Today, Full Stack Supply Co (FSSC), parent of the three outdoor brands, Faction Skis, FW Apparel and newly-acquired United Shapes Snowboards, announced that the company has attained the coveted B Corporation (B Corp) Certification. As a Certified B Corp, FSSC and each of its brands is committed to using business as a force for good.
In the wake of the news, SES Industry Insight connected with FSSC’s Head of Supply Chain and ESG, former Volvo engineer Sara Asmoarp live from Sweden. Here’s what she had to say about achieving the milestone.
Hi Sara, big news today, congratulations.
Sara Asmoarp, Head of Supply Chain and ESG: On behalf of the whole FSSC team who brought this to life, thank you. We are very proud to join this collective of future-thinking brands who want to make a difference. This is something we have been specifically working towards for more than three years, and we appreciate what B Corp does to set benchmarks for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
The B Corp Certification is a wonderful validation of our efforts, but we also recognize that we are still at the beginning of the journey.
You completed a third-party review of the impact of your business on workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. How did the assessment work?
Sara Asmoarp: To become B Corp Certified, we completed a rigorous assessment called ‘The B Impact Assessment.’ It was a deep dive into our business, assessing our social and environmental performance at every layer of our operations. It’s like a detailed audit, but going way beyond the financials, to social and environmental standards. The minimum score to become certified is 80 points, and we were thrilled that FSSC scored 93.5 points.
This assessment marks the first step on our ambitious journey towards constant improvement, with the aim to increase our certification score. The assessment poses over 400 questions. It’s a great way for us to assess the areas in which we are excelling, and other areas where we will focus on continuous improvement.
Sara Asmoarp, Full Stack Supply Co Head of Supply Chain and ESG – Photo Oskar Hall
You also updated the company’s articles of association. Can you summarize what this action entails?
Sara Asmoarp: Leaders build and nurture communities, not just profits, and that’s what we’re committed to. To achieve B Corp Certification, our collective of hundreds of shareholders voted to amend the fundamental legal framework that our business is based on, our corporate articles of association, stating that our business decisions always take into account people and the planet.
How is FSSC measuring its carbon footprint?
Sara Asmoarp: We calculate our carbon footprint annually to make informed decisions on how to reduce our emissions year on year. Where it’s impossible to reduce, we offset using high quality carbon offsets, investing in sustainable energy production. For the 2020-21 season we offset our scope 1, 2 and a portion of our scope 3 emissions—a total of 618,000 kgs of CO2, equivalent to 1.9 million kilometers driven by car. Our climate journey is just beginning, with a goal to offset all of our direct and indirect emissions, ultimately becoming net zero.
We measure our emissions with the expertise of Climate Partner. For our film productions, we also use the specialist group Albert to measure, reduce, and offset any remaining costs related to our media content. It has been a real eye-opener and changed the way we plan and produce our films.
FSSC is also collaborating with a number of non-profits. Who are some of your primary partners right now?
Sara Asmoarp: Collaboration catalyzes change. We’ve created lasting and important relationships with partners such as 1% for the Planet, Protect Our Winters, Coombs Outdoors and Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. By supporting and donating to organizations, individuals and events that bring about a positive environmental and social impact, we commit our business to the goal of building a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative future for all.
The “B” in B Corp stands for “Benefit for All,” and we truly believe our brands and the outdoors should be accessible for everyone, which is why we will continue to push for representation within outdoor sports, and continue emboldening and creating space for under-represented groups to push the boundaries of the sports and the arts that we represent: from skiing to snowboarding, to hiking, surfing, skating, to film-making, and beyond.
How is FSSC empowering its employees?
Sara Asmoarp: We believe in the power of individuals to create collective strength. When we come together, we can achieve great things. Our internal team protests peacefully, votes and lobbies for the environmental and social reform our planet needs, and we’ll always use our brands’ platforms to encourage our extended community to do the same.
We have a passionate, talented team and their health is one of our top priorities. We encourage skiing, snowboarding and ski-touring from our offices located within striking distance of the mountains in the Alps and Rockies; we maintain a friendly Strava group to encourage our team members to run or cycle on their lunch breaks; and we host daily team lunches at our HQ where the team cooks healthy meals and eats together. We’re proud to provide a generous benefits package to encourage a healthy work-life balance.
Any final words?
Sara Asmoarp: Joining this community is not just the right thing to do, our fans recognize the power of the B Corp Certification. It builds trust and value. The journey doesn’t stop here, we will continue to work as a team towards a more sustainable future.
