New partnership to study how boardsports address sustainability

The international retailer, Surfdome, has partnered with the Plymouth Sustainability and Surfing Research Group (PSSRG) to provide a ‘reality check’ on how boardsports brands have incorporated sustainability into their core values.

As consumer attitudes are changing towards products and brands offering sustainability credentials, due to increased awareness and readily available information, boardsports brands are facing increasing pressure to account for their environmental impact.

The newly announced research will aim to map the current industry attitude towards sustainability, its level of understanding of current environmental challenges associated with boardsports and their current or future plans to address those issues.

The PSSRG is considered a global hub for expertise around the correlation between surfing and sustainability and the new research aims for a ‘reality-check’ to highlight the industry’s strengths and point out areas where it underperforms to encourage progress.

Gregory Borne Director of PSSRG explained: "This is an exciting opportunity to explore the sustainability positions of a large number of brands within the surf, skate and snow sector”.

"The research will provide a benchmark for exploring sustainability within this sector and directly inform policies and programs that will shape the future of the market, and understand what is required for a transition towards sustainability”.

Adam Hall, Head of Sustainability at Surfdome said: "This research will help us understand where to focus future efforts. It's paramount our market tread lightly on the natural areas we rely on for the activities we enjoy”.

Surfdome and the Plymouth Sustainability and Surfing Research Group joined forces in January 2016, when the latter took on the role of sustainability advisor to Surfdome, verifying their environmental initiatives and providing them with up-to-date research.

In 2015, Gregory Borne and Dr. Jess Pointing from the Centre of Surf Research at San Diego University edited the ‘Sustainable Stoke’ book, a collection of articles attempting to answer how surfing can make the transition to sustainability.

Surfdome has embraced sustainability through various initiatives, such as having a special place in its online store for products with sustainability credentials which have been independently recommended by the Sustainable Surf, a California-based non-profit organisation dedicated to oceans protection.

You can learn more on the interdisciplinary research undertaken by Plymouth Sustainability and Surfing Research Group here.