MEC sets out on its most challenging expedition yet: uniting external partners in the outdoor industry and aligning all parts of its own business to deliver on emissions targets to address the climate crisis.
Vancouver BC, April 13, 2023, Mountain Equipment Company (MEC), Canada’s most trusted outdoor retailer, announced the company is committed to setting business-wide emission reduction targets in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). MEC has a strong legacy of sustainability throughout its business operations and has been the inaugurating partner for many organizations committed to protecting the planet. It recognizes that success in this space comes from setting ambitious goals and empowering cross-company collaboration to drive change. That’s why it is announcing that MEC is committing to science-based targets that will aim to reduce its emissions 55% by 2030 and 90% by 2050.
“The outdoors has been a core driving value since MEC began; throughout the years, sustainability became incredibly important too and this legacy still drives our mission to connect people in Canada to the outdoors, but with the climate crisis, the stakes are even higher,” said Adam Ketcheson, MEC Chief Commercial Officer. “We inherited brick and mortar spaces that are cutting-edge for energy efficiency, but green building standards aren’t enough. Businesses like MEC need to push deeper into reducing environmental impacts from our supply chain and those of the brands we work with. It’s imperative that we hold ourselves and our partners accountable to reaching these ambitious targets.”
Over the last year, MEC conducted a comprehensive analysis of its carbon footprint to understand the biggest challenges. Not surprisingly, the results highlight that the greatest opportunity to move the needle and continue to be leaders in this space is to focus on MEC’s in-house brand label and the vendor partners they carry. MEC has set both near-term (2030) and long-term (2050) Science-Based Targets (SBTs) that have been submitted to the SBTi validation. They’re focused on reducing emissions from direct operations like stores and offices (scope 1 and 2), along with supply chain and products (scope 3).
The SBTi is a global initiative that aligns with the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement: to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gases on human society and nature by reaching net-zero global emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C. This bold agenda is part of the SBTi’s new Net-Zero Standard, the world’s first science-based standard for setting a company’s net-zero targets.
“We can’t do this alone. MEC has worked to drive impactful change within the supply chain by working in unison with the larger outdoor industry,” said Ketcheson. “As a leader, we have a responsibility to support the smaller brands and retailers within the industry whose voices might be unheard but are struggling with the same challenges faced by larger brands. For tangible change, we need to continue to work together. Everyone has a role to play to push change forward – governments, brands and consumers.”
MEC works closely with the Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps; in fact, MEC was one of the founding members. The Climate Action Corps includes more than 100 companies in the outdoor industry that have a goal of being the world’s first climate positive industry by 2030.
For further information and interview requests, please contact Jo.salamon@mec.ca
