Munich covered in 25cm of snow proved to be the perfect platform for EOCA as it launched its new 2 year focus and raised €19,000 for conservation during ISPO 19.

Thanks to the generosity of EOCA’s members, the Conservation Fundraiser boasted its largest number of items yet – with offerings from hammocks to skiwear, mugs to climbing harnesses and everything in between. In addition, Bergans of Norway, Klean Kanteen and Ternua held fundraisers on their stand to benefit EOCA. With a generous top up from ISPO, EOCA was delighted to raise a total of €19,000 during the 4 days of the show! 100% of this will be spent on the conservation projects EOCA supports this coming year.

In addition, EOCA was delighted to welcome four new members into the Association. Premsons based in India who are proud to say that they make the world’s largest range of zero carbon footprint sports bottles, Tarrago who creates high tech products to maintain, clean, waterproof and care for outdoor apparel and footwear, Brettschneider Fernreisebedarf, who sell mosquito nets and repellents including mosquito nets from recycling polyester and MIZU selling reusable stainless steel bottles, mugs, cutlery and straws all designed to reduce single-use plastics – ‘protecting where we play’, all signed up during or shortly after the show. EOCA looks forward to working with them to benefit conservation in the coming months and years.

During the show, EOCA was also delighted to launch its new 2 year focus: Plastic Free, Mountain to Sea. The focus, which will run alongside the Association continuing to fund a broad range of conservation projects worldwide, will enable EOCA and its members to play their part in addressing the critical issue of plastic pollution in the great outdoors. The headline target for the focus is that EOCA and its members will collectively clean 3000 km of habitat, trail and beach of plastic pollution over 2 years. The focus was launched during the show to members at an extraordinary meeting, to the wider industry during the EOG industry breakfast, and to the press at EOCA’s happy hour.

“The focus was received extremely positively during the show” said Catherine Savidge, Joint General Manager of EOCA. “We had a new company, Premsons, sign up to EOCA membership before the show had even started, having learned of the new focus. In addition, we had a range of companies come to the EOCA stand over the course of the show to discuss membership specifically because the new focus resonated well with their mission and they agreed with the urgency and relevance of the issue for the outdoor industry. We very much look forward to welcoming new members into EOCA in the coming months to work with us and our existing members to deliver this work.”

Existing members also approached EOCA with exciting initiatives to support the focus. One example is the plan of Walkingontheweb to walk the Grand Traverse of the Alps (GR 5), cleaning up litter on the way. You can follow their progress on Twitter @walkingontheweb and their blog at www.walkingtheGR5.co.uk .

To find out more about the Association please go to: www.outdoorconservation.eu