New entry into the B Corp certified community: Faction Skis

Hey Sara, congratulations to Faction on becoming certified B Corp!
Thank you very much. On behalf of our Faction entire team, I would like to say that we are so proud to join this collective of future-thinking brands who want to make a difference. This certification is more than three years in the making. Joining the B Corp community means that we have set an excellent foundation and baseline for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, but we also recognize that our work in this regard will never stop.

How does the process work to become B Corp Certified?
To become B Corp certified, we completed a rigorous assessment of our environmental and social performance, at every layer of the business. This is known as the ‘B Impact Assessment’ and it poses more than 400 questions. The minimum score to become certified is 80 points, and Faction has scored 93.5 points. This is something we are very proud of, yet we are striving for constant improvement, and to increase our score.

How is Faction pushing to advance social values?
At Faction 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 brand’s platform to encourage our fans to do the same.

We’re proud of our longstanding partnerships with non-profits 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.

As part of the B Corp certification process, you must write your social and environmental commitment into the business charter, how did this work for Faction?
Leaders build and nurture communities, not just profits. Our collective of hundreds of shareholders voted to amend the legal framework that our business is based on, our corporate articles of association, pledging that our business decisions always take into account people and the planet first.

The ‘B’ in B Corp stands for Benefit for All. We believe our brand and the outdoors should be accessible for everyone, which is why we will continue to push for representation within our sport, and continue emboldening and creating space for under-represented groups to push the boundaries of freeskiing.

Faction is also pushing the limits of greener ski construction, can you summarize your recent eco-conscious technology?
We are producing skis in a 100 percent renewable energy factory in Austria, and this step alone is cutting the carbon emissions of each ski we make by 50%. We’re producing skis with sustainably-harvested wood cores, managed with FSC-accredited partners. We’re sourcing materials local to our factories, reducing the carbon emissions from transporting goods, and we’re also using recycled materials that are also durable in our topsheets, bases and sidewalls. We’re also using a plant-based resin in many skis.

How is Faction measuring its carbon footprint?
We measure our emissions with the expertise of Climate Partner. We’re calculating our carbon footprint 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—specifically we are investing in sustainable energy production. Our goal is to offset all of our direct and indirect emissions, to ultimately become net zero.

We are also partnered with the specialist group Albert, the industry leader for sustainability in film, to measure, reduce, and offset any remaining costs related to Faction’s movie productions. Our latest feature, Roots, is a certified carbon neutral film, and we’re thrilled to be setting a high standard with our media as much as we are in our premium skis.