Leisure and green

ESG and sports companies, focus on a highly polarised sector

Green Media Lab analysed 20 sports companies. Some have already consolidated their ESG path. Others are still far behind

by Davide Madeddu

26 May 2025

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3' min read

Key points

The study
Performance to improve
Criticità

3' min read

Some are already aligned with international standards, while many others have not yet reached the minimum levels of sustainable governance. A 'strongly polarised' picture emerges from the first national survey promoted by Green Media Lab with the support of the Italian Outdoor Group, dedicated to the state of ESG maturity in the sports sector, presented at the eleventh edition of Outdoor & Running Business Days, the trade event of reference in Italy for the outdoor and running market organised by the MagNet group, publisher among others of Outdoor Magazine.

The Studio

The study examined twenty Italian companies (Tecnica, Vibram, La Sportiva, Grisport, Scarpa, Montura, Oberalp, F.lli Campagnolo, Ferrino, Aku, Garmont, Manifattura Valcisom/ Karpos Outdoor, Asolo, Garsport, C.A.M.P., Kong, Mondeox, Zamberlan, Crazy, MGM) with a turnover in excess of ten million euro, "assessing them on the basis of ten key indicators, including the presence of an ESG strategic plan, the adoption of eco-innovation practices, supply chain management, climate strategy and Diversity & Inclusion policies".

"With this research, Green Media Lab wants to offer a concrete tool to map the level of maturity of the Sport & Outdoor sector on ESG issues," comments Daniele DeNegri, CEO of Green Media Lab. "The results speak for themselves: the panorama is still strongly polarised between structured realities and companies that are struggling to embark on a solid path. Our commitment is to stimulate awareness, accompany change, and promote a culture of sustainability capable of generating real impact and of being effectively communicated, transforming itself into a strategic lever of competitiveness'.

Performance to improve

To complement the survey, a qualitative phase was also carried out, targeting the companies with the lowest ESG performance, through a dedicated consultation with the aim of investigating the reasons for 'poor or lack of communication of environmental and social commitments'.

"Among the most frequent reasons were the lack of economic resources," the initiators of the initiative emphasise, "the lack of structured data and the absence of solid impact measurement.

Elements that, they argue, "confirm a cautious approach, linked to the perception of reputational risk and the phenomenon of greenhushing". As for the results: "On the one hand, some companies have already embarked on structured paths with measurable objectives and aligned to international standards," they argue, "on the other hand, many realities do not yet show minimum elements of sustainable governance or effective forms of reporting and transparency.

Criticità

Other critical issues also emerge from the analysis, such as the fact that 'around 60% of companies do not have a dedicated sustainability figure or team', while 'in 45% of cases, there is a lack of any form of public reporting in accordance with international standards'. Furthermore, "40% of the companies analysed do not have an ESG section on their website".

Furthermore, on Diversity & Inclusion "only one company in twenty adopts a clear strategy with concrete objectives, while for half of the companies the topic is completely absent". Yet 80% of the companies surveyed "declared that they had received requests or pressure on EGS issues from customers, distributors or suppliers, a sign that the market is pushing towards greater responsibility". Then there is greenhushing: "three out of five companies say they have launched sustainable initiatives, but do not communicate them for fear of exposure without structured data or solid results".

"We are proud that the Outdoor & Running Business Days have been chosen to present the first national research on the state of Esg maturity of the outdoor industry," emphasises Benedetto Sironi, CEO of MagNet. "It is an acknowledgement that testifies to our concrete and constant commitment to ethical, social and environmental responsibility. A path that led MagNet, as early as 2020, to become a Benefit Company and later, in 2022, to obtain B Corp certification'. The research, as the promoters point out, not only provides a snapshot of the current state of affairs, but also serves as an orientation tool for the future.

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