Brooks Sports, Inc. designs and markets a line of high performance running shoes, apparels and accessories in more than 40 countries. Building a strong brand through community support and outreach programs, Brooks encourages healthier minds and bodies, healthier planet and a healthier bottomline. As an organization that is not only committed to encouraging long-term health in people but in providing this impetus through environmentally friendly product innovations, ‘Brooks’ has discovered and successfully implemented the mantra of sustainability.
Innovation
The innovation defined by the company is in its product design, employment practices and brand building. Brooks has created the first-ever biodegradable running shoe midsole called “BiMoGo”. By adding a non-toxic, natural additive compound to the cushioning of its original midsole it ensures that the anaerobic microbes munch away the midsole once it hits the landfill. In comparison to the traditional Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) midsoles that can last up to 1,000 years in a landfill, BiMoGo biodegrades 50 times faster. In the spirit of honest commitment to the environment, Brooks has declared to release this technology to all other footwear brands. Further, Brooks has a proprietary High Performance Rubber (HPR) green outsole which is made of a durable outsole compound that uses sand rather than oil. More than being planet-friendly, the product innovation has resulted in premium wet-dry traction for high skid-resistance.
In addition to the actual material that goes into any midsole, the manufacturing process produces large amounts of waste. Brooks has defined an eco-friendly manufacturing process called ‘Compression Molded Platform (CMP)’ that produces 50 percent less waste than a traditional midsole manufacturing process. Moreover, the process decreases the steps in the manufacturing chain and hence reduces labor and energy use.
Their environmental consciousness does not stop at product design and manufacturing. The company has sketched out a shoe box design that uses fully bio-degradable, recycle paperboard. The box uses non-toxic soy-based inks with no heavy metals. The stuffing and wrapping inside the box is kept to a minimal and is also made of bio-degradable, recycled material. The box and the shoe-stay easily get folded to reduce the recycling bin bulk.
Spreading the essence of sustainability beyond the design and manufacturing, Brooks’ distribution center follows strict environmentally friendly policies like using 90 percent of its inbound shipping cartons for outbound customer orders, recycling the rest and using recyclable materials for all its product slips, shipping cartons and other papers. At the other ends of the value chain, Brooks scrutinizes its vendors for their environmental impact.
Brooks achieves cutting-edge innovations with the lens of sustainability by partnering with think-tanks and associations like Bainbridge Graduate Institute and Business for Social Responsibility. These partners not only audit the company for its carbon footprints but also provide ideas for the next wave of environmentally friendly breakthroughs.
The organization also invests heavily into community outreach and events in order to encourage running as a passion as well as to build a strong brand for itself. By sponsoring myriad racing events and building community of runners, Brooks attempts to create opportunities that are conducive for imbibing running as an activity in everyone’s lives. This drive for healthier individuals ‘runs’ parallel to the business strategy of expanding the customer base.
The employment practices in the organization also encourage the passion for running where employees train and participate in the sponsored running events. This not only inspire health but also provides a conduit for the employees’ love for the sport and hence their engagement with the organization.
Impact
According to their website (Fall, 2008) the technological innovations have resulted in saving 13, 502 lbs. of wood from trees; 19,026 gallons of water; 4,073 lbs of emission exhausts and 2,174 lbs of solid waste. This is just the tip of the iceberg considering other huge savings and waste reduction results listed out by the organization.
The nemerous events that the organization has sponsored have helped raise funds for a number of causes, and have made it feasible for the organization to reach out to a wide array of current and potential customers. Though the benefits to people in terms of psychological and physical health have not been directly documented, there are anecdotal evidences about the company’s contribution in arresting the epidemic of obesity, heart-disease and diabetes associated with unhealthy lifestyles.
In terms of exonomic success, Brooks achieved a sales revenue growth of more than 17.5 percent in 2007. Brooks’ market share has also been on a continual rise, growing one point for third consecutive year to 19 percent of the total market. The high quality of the products have also been recognized by multitude of awards bestowed on the organization like the Runner’s World ‘Editor’s Choice’ award.
Inspiration
Brooks manifests its values of integrity, respect and excellence via its sustainable business practices, positive community benefits and high employee engagement. It has embraced success because it recognizes that delineating its business strategy with a focus on people and planet is not an option but a necessity, and as one of the leaders at the organization succinctly stated “totally synergistic with selling shoes.”
The World Inquiry editorial team edited this profile from the original submission of the interviewer or other source. The views expressed do not necessarily represent Case Western Reserve University, the Weatherhead School of Management or the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. More >>
