We are happy to continue with our “Stories of purpose and values” which shine a light on several of our employees who embody our purpose and values in their everyday actions.
In this collection, we focus on our “Committed to impact” value. Committed to impact means we play the long game, guided by respect for people and our planet. It also means we commit to our strategy and goals to deliver our purpose, hold ourselves accountable for our actions, and use resources responsibly.
Meet Jessica, Charlotte, Terry, and Denis who champion our “Committed to impact” value.
Jessica O’Dowd
Senior Manager, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Arc’teryx, Canada
Impact starts with awareness and education, believes Jessica, who empowers individuals to drive positive change.
“When we provide people with the knowledge, language, skills, and resources to do better, they will,” she says. Her work focuses on cultivating an equitable and inclusive culture at Arc’teryx and across our industry through meaningful engagement, collaboration, and community building.
Beyond offering guidance, Jessica’s role is about nurturing a culture where individuals feel valued and respected. “We think of EDI at Arc’teryx as a climb… it requires commitment and grit. We help people build that muscle through education and shared experiences, because creating lasting change is a collective journey.”
Jessica wants to ensure that communities are actively involved in shaping the initiatives that affect them. “A guiding principle of our EDI work comes from the Disability Justice movement: ‘nothing about us without us’. Our work isn’t done for communities but with them, building trusting, long-term relationships that create real impact.”
A recent example of an internal community collaboration is when Arc’teryx athlete, Jordan Cannon, proposed the Queer Ascent – a weekend of clinics and community for 2SLGBTQIA+ climbers of all skill levels.
“Our Brand Experience team reached out to ensure the event would be inclusive and culturally sensitive. We connected them with members of the Queer SV Employee Belonging Council to ensure the community’s voices were directly involved. The event was a huge success and has inspired future brand experiences, highlighting the power of intentional collaboration.”
The example showcases deliberate social responsibility. “We’re teaching people the social responsibility of actively choosing to do better, and for me, that’s a lasting impact with ripple effect.”
Charlotte Vernette
Digital Content Specialist, Salomon, France
Three years ago, Charlotte joined Salomon as a Junior Marketing Assistant, driven to make a difference. Noticing the large number of leftover samples after marketing productions, she saw an opportunity to reduce waste.
“I realized that these samples could be repurposed, but I wanted to take it a step further—upcycling the old into something entirely new.”
Charlotte connected with Redeem Equipment, a French company specializing in circular economy practices, and set the upcycling project into motion.
Now, Charlotte leads the initiative which turns excess materials into products like tote bags and wallets, sold at Salomon’s store in Annecy, France. “It was exciting to turn a waste issue into something impactful that benefits the community All profits go to the Salomon Foundation, making the impact even more meaningful.”
Charlotte encourages everyone to step out of their daily role and make an impact. “Stay curious about what’s happening within the organization and connect with others. Even if you think you don’t have the right skills, you can contribute in ways you might not expect.”
Reflecting on her involvement in Salomon’s recent project to design groundbreaking prosthetics, Charlotte says, “At first, I wasn’t sure how I could help—I’m not an engineer. But I used my photography skills to support the project and document the athletes. You never know how your abilities can contribute.”
“I believe everyone has something valuable to offer. I feel grateful to work in a company that encourages us to express ourselves and contribute ideas, not just follow instructions.”
Terry Hung
Senior Manager, Vendor Sustainability, Amer Sports, Hong Kong
Terry’s work is about making a meaningful impact on the lives of workers in our supply chain while ensuring the sustainability of our supply chain. “My key role is to manage the social labor program, protecting workers’ rights and health and safety, while also safeguarding our company from supply chain risks,” he explains.
For Terry, impact means developing long-term, sustainable solutions that can endure over time. Whether it’s managing supplier relationships or driving new initiatives, his forward-thinking approach aims to create lasting change.
“We make small steps, continuously improving working conditions in our own and our suppliers’ factories.”
A recent example of this impact involved collaborating with a supplier’s factory, where there was an incident of excessive overtime. Terry and his team worked closely with the factory to implement training, improve their production target-setting process, and strengthen their grievance system. “By creating better communication channels and more reasonable expectations, we’ve helped foster a more open and supportive environment within the factory.”
This example underscores Terry’s broader approach to making incremental progress towards positive change. “We take it one step at a time and collaborate closely with industry associations and partners. Together, we can create a larger long-term impact in our industry”.
Denis Dietrich
Global PR Manager, Atomic, Austria
Atomic has always been acutely aware of the climate crisis impact on winter sports. In the larger context of public relations and communication, the impact of climate change is a topic the industry is particularly exposed to in the media.
Denis plays a key role in sharing Atomic’s sustainability efforts with a broader audience.
“The climate crisis is largely impacting our sport and our community. We, as a ski brand, have a bigger responsibility when it comes to driving climate action,” says Denis.
Atomic’s sustainability communication is built on the principle of action first, communication second. “Authenticity and transparency are key principles to our communication, ensuring our sustainability efforts are both genuine and impactful”.
True brand leadership, according to Denis, means setting a standard as a role model. “Interpreting leadership as a brand means leading by example, being a role model, and being responsible with the attention we get.”
An example of this approach is the Ski Industry Climate Summit, which Atomic organized, gathering competitors, suppliers, and retailers together to advance climate action. “We believe that collaboration drives a bigger impact. We put aside competitiveness in this area, because our success in combating the climate crisis is much more promising if we work together.”
Denis highlights the importance of building an internal culture that supports sustainability. “Our efforts in sustainability are driven by the people of the brand, not just a policy, and internal communication is a key part of that impact. Connecting many departments together and enhancing the internal conversation—through town halls and trainings, for example—helps identify the drivers in our organization and amplify them.”
