In the lead up to Earth Day 2022, K2 ran a number of local and global sustainability initiatives and internal events at our offices and in the surrounding environment, including a community clean-up, plant-based food tasting sessions, installation of insect hotels and a talk on reducing waste and plastic use, delivered by team members at K2 UK. We also launched our Sustainability Champions Programme.
With sustainability forming one of the key strategic pillars of our five-year Kinetic plan, global initiatives, such as Earth Day, provide a valuable opportunity for members of our K2 teams to come together and consider their impact on the planet, both as an individual and a collective.
As a responsible global organisation which relies heavily on supply chain management, K2 is taking responsibility for the impact of its business activities and its supply chain, which acts as an extension of the business. We are expanding and accelerating our commitments and action on ESG and sustainability focusing on:
- Broadening our understanding of sustainability and the impact our activities have on the world.
- Understanding where we can make a material difference with our initiatives.
- Increasing the speed at which change is made.
In February 2022 we became a United Nations Global Compact participant and committed to support the UN Sustainability Development Goals.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership.
We have committed to delivering action on all of the SDGs but with a core focus on five goals which K2 can have a particularly meaningful and positive impact on — (5) gender equality, (8) decent work and economic growth, (12) responsible consumption and production, (15) life on land, and (17) partnerships for the goals.
Sustainability programme and champions
The wider sustainability programme is interactive within K2 at all levels and our Kinetic business strategy holds everyone within the organisation accountable.
Led by our CEO, Global Head of Compliance, Group Sustainability Consultant and the Kinetic Core Sustainability Team, supported by the global sustainability champions, the K2 family continues on their sustainability journey together.
Linda Rafferty, Global Head of Compliance comments:
“We see our sustainability champions playing a vital role in our sustainability journey and the delivery of our sustainability strategy globally. Working collaboratively to deliver our common purpose will be essential, and there must be accountability across the board; in the words of Nelson Mandela “it is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it”
Made up of representatives from different K2 office locations around the world, the team of sustainability champions will be responsible for affecting local and global change.
Other key responsibilities include:
- Supporting K2 goals and actions.
- Sharing local ideas and challenges.
- Encouraging participation and collaboration on K2 initiatives.
- Debating potential solutions, whilst understanding local regulations and challenges.
The Kinetic Core Sustainability Team reflects the multi-national culture of K2 to fully understand the global and local challenges first hand.
K2 Finance and Compliance Manager, and Sustainability Champion for K2 Sweden, Quinn Ertel says:
“I am overjoyed that K2’s initiatives are giving me the opportunity to apply my background in sustainable business development. The existing emphasis on social sustainability, coupled with the enormous efforts with environmental sustainability, will only serve to strengthen the economic sustainability of K2 globally.”
Next steps
Our sustainability champions will hold regular review meetings and educational sessions, ensuring that learning and ideas are shared with the wider organisation. They will also support with the continuous measurement of energy, waste, recycling, water and collating information for the delivery of annual reporting.
At K2 we want to ensure we are delivering meaningful and significant change. Doing good is in our DNA, and we believe that every member of the K2 family can make a difference through a collective contribution.
Find out more about K2’s sustainability and ESG goals here.
