January 2009: Ayacucho® brand is launched to support local communities and businesses in Peru, India and Kenya

Working together with Solid International, a private foundation that sets up projects to combat global poverty, we are investing in sustainable community development to provide local people with knowledge, ownership and control of their own lives. Since 2009, every product from the Ayacucho® collection that is sold generates new funds for existing projects and new initiatives, and supports local communities and businesses ensuring fair wages, better working conditions, and environmentally-friendly products. Ayacucho® clothing and equipment is designed with a focus on responsible, careful sourcing and modern-day technological advancement, offering a welcome combination of sustainability, comfort and style. You can find out more about Ayacucho® and our work with Solid International here.

September 2017: Recycle My Run campaign is launched (Runners Need only) allowing people to recycle their old running shoes

Ever wondered what happens to old trainers when they get worn out and replaced? Unfortunately, in many cases they go straight to landfill, which is why we launched Recycle my Run back in 2017. Working with the European Recycling Company, part of the SOEX Group, the project helps people to recycle their old running shoes and reduce the impact of shoe waste, diverting them from landfill and allowing them to be reuses or recycled where possible. Creating employment opportunities and providing footwear to those less fortunate. Recycle my Run ‘shoe bins’ are available in all our Runners Need stores for people to drop off their old shoes with the added incentive of money off a new pair. Find out more here.

February 2018: Single-use plastic bags are replaced with paper bags in-store

Since the introduction of the carrier bag in shops across the UK, we’ve all become more aware of single-use plastic and have been encouraged to reuse our bags and bring our own to the shops whenever possible. But what’s better than plastic carrier bags? Paper bags of course! These bags also carry a charge because the ultimate aim is still to encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags and not purchase a new one every time. But, for those times when you leave your reusable bag at home or end up buying more than you intended (we’ve all been there!), all our stores offer paper bags at an additional cost. We’re currently working on some new carrier bag designs, which will be even more eco-friendly than ever before, so watch this space! 

May 2018: All single-use plastic cups are banned across the business

There was a time when almost every office across the UK had water dispensers available to its staff, complete with disposable plastic cups. We even had them in some of our stores to help keep thirsty customers quench their thirst. But whilst we want everyone to stay hydrated whether they’re working or shopping with us, single-use plastic cups are simply no good. We still provide water dispensers in our offices and stores, but all plastic cups have been removed and instead, we encourage customers and colleagues to bring their own reusable cup or bottle to drink from. And if you’re in one of our stores without a bottle, we’ve got plenty on offer for you to choose from. Keep an eye out for exciting new projects around refill stations, coming to our stores in 2020! 

April 2019: Sustainability Team is officially launched

As sustainability grew more important within our business, it became clear that we needed a dedicated team to help us continue our journey and achieve our goals. We now have a devoted working group who, in addition to their day jobs, volunteer their time and energy to help make us a more sustainable business. They work together on various projects and initiatives across all areas of our business, fighting the good fight and encouraging everyone else within our business and the industry to do the same. 

July 2019: Black shrink wrap is replaced by plastic flat strips, cutting down warehouse plastic by over 90%

Every day, thousands of products are delivered into our warehouse, most of them in boxes on pallets. Most of these used to arrive wrapped in black shrink wrap, to help protect them from water damage and other knocks during transit. However, this shrink wrap wasn’t recyclable and contributed to a huge amount of our plastic waste each year. We’ve worked hard to reduce plastic waste in the warehouse and one of the ways we did this was to replace plastic shrink wrap with plastic flat strips instead, cutting down on warehouse plastic by 90%.

August 2019: First stock donations to our new charity partner

One of the biggest problems in fashion and retail is what happens to old or unsold stock. Historically, lots of businesses have been called out for the amount of stock they send to landfill and in improving our own processes, we wanted to do something positive with our excess stock. That’s why in August 2019, we started donating our unsold gear to charity, in particular those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to this kind of kit. This includes Jamie’s Farm, who run outdoor sessions for inner-city youth, to help them connect with the outdoors and gains skills they would otherwise miss out on. 

October 2019: Business runs on 98% renewable energy

A simple switch an make the world of difference. In October 2019, we made some changes to our energy suppliers and are pleased to say that our business currently runs on 98% renewable energy. But there’s always more that can be done, and we won’t rest until that last 2% is renewable too. Better still, we want to reduce our overall energy usage by at least 30% and reduce our carbon footprint by 50%, with the ultimate goal of becoming a carbon neutral business. It’s pretty ambitious, but if we want to make a real difference to the future of our planet, we have to think big.

November 2019: Invoices changed to recycled paper

Every day, we send out hundreds/thousands of paper invoices with our online orders, essential for letting our customers know what they’ve bought and providing them with returns information too. We’re sure our customers do what they can to recycle unwanted paper invoices, but we wanted to do more to reduce the environmental impact of our invoicing. Now, all our invoices are printed on recycled paper, which is in turn recyclable, creating a much more circular economy and a sustainable way of working. 

January 2020: Virgin plastic online order bags replaced by 100% recycled bags

For a long time, we shipped our online orders in virgin plastic bags, something which we were very keen to change as online demand continues to grow. After much research and deliberation, we decided on 100% recycled plastic bags, which can be returned and recycled in our stores. We looked at lots of different options, including paper, but recycled plastic was the best sustainable option for us and most importantly, helps to keep your kit in mint condition throughout the delivery process. 

February 2020: Whole business switches to recycled paper and default print settings are changed to reduce ink, paper and energy usage

Becoming a more sustainable business isn’t just about what we do in-store or online, but day-to-day in our workplaces too. In February 2020, the whole business switched to using recycled paper and our default print settings were changed to reduce ink, paper and energy usage. This includes using black and white, double-sided printing wherever possible and introducing a new policy in meeting rooms, encouraging the last person who leaves a room to switch off lights, aircon and any electronics too. The little things make all the difference. 

November 2020: Repair and Care service is launched in-store and online, offering customers a range of kit washing and mending options

Just because a piece of kit is dirty or damaged, doesn’t mean it needs to be thrown away or replaces. We want to encourage customers to use their kit for as long as possible, looking to repair it rather than replace it, to help reduce waste and excess consumption. Customers can now send their damaged gear to our workshop where it can be washed, reproofed and repaired to keep it performing for as long as possible. You can find out more about our Repair and Care services here.

April 2021: Recycle my Gear is launched in-store, providing customers with a place to recycle old and unwanted kit 

Working together with SOEX, our Recycle my Gear service provides customers with a safe and transparent place to recycle their unwanted outdoor gear, helping to keep it out of landfill and reduce waste. Recycling bins are available in-store for customer to deposit their kit, before SOEX come to collect, sort and recycle all eligible items for use in developing countries or new materials. You can find out more about our Recycle my Gear service here.