Setting the scene for a sustainable cycling industry

More than 170 attendees, which was the maximum to fit in the room, registered for the Sustainability Breakfast on the first day of Eurobike 2022. This clearly reflects the growing importance of the topic to the cycling industry. The event was hosted by the joint CIE/CONEBI Expert Group on CSR and Sustainability, which has set an ambitious agenda for the industry to tackle important industry-wide challenges and to initiate pioneering initiatives and actions across the supply chain. This work is particularly timely with the EU bringing new, more stringent, environmental legislation and sustainability requirements.

We all know that the bicycle is a green product, but it is time for our production and supply chains to follow suit. This is why the CIE/CONEBI CSR & Sustainability Expert Group has come up with a bold vision and mission to support and inspire the bicycle industry. The new vision states that “we believe that cycling is a force of good; but more can be done to boost the bicycle industry’s full potential in its ongoing green transition. Our aim is to become a frontrunners in CSR and sustainability, leading by example with products and services designed, produced, used and reused responsibly”.

This spring, the group launched the first ever industry-wide initiative to reduce unnecessary packaging and plastics from the supply chain which was a success story with more than 90 companies and associations signing the pledge. Join the pledge here!

Currently the group is finalising the drafting of step-by-step guidelines to help companies in measuring their carbon footprints and getting started with creating their LCA. Other priorities for 2022 include circular economy topics such as collecting information on E-bike battery and electronic waste collection systems in Europe and under the responsible supply chain sub-group the focus has been on recycled aluminium and cobalt.

The group works closely with external experts and other initiatives, for example the packaging pledge was drafted in close collaboration with and is endorsed by Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Several meetings have been held with organisations such as Aluminium Stewardship Initiative and Cobalt Institute, and regular exchanges and updates are shared with the American colleagues from People for Bikes. The group finds it important to learn and collaborate with other industries and initiatives and to avoid overlap. Members have also benefited from regular exchanges of best practice between companies.

And this is only the beginning of the journey – by working together we can have a big impact on our supply chain and start boosting our sustainability track record.

Alexander Thun of Thun is the Chair of the group, with Alec Seaman of the Bicycle Association of Great Britain (BA) holding the role of Vice-Chair. Staff leads from CIE are Lauha Fried and Lee Firman and from Conebi Jana Hrčková.

For more information and to join the group please contact Lauha Fried on L.Fried(at)cyclingindustries.com