2014 was a year of milestones for the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI). By setting-up an office in Hong Kong, developing a new CSR strategy and hiring a textile and innovation expert, the international sporting goods trade body further focused on its role as a hub where industry challenges, concerns, directions and actions are discussed and initiated.
WFSGI Asia office in Hong Kong
The WFSGI Hong Kong office will further support the service to manufacturers and brands in the Asian region and intensify the relation to its Asian and Oceania national and regional federations. It will also represent, in collaboration with its national industry associations, the global industry towards the regional government and sport associations such as the Olympic Counsel of Asia.
The WFSGI Asia office Director will be communicated soon and the office will be fully operational as of April 2015.
New CSR strategy on critical CSR subjects
One of the core goals of the WFSGI is to proactively drive the corporate social responsibility agenda in the sporting goods industry and to represent the position of the industry and its members towards its stakeholders. In order to strengthen the industry’s position and levering members’ views on critical CSR development, the WFSGI together with its CR Committee is developing a new strategy.
WFSGI intensifies apparel and textile intelligence
In September 2014 WFSGI hired Dhyana van der Pols as Head of Textile Innovation and Manufacturing. In 2015, WFSGI will further invest in textile, apparel and footwear intelligence. “The WFSGI Board members [has] approved the start of joined workshops with the International Apparel Federation (IAF) in 2015,” explained Robbert de Kock, Secretary General of the WFSGI.
The IAF is the world’s leading federation for apparel. “We are excited to make a cross over from fashion to sport and explore joint approaches between the apparel and sporting goods industry,” added Matthijs Crietee, IAF’s Secretary General.
Lean manufacturing
WFSGI will also continue to put effort into lean manufacturing challenges [eliminating waste, delivering quality products on time with less cost with greater efficiency]. The WFSGI Manufacturers Forum 2015: Beyond Lean Manufacturing will be hosted in Asia in December 2015.
“We will also launch workshops in Asia where we will dive deeper into specific manufacturing topics such as water and waste management, chemical and supply chain management as well as come-closer-to-selling aspects,” said Charles Yang, Chairman of the WFSGI Manufacturers Committee.
“We need these workshops to initiate a mind shift for all people anchored in their long-term processes,” he added. Registration for the WFSGI Manufacturers Forum and Workshops will be soon live on WFSGI’s website.
New members
WFSGI’s membership now includes 270+ brands, manufacturers, retailers, industry supporters and national or regional organizations from across the global sporting goods industry. WFSGI recently welcomed its new Bronze Sustaining Member – L&E International.
The following new members joined WFSGI in 2014: Craftsman, Pakistan; Kicker Sports, Pakistan; Khalid Overseas, Pakistan; L&E International, USA; Selle Italia, Italy; Selle San Marco, Italy; Selle SMP, Italy; Trelock, Germany; Profile Design, Germany; Hirdaramani International Exports, Sri Lanka; Nash International, Netherlands.
The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) was founded in 1978 and is the world authoritative body for the sports industry officially recognized by the IOC as the industry representative within the Olympic family.
The WFSGI is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental association formed by sports brands, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, national federations and other sporting goods industry related businesses. The WFSGI plays a strategic role in the support and promotion of the sporting goods industry worldwide. The WFSGI promotes free and fair trade and provides platforms for the intergovernmental cooperation with regards to the international organizations interested or affected by sports.
Its aim is also to expand the cooperation on the protection of intellectual property rights and improve human rights issues related to working conditions. All this can be done through contacts with International Organizations such as the ILO, WTO, WHO, UN but also through International Sports Federations (FIFA, IAAF, FIVB, etc.) and the IOC, via the exchange of information and clearing house on issues and topics developed by WFSGI’s various committees.
