£92m West Yorkshire sportswear retailer pledges to become “world’s most sustainable” by 2025

Premium online running shoes, running clothing, and outdoor gear retailer SportsShoes.com has announced its intention to become the “world’s most sustainable running equipment retailer by 2025”.

The Shipley headquartered company has made the pledge as part of its environmental and sustainability strategy. Called “Leave No Footprints”, SportsShoes.com’s strategy also includes becoming carbon net-zero in the future.

Established in 1982, SportsShoes.com offers customers more than 17,000 products from 150 global running and outdoor brands. From a running perspective these include Asics, Nike, Adidas, Hoka and New Balance whilst in terms of outdoor they include Patagonia, Haglöfs, Mammut, and Rab.

SportsShoes.com developed its “Leave no Footprints” strategy after appointing sustainable innovation consultancy Ape to undertake a full carbon assessment of the business. The consultancy reviewed everything from warehouse and office operations to the supply chain, international distribution and amount of packaging used.

SportsShoes.com achieved carbon-neutral status in April last year and the company’s next stated goal is to offset all carbon produced by the business in its 40-year history. It will do this by enhancing and improving all its supply chain processes from the transport and receipt of products from brand partners through to their delivery to customers worldwide.

SportsShoes.com managing director, Brett Bannister, said: “We believe that there’s no fun to be had standing still. However, moving fast leaves footprints so we are working in several ways to reduce ours. To be the most sustainable running equipment retailer in the world is a bold aim, but one we are entirely committed to achieving. We want to run to a better place.”

Owner of sustainable innovation consultancy Ape, Mark Shayler, added: “SportsShoes.com is driven to make a positive difference in everything it does. This includes the products they sell and the way they do business.

“Some organisations will reluctantly move towards carbon net-zero. Others will lead the way and Brett and his team at SportsShoes are doing just that. It has been a real joy to work with such a committed and humble business.”

For the year ended February 28 2021, SportShoes.com announced a year-on-year increase in sales of 37 per cent to a record £92.2m. In addition, the business saw its EBITDA before non-recurring costs rise 118 per cent to £12.2m.