16 organisations joined the association in 2023

EOG Annual Report 2023 outlines activities and achievements from last year

EOG team outlined plans for the year ahead at association’s AGM

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We have published our annual report following a successful AGM in February. The meeting was held online and those who attended completed a rage of formal business and agreed the work plan for the year ahead. Members were presented with a detailed report on the association’s activities and achievements in 2023, which culminated in the successful vote on making committing to join a Race to Zero initiative a mandatory condition of membership by the end of 2024.

During 2023, 16 organisations joined the EOG, taking the total number of members to 125, plus nine national associations. This represents the second year of growth for the association, following the decision in 2022 to open up membership to organisations in the wider value chain, and a reorganisation of the fee tiers. The new members who were recruited in 2023 came from both the core outdoor sector and that wider value chain, and from across Europe. The only change to the EOG Board saw Katrin Bauer of Ortovox co-opted as the focused CSR member, replacing her brand colleague Stefanie Rieder-Haas who had stepped down..

At the AGM, the new members were welcomed by EOG President Matt Gowar, who summarised the key work that was undertaken during 2023. Matt highlighted the high level of engagement in the Race to Zero voting process, and the positive feedback that the result had generated, both from within and from outside the outdoor industry. In outlining plans for the year ahead during the meeting, the EOG team explained the next steps that the association will take to support members as they meet the Race to Zero commitment. The team also shared information about other aspects of the work programme for 2024, in areas such as market research, CSR and sustainability, public affairs, and events, including trade shows and the European Outdoor Summit. This year’s summit will be held in Cambridge in the UK and preparations are ahead of schedule, with the first details about speakers due to be revealed in March, when tickets will also go on sale.

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EOG Annual Report 2023

Following a successful audit, the EOG presented its annual report and accounts to members at the AGM. The report includes a summary of activities by each department, along with key details about the membership and managing committee of the association. An e-book of the EOG Annual Report 2023 is available using the link below.

Matt Gowar, EOG President, comments: “2023 was my first full year as EOG President, and the role has certainly proved to be as stimulating, challenging, varied and rewarding as I had anticipated. Our association and its members once again showcased the outdoor industry’s willingness to embrace change, demonstrating dynamic leadership and genuine collaboration on the big issues that really matter. The EOG Annual Report offers an overview from each team about the work that they have done and provides a good insight into the scale of what the association undertakes on behalf of its members, and for the good of the industry as a whole.”

Individual EOG departments have started briefing members and other industry colleagues in detail about their plans for the year ahead and how to get involved.