Outdoor Impact Summit 2026

Out

Riva del Garda, the stunning northern Italian lake town, was the perfect backdrop for the European Outdoor Group’s (EOG) Outdoor Impact Summit 2026. An event dedicated to our planet’s future, held in a place that reminds us exactly what is at stake. The two-day summit marked the beginning of the European Outdoor Week, which consisted of several events including hikes, runs, awards ceremonies and the renowned Outdoor trade show. 

I arrived on a warm, sunny Wednesday afternoon, only to be greeted by clouds and rain for the next two days. Perhaps, the Earth's way of reminding us how quickly our climate can change. That didn’t stop me and a few brave others from hiking up to Bastione di Riva on an extremely wet Thursday morning led by Gabriel Arthur, of Suston Magazine, along with Cira Riedel and Anna Rodewald, of the GreenRoomVoice. 

This wasn’t just a walk to take in the scenery, as we walked we split into smaller groups and discussed different topics from how fact-based communication and creative storytelling can coexist in a changing regulatory landscape to responsible ways of engaging with nature and the burning question “Does sustainability sell?”. The hiking format provided both an organic way of meeting others in the industry and allowed us to discuss focused issues and hear a range of different viewpoints. I’m really looking forward to reading the write up of the hike and what the key takeaways are from the different groups through Gabriel, Anna and Cira’s perspective. 

The theme of the event was ‘No Excuses’ with a particular focus on impact. The EOG’s Christian Schneidermeier kicked things off with an introductory talk on limited growth, echoing a phrase that I also heard at the recent Innovation Forum:

“There is no business on a dead planet.”

Honestly, I think this phrase speaks the truth more than ever. 

Vulnerability was the word that kept popping into my head throughout the first afternoon. From Bowie Miles sharing her beautiful poem about impact publicly for the first time to Melanie Gruenwald, of Yonderland, sharing how innovative performance products allowed her to return to the activities she loves after a life-altering injury.

‘No Excuses’ extends to inclusivity and diversity and that was extremely clear across both days of the conference. It was refreshing to see such open and honest conversations being had around this topic. I particularly enjoyed Hannah Worthington’s, of Astraia Collective, keynote exploring the impact of women in leadership. As it turns out, gender diversity in the boardroom isn’t just a social goal, it's a financial imperative for a profitable business! 

Within her keynote Hannah said we need to “think in years, not quarters” and this stayed with me when I was thinking about the state of the industry. In many of my conversations, sustainability professionals admitted they are often stuck in firefighting mode, dealing with immediate demands rather than planning for future hurdles like the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

“Think in years, not quarters”

Repairability was the star of the show. Decathlon and the United Repair Centre (URC) came together to present their work around designing for repair and you could feel the excitement in the air both from the team presenting but also the audience. On the first day of the show one of the speakers said that “1+1 = 11”, the idea that we are stronger together and collaboration is key, this session displayed that perfectly. Decathlon showcased their Repairability Index, a tool that scores the product’s ease of repair and identifies design improvements. Most impressively, they are sharing this publicly for free, encouraging other brands to use the tool, choosing radical transparency to accelerate circularity. Bravo, a true 1+1 = 11 moment! 

“1 + 1 = 11”

Then came my turn in the spotlight. I joined Dr Mark Taylor of University of Leeds and Marie Mawe of W. L. Gore & Associates, for a session titled ‘Durability Beyond Compliance’, moderated by the EOG’s Dr Katy Stevens. We touched on what durability actually means, whether current policy proposals, such as the ESPR, will drive meaningful change and how brands can go beyond compliance to ensure they are creating truly long-lasting products. 

It was a great conversation, which didn't end on the stage. 

After the closing remarks, Mark, Marie, Dr Judith Waller of Mid Sweden University, and I gathered everyone who wanted to keep the conversation going. Over drinks at a local Italian bar we discussed the levers the industry needs to move forward and how to make design for durability a commonplace industry standard. I simply wouldn’t have wanted to spend my Friday evening doing anything else, I went back to my hotel that evening feeling totally inspired and full of ideas. An incredibly thought-provoking two days. 

Looking back on the summit, the contrast was clear. While many of us are still stuck in the demands of today, the energy in that Italian bar proved we are ready to build for tomorrow. If we truly want to move the needle we have to stop measuring success by the next quarter and start building for the next decade. In the mountains, you don’t stop at the first false peak, you push on until you reach the true summit. Riva del Garda was a reminder that while the climate can change in an instant, meaningful industry impact takes time, collaboration, and, most importantly, no excuses.