Global Forum for Sports and Environment
Quiksilver's Environmental Challenge
The Quiksilver Initiative aims to raise environmental awareness among boardriders about environmental issues that directly affect them, such as polluted water and the destruction of fragile reef systems, and the company has established an environmental department to collect and disseminate information and advise on how best to allocate funds. According to Hodge, “In many parts of the world they've already taken paradise and put up a parking lot. The environment needs surfers to play a role in its preservation. We've talked about it for long enough, now we're getting serious". Better public awareness is the target of much of Quicksilver’s activities and information stands can be found at every major Quiksilver contest in Europe. The organization collaborates with organizations such as Surfrider Foundation Europe and Surfers Against Sewage, as well as getting involved in school programs and other promotional activities. In-house policies regarding the environmental impact of the company have focused on three areas: According to the Quicksilver website, “Respect for the Environment is becoming an important issue of every day life. It is even more critical when it affects our natural playgrounds. Be it at the beach or in the mountains, or even in the streets, we owe it to ourselves to respect the environment in which we live.” To learn more about the company and the Quicksilver Initiative, see the official website at: LINK : |
At a debate organized by Surfrider Foundation Europe in September 1998, Quiksilver Europe’s CEO, Harry Hodge, announced the establishment of the Quiksilver Initiative- a commitment of human and financial resources to improving awareness on environmental problems in the surfing community.