Eurobike 2011 Kicks Off Corporate Responsibility Program in Bike Industry

Yesterday, the kickoff meeting for a Corporate Responsibility (CR) program was held at Eurobike. The Bicycle Committee of the World Federation for the Sporting Goods Industry organized the meeting which is to define an action program for the members out of the bike industry of WFSGI and all other companies.

About why a Corporate Responsibility program is to be set up, WFSGI secretary general Robbert De Cock said: “Bicycles are regarded green, healthy and close to nature. However, can we say the same as we look at the products the bikes are made from and how they are painted? The same question goes for the factories where the bikes are made. We have to, like many other industries, have to develop a CR program.”

Such a program will contain a code of conduct as well as inspection and auditing of companies. According to De Cock the program will further focus on the sharing of information between companies as well as a self assessment system.

“We will also work together with a fair factory clearing house. All this is focused on presenting the opportunity to start implementing CR on a responsible way in the bike sector. The meeting at Eurobike 2011 will be followed up by WFSGI member meetings. Next to that there will be another CR presentation at the Taipei Cycle Show of 2012.”