Innovation in the context of global warming
Published 16 May 2008
“I found the conference fascinating, and even more importantly, I think it's going to influence the outdoor trade in what they do in the future.”
Sir Chris Bonington, Lancaster University Chancellor, Chairman of Berghaus, President of the Outdoor Industries Association
The conference was organised by Mike Parsons and Mary Rose and drew its audience from across the UK outdoor trade, with a set of world-class speakers from the outdoor sector, from academia and from the leading environmental charity and lobby group, Forum for the Future.
Lancaster University Management School's video conferencing facilities allowed participants to be joined by the CEOs of Patagonia, Mountain Equipment Co-operative (MEC) and Polartec.
Presentations from David Labistour MEC), Casey Sheahan (Patagonia) and Andy Vecchione (Polartec) brought remarkable insight directly to the conference audience. Delegates were able to question them about how these leading companies dealt with environmental issues profitably while making their eco-promises understandable and transparent.
Key Messages from the conference
- Avoid Green Wash, do be transparent in communications.
- Collaborate to achieve change for eco gaols.
- know when to compete and when to collaborate.
- Plan and train for sustainable innovation
In her closing remarks, Mary Rose said:
"The event has demonstrated the scale of the environmental threat, the challenges it poses for the outdoor industry and some potential solutions. We look forward to assisting the outdoor sports trade build for future generations."
Read the full conference report:
Innovation for Extremes April 2008
Conference website: http://www.innovation-for-extremes.net/conference/index.html
