HEAD N.V. reveals a new model of corporate carbon responsibility with COOL EARTH
August 30, 2007
KENNELBACH, AUSTRIA — HEAD N.V. announced today an alliance with the global environmental charity, Cool Earth. The partnership will result in a worldwide environmental program – the first of its kind for a sporting goods company.
Linking capital to climate
Cool Earth’s mission is to fight climate change head-on by protecting endangered rainforest, which play a vital role in the global climate by absorbing carbon. More than 100 tonnes of carbon are locked up in each acre of rainforest — when the forest is destroyed, the carbon that is released warms the earth’s temperature.
“Keeping carbon where it belongs is the only way to fight climate change,” said Frank Field, Co-Founder of Cool Earth. “We are delighted to pioneer a new model of environmental responsibility, and with HEAD on board we will address this on a global scale.”
HEAD is the first sporting goods company to “supercharge” its carbon responsibility. The company’s CEO, Johan Eliasch, partnered with Field to start Cool Earth and has made it part of the company’s mission to fight global warming. Through the partnership with Cool Earth, which begins in August 2007, HEAD is matching ten times its annual carbon emissions with avoided deforestation credits (rainforest carbon credits).
HEAD is committed to saving over 7,000 acres/28 km2 (per year) of mature rainforest from destruction — which equals the size of more than 100,000 tennis courts or 7,000 American football fields.
“Educating sports enthusiasts about the affects of carbon emissions is an important part of why we’re doing this,” said Eliasch. “We all depend on a stable climate to ski, play tennis, or dive. If we don’t wake up and make a difference now we won’t be doing these things in their natural environments much longer.”
It is time for action: “Don’t pray for snow.” Campaign
Part of HEAD’s initiative with Cool Earth is to encourage sports enthusiasts and consumers to supercharge their own carbon responsibility with Cool Earth. All products HEAD manufactures and sells worldwide under the HEAD, Penn, Tyrolia, and Mares brands will soon feature information about Cool Earth and the global warming issue. The company is also launching a “Don’t pray for snow. Do something.” advertising campaign in September that will feature some of their well-known athletes including Olympic Medallist and World Champion ski racer Bode Miller.
“I am proud to support such a worthy cause,” said Bode Miller. “Cool Earth provides an opportunity to get involved as individuals, and take a step towards saving our environment.”
Austrian ski champion Herman Maier, who is also part of the HEAD Racing Team, agrees. “HEAD’s commitment to making a difference with a global program like this is important to me as a skier and as a citizen. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
About Cool Earth — visit coolearth.org
About HEAD — visit head.com
HEAD NV is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of premium sports equipment. Its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“HED”) and the Vienna Stock Exchange (“HEAD”). The business is organised into four divisions: Winter Sports, Racquet Sports, Diving and Licensing. The Company’s products are sold under the following brands: Head (tennis equipment, squash and racquetball racquets, badminton equipment, alpine skis, boots and bindings, snowboards, bindings and boots), Penn (tennis and racquetball balls), Tyrolia (ski bindings), and Mares/Dacor (diving equipment). HEAD N.V. is a market leader in all these product markets. Its products are officially endorsed by some of the world’s top athletes, including André Agassi, Andrew Murray, Richard Gasquet, Marat Safin, Ivan Ljubicic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Patty Schnyder, Amelie Mauresmo, Bode Miller, Hermann Maier, Johann Grugger, Marco Büchel and Maria Riesch.
