keynote presentation under the pillar: ACTIVATE the Population, Kate Bosomworth has worked across the sports, health and fitness industry for 15 years; leading domestic and European communications strategies for a host of global sports FMCG brands and rights holders, including adidas, Lucozade, The North Face, UEFA and Unilever.
Kate’s presentation: How to be a Game Changer in Participation, will focus on the stakeholder landscape around participation and how this has changed in the last few years – “It takes courage, commitment and a spirit of adventure to create game-ch anging initiatives; qualities the outdoor sector is not short of!” Kate will be discussing these themes and share learnings from across her career, including insight into This Girl Can; celebrated as one of the most successful participation campaigns of the decade.

ronManaging Partner at Camunico and Executive in Residence at INSEAD, Ron Soonieus, will discuss the meaning of ‘Long Term Value Creation’. With extensive experience in leadership gained through roles in executive management and on the boards of international public and privately-owned companies, Ron is a trusted advisor who supports senior leadership with a specific focus on balancing short term result and long term value.
“We have been living well beyond our means materially and well below our means intellectually, spiritually and ethically. This has to be reversed and ‘the outdoors’ can play a key role in rebalancing that. That’s why I’m excited to address and explore the notion of creating long term value with an audience whose sole purpose is to enable people to experience nature.”

christophPresenting the break out session: Expedition 2020 – Strategic Decisions Based on a Verified Product Footprint, Sustainability Manager at Bergans of Norway, Christoph Centmayer will explore environmental profit and loss. Having joined Bergan of Norway in 2006, Christoph recently took on the role as Sustainability Manager, coordinating and communicating the company’s efforts on becoming a more sustainable brand.
The Environmental Profit & Loss account is a fairly technical tool to direct strategic and investment decisions. Sitting under the pillar: FULFIL the Demand, Christoph’s presentation will look at the key factor to make the best sustainability progress in the shortest time and what it means for a brand; and specifically for a small brand with limited resources. He will discuss why and how Bergans made use of this tool; focussing on their challenges, learnings and how they benefited from the outcomes, offering an insight into the challenges and benefits for SME’s.

Bookings for the EOS, which takes place 4th – 5th October 2017 in Treviso, Italy, can be made with an early bird discount until 31st July, at the website www.europeanoutdoorsummit.com/index.php/book/.

INFO: EOS

Conservation Worth Celebrating at OutDoor 2017

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fundraiser

The OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen this month will be a busy mix of fundraising, celebrating and business for the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) and its members. Raising funds to conserve the great outdoors, celebrating projects being supported by the Association, supporting initiatives of existing members and engaging new companies, will all be priorities during the show.

Members of EOCA have been hugely generous with their donations to the ever-popular Conservation Fundraiser, including one of the newest members to the Association, Bestway. Held on EOCA’s stand in the East Entrance, members generously donate items which are then sold to visitors to the show with 100% of the money raised being used to fund conservation projects around the world. In the past few years, enough has been raised at each show to fund an entire extra project. This year is expected to be no different, with exciting items including sleeping bags, jackets, T-shirts, climbing helmets and packs all on offer.

In addition, other member companies are selling items and holding events on their own booths to raise further funds and awareness for the Association. KEEN Footwear (A1-215, Monday 17.00hrs) will be hosting their annual KEEN Care footwear sale, which sees people queuing around the booth before the event, eager to snap up some high quality and good value sandals and boots. The money raised at this sale will go towards a Mangrove Restoration project in Indonesia. Eagles Nest Outfitters will be selling a custom made EOCA Hammock from their booth (A6-200), which will later be sold through their retail outlets with a percentage of proceeds going to EOCA – a first for the Association. This initiative will be celebrated on their booth at an event on Monday 19th June, 15.00-17.00 hrs. Klean Kanteen are selling special edition insulated 8oz tumblers (A5-207) from their booth, including a free ice-cream to celebrate their 5th year at the show. The money raised will plant trees in Nepal, via the EOCA tree planting public fundraiser. The Scandinavian Outdoor Group will once again collect donations on their bar for all food and drink, with that money also coming to EOCA. Ternua (A5-101) will be sending out puzzle pieces to various clients and for every piece returned to their stand, €10 will be donated to EOCA.  The owner of the winning piece will win a weekend for two to the Basque Coast. And finally, Marmot Europe (B4/100) will be selling T-shirts made from plastic bottles collected by locals in Haiti, with all €5 donations coming to EOCA.

Other events during the show include the announcement of the conservation projects chosen this spring by the Association for funding. This will take place at 17.20hrs at the OutDoor Stage in Foyer East on Monday 19th, immediately before the OutDoor Awards. EOCA is delighted to be joined during the show by the CEO of one of the projects funded last year by the Association – Marie-Noelle Keijzer from WeForest. She will talk to EOCA members at their Annual Meeting and also attendees of the EOG Industry Breakfast about the importance of trees for the outdoor industry – ‘Giving Outdoor Enthusiasts Space to Breathe Through Conservation’.

Finally, EOCA will have its slot on the main stage at the OutDoor Party, this year being sponsored by Gore. At 20.00hrs, directors of the Association will take to the stage to celebrate some key members – please give them a big cheer!

Look out for the EOCA General Managers Catherine Savidge and Tanya Bascombe in their new, eco friendly, EOCA-branded shirts, kindly donated by Pyua and Vaude. Catherine said ‘We are very grateful to Pyua and Vaude for donating our new look outfits to us. We hope that visitors to the show will feel able to stop us to ask us about EOCA and how they can get involved.”

INFO: EOCA

 

EOG Industry Breakfast at OutDoor

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eogMore than ever, it is clear that the big issues facing the outdoor sector do not exist in isolation. Major topics that will govern the future success of outdoor industry are fundamentally interconnected. Recognising this, at this year’s OutDoor show in Messe Friedrichshafen, we will hold the first EOG Industry Breakfast.

This new event will encourage debate and collaboration on three main themes: Promotion of outdoor participation; current market research focusing on consumer and market issues; and sustainability. Each topic is very relevant to every business in our sector and they are all linked. The Industry Breakfast will explore these issues and provide an opportunity for constructive, progressive and collaborative discussion and debate. We are really excited about this event’s potential and look forward to a packed room and some thought provoking and constructive content.

The EOG Industry Breakfast is just one of numerous events that we are organising or supporting during the show. You can access full details by clicking on the link below. All of the events are open to anyone who attends OutDoor and fill up on a first come first served basis. We recommend that you register in advance, so we can make the necessary arrangements based on the expected number of attendees.

EOG events at OutDoor – Click here.

Mark Held (EOG General Secretary)

INFO: EOG

EOS 2017 Delegate Registration Now Open
ISPO, W.L Gore & Associates and Vibram confirm
Summit sponsorship

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european outdoor summit 2017

Online registration for the European Outdoor Summit (EOS), which takes place 4th – 5th October 2017 in Treviso, Italy, is now open. Bookings can be made with an early bird discount until 31st July, at the EOS website.

A key event in the outdoor trade calendar, the EOS continues to inspire the industry, while attracting support from the sector’s largest brands and organisations. The European Outdoor Group (EOG) is pleased to announce that the global sports business platform ISPO and W.L Gore & Associates have signed up as Major Sponsors of the Summit for their fifth year, while Vibram, world leader in the technological development and manufacture of high-performance rubber soles, for the outdoor, work safety, lifestyle, orthopaedic and repair markets, joins them as Major Sponsor for the first time.

Davide Canciani, Vibram Global Marketing Director said: “It is a great pleasure for Vibram to support EOS in organising the 2017 edition. Over the years, EOS has become the most important networking event for the European outdoor industry, an inspirational and stimulating summit, which helps to bring innovation and new thoughts to the outdoor industry. It is therefore a great pleasure for us to support it this year, especially because it is being hosted in Italy.

“Since its foundation and going on 80 years now, Vibram has always been very much involved in the outdoor industry. That is where our roots lie and that’s why we really want to support the initiatives which help to boost, develop and grow this large community. We are sure that EOS 2017 will be extremely inspiring for the outdoor industry. We’re looking forward to it!”

Bringing together over 250 senior executives within the outdoor industry, it is attended by brands, manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, distributors, and service providers from across Europe and beyond. The EOS provides an opportunity to learn and share by focusing on key topics that stimulate debate and discussion. Besides great speakers, it is the ideal platform for networking and offers a unique occasion to interact with opinion leaders and decision makers from the outdoor industry.

The theme for 2017 will be: It all starts with the consumer, focussing on three key pillars;

ASSESS the Situation – Is what we are doing with our brands right for tomorrow’s consumer? We aim to examine what we do through the eyes, needs and aspirations of the target audience, who should always be our single most important focus.

FULFIL the Demand – The current supply chain timetables for the outdoor industry are in crisis. Brands have one timetable, retailers another and then finally, the consumers have their own ideas about when they want to buy specific products. Is it time for a reality check?

ACTIVATE the Population – As a sector we have clearly woken up to the challenges facing us in terms of driving outdoor activity adoption. What more can we do as a sector both to understand the situation and to drive policies that effect change?

Offering excellent value for money, the EOS early bird delegate place costs just €500, increasing to €600 after Monday 31st July. In addition to a full programme of speakers, the delegate rate also includes a Networking Evening, which takes place on Wednesday 4th October.

This year there is the option to book accommodation at the EOS venue, the BHR Treviso Hotel, which is conveniently located just five minutes from Treviso Airport and 25 minutes from Venice Marco Polo International. Rooms at the venue are limited and can be booked directly via a link from the EOS website; bed & breakfast individual rooms cost from €110 and bed & breakfast double rooms cost from €130.

For more information: European Outdoor Summit

EOS 2017 Location and Dates Announced
Fifth annual Summit will take place from 4th – 5th October 2017 in Treviso, Italy

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Following a hugely successful event in Barcelona earlier this year, the European Outdoor Group (EOG) is pleased to announce that the fifth annual European Outdoor Summit (EOS) will be taking place from 4th – 5th October 2017 in Treviso, Italy.

Each year the EOS is managed in partnership with a host organisation from that country; we are delighted to say that the EOS 2017 will be delivered in partnership with both ASSOSPORT (Italian Association of Sporting Goods Manufacturers) and the Italian Outdoor Group (IOG).

The Summit will take place at the BHR Treviso Hotel which is conveniently located just a few minutes from the old town, five minutes from Treviso Airport and 25 minutes from Venice Marco Polo International. Boasting a central European location, Treviso offers good rail links for those wishing to travel by train and shuttle services from Treviso and Venice airports will be arranged for delegates’ convenience.

Situated in the Veneto region of north-east Italy, Treviso was rebuilt and restored after a Second World War bombing. Featuring medieval and renaissance architecture, the town centre is a rambling maze of streets and is circled by a town wall and waterways. Treviso is only 40km from the capital of Veneto, Venice, which is famed for its canal network, two and a half hours from the Italian Dolomites and just 30 minutes from the world’s leading design centre for outdoor footwear, Montebelluna.

Now a key event in the outdoor trade calendar, the EOS is supported by the sector’s largest brands and organisations. Each year the Summit focuses on key topics that stimulate debate and discussion, with the ultimate aim to improve business practices and promote growth and innovation. For 2017, the event aims to look at the entirety of what we do through the lens of the consumer.

Luca Businaro, Assosport President, said: “We are very proud to host in Italy the event that in few years has become the European focus point for the outdoor sector. We are sure that the joint work between the EOG and Assosport-IOG will lead to a successful event. Our country has more than 200 companies that produce sporting goods for the outdoor market. According to turnover, Italy is the 4th country in Europe, after Germany, England and France.”

Luca Pedrotti, IOG President, said: “We are happy to host EOS 2017 in Italy. Our country has a long tradition in outdoor and most of the world’s footwear manufacturers are based in Italy, near Venice. I am confident that Assosport and the IOG have the knowledge and the people to make EOS 2017 a success.”

Mark Held, General Secretary of the EOG, comments: “For each EOS we look for a location that not only offers delegates somewhere easy and convenient to get to, but somewhere that conveys the spirit of the outdoors.  Italy boasts some of the planet’s most spectacular scenery and challenging landscape, making it hugely popular with outdoor enthusiasts. It is also home to some of the industry’s biggest brands and manufacturers, with the hub of outdoor footwear – Montebelluna, just half an hour away from Treviso and the Italian Dolomites a short distance north of the town. In partnership with ASSOSPORT and the IOG, we look forward to bringing the industry another informative, engaging and inspiring event that will continue the huge success that the EOS has become.”

Details about how to book a place at EOS 2017 will be available in due course.  For more information about the summit, visit www.europeanoutdoorsummit.com

INFO: European Outdoor Summit

 

European Outdoor Summit 2016
The Video Interviews

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The European OutDoor Summit 2016 is over and EOG is already thinking about the 2017 edition. But before starting work on future topic, let’s recap about this edition best moments. We present a web reportage packed with information and insights: the voices of speakers and protagonists recorded at the European Outdoor Summit 2016 by MountainBlog.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

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“An Industry In Evolution”: What We Learnt
Interview with Mark Held

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EOS 2016 has been a very interesting edition and the European Outdoor Group has worked hard to offer a business focused line up. During the video interview, Mark Held (EOG General Secretary) analyzes the main topics discussed during the two days of summit. Enjoy!

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Sustainability Provides Business Value – Interview with Rick Ridgeway

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A leader in the outdoor and travel apparel market, Patagonia is renowned for its environmental and social responsibility and has a strong track record of giving back. Rick Ridgeway is one of Patagonia’s key spokespersons in all its global markets and represents and promotes Patagonia’s core values with external stakeholders including NGO’s, trade organisations, academics and universities, and government agencies. During the Summit, he offered a valuable insight into Patagonia’s very distinct and non-traditional, yet highly successful approach to CSR and also discusses Patagonia’s strategic approach offering key insights on how some of these practicies can be implemented by all companies, both large and small to provide real and tangible value.

 

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The future of Outdoor Retailing – Interview With Frederic Hufkens

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Rapid changes in both technology and consumer preference have altered so many of the established concepts of retail that it is time for the industry to re-look at what is possible and work together to identify opportunities for the future.  With a wealth of experience across a wide spectrum of retail, as well as experience at the helm of the hugely successful A.S.Adventure Group (Bever, A.S.Adventure, Cotswold & Snow & Rock), Frédéric Hufkens offers invaluable knowledge, expertise and insight.

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Outdoor Tourism Industry: What’s new? – Interview With Nick Chiarelli

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How is the perceptions of “leisure” and “leisure time” changing and how are the needs of the outdoor audience evolving?

Nick Chiarelli looks at changes to the consumer technology market and how consumers access information about destinations and offerings. This will create new opportunities and challenges to the outdoor tourism industry over the next 5 years.

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