Photos by: Robin O’Neill
As individuals, each action we take and every dollar we spend is a vote based on our personal values. Awareness of the power of our personal impact is critical as we are collectively facing greater global challenges today than ever before.
Each one of us is responsible for creating the change we want to see in the world – and the time to act is now.
Electing a government aligned with our values is one of the single most impactful actions we can take in shaping our future. It’s a decision that requires us to actively identify our core values and create a vision of the future we’re each responsible for creating.
We know what matters most to us. We can use our voice. We can be heard.
For me personally – I envision a future of possibility for my family and humanity. I want people around me to be intentional when they make choices and understand their impact. I am an optimist and I believe that humanity has the capability to solve big problems. However, buy-in from the top and leaders that truly lead by example are crucial for success.
On October 21, 2019 you can be heard. Register to vote in the Canadian Federal Election. We are fortunate to be in Canada where citizens have the freedom to vote in a democratic process – something that so many others around the world do not have.
With this privilege, educating ourselves on party platforms is critical and we should not shy away from the challenge. Rather, we must reflect on our own core values and vote based on what world we want to leave in trust to the next generation.
As a brand, Arc’teryx has also gone through an exercise in identifying our collective core values. Through conversations with staff, communities and partners, we’ve concluded that climate change is our highest priority.
ARC’TERYX + CLIMATE CHANGE
There’s an urgency to the issue of climate change with immediate impacts to communities and ecosystems around the world. The science tells us that we must cut global greenhouse gas emissions 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net zero emissions around 2050 to limit warming to 1.5°C and prevent catastrophic and irreversible climate change. This will require global transformational change.
Balancing climate impacts with business success is one of the biggest challenges that Arc’teryx currently faces. We are committing significant resources to addressing this challenge, with the same philosophy that we approach all parts of our business: guided by our values, informed by scientific research, and using design thinking to unlock meaningful solutions.
We are in the process of developing emissions targets supported by climate science. While setting meaningful operational and value chain emission targets is a critical first step, this is only the preamble to the real action. Our goal is to build a sustainable low emissions mode of operations. To achieve this, we will make major efficiency gains in our supply chain, significantly reduce the impact of the materials that we use, and develop new, less carbon-intense business models. This is a major task, but a critical one for our business – and our industry. We believe the case is clear: acting and investing now to reduce impacts in the future is the right path forward for our business and for the planet.
We are fortunate that we are not alone, and our industry is taking significant action on climate. We are a signatory to the United Nations Fashion Climate Charter and are collaborating alongside dozens of the world’s largest apparel and footwear brands. This charter marks an industry commitment to take measurable action, including cross-brand working groups to tackle the shared challenges within value chains of energy efficiency, renewables, coal substitution, freight and raw materials. This is an ambitious and promising effort by the UN which has brought a significant portion of the world’s apparel market to the table.
In our backyard we have partnered with the Pembina Institute who are a Canadian climate policy & research think-tank to be one of the founding members of the Business Coalition for a Clean Economy, advocating for the political and business imperative to act ambitiously on climate change.
VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE
We believe that smart climate policy must play a central role in our next government’s platform and remain a key priority throughout their leadership. This is imperative for not only the long-term health and viability of our planet, but also the protection of the wild spaces we love so dearly.
My hope in sharing our perspective is that we can inspire you to vote based on your personal values and the issues you hold dear. Dig deep and ask yourself what matters the most and challenge yourself to think about the future we’re each responsible for creating. On October 21 join us in using your voice, and your values, to vote.
Jon
Learn more about the climate policies being presented in this year’s federal election HERE.
Read our Business Coalition For A Clean Economy’s letter to the leaders of Canada’s political parties HERE.