Contributing to Local Communities Sustainability

On June 27, 2024, Goldwin signed a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Toyama Prefecture with the goal of improving services for prefectural residents and revitalizing local communities.

Main details of the comprehensive partnership agreement

1. Regional development
2. Promoting the sustainability of the global environment
3. Tourism promotion
4. Supporting child development
5. Sports promotion
6. Manufacturing industry
7. Disaster relief

Based on this agreement, Goldwin will effectively utilize its knowledge and resources and those of Toyama prefecture to improve services for prefectural residents and revitalize the region. In particular, we will focus on regional development, promotion of sustainability of the global environment, and support for child development by utilizing PLAY EARTH PARK NATURING FOREST, which is scheduled to open in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture in the summer of 2027.

Based on the PLAY EARTH concept, we are rolling out a broad initiative in Toyama Prefecture to create places where people can connect with nature and inspire their imagination, for the children of the future. We will collaborate with local communities to create opportunities for people to experience the “foundations of happiness” in Toyama Prefecture, such as its abundant nature, and to expand the network of people connected to the prefecture.

The Toyama Marathon is held in Toyama Prefecture, where Goldwin was founded, and we have served as a Gold Partner. Attended by many people across generations, we have been a Gold Partner since the inaugural marathon in 2015. We take the marathon as an opportunity to communicate with stakeholders and share our various initiatives aimed at realizing a recycling-oriented society. In FY 2023, we continued to provide participation award T-shirts made with recycled materials.

At the Toyama Marathon EXPO 2023 on the day before the marathon, we held the GOLDWIN POP UP FACTORY, and offered our first-ever sports tights repair service and a repair concierge consultation session based on the idea that using sportswear for an extended period is also a sustainable initiative. As in previous years, we also collected unwanted clothing regardless of manufacturer or brand, amassing a total of 539 kg of clothing.

On the day of the marathon, the staff members wore our clothing, and our employees volunteered to support the water stations. The clothing and caps worn by the staff were collected voluntarily to be cleaned and reused in the next marathon. Through this event, we aim to raise awareness among local residents about environmental improvement.

Kataller Toyama is a professional soccer team located in Toyama Prefecture, where Goldwin was founded. Its aim is to contribute to the healthy development of young people, the growth of sports, and stimulation of the region through soccer, and to make “Hometown Toyama” an exciting place to live. Goldwin has supported the team as an official uniform supplier since the team was first launched in 2008.

Starting in the 2022 season, we began collecting unwanted clothes from supporters at Kataller Toyama home games, and in FY 2023, we collected a total of 1,091.1 kg of clothing at nine home game venues. As a new initiative, we also collected down comforters in FY 2023. We have been working with the local community to improve the environment, aiming to create a circular society.

We have provided support for the Prince Tomohito Memorial Cup Hokuriku Welfare Golf Tournament held at GOLF CLUB GOLDWIN in Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture, every year since the first tournament in 1999. Many of our employees assist in running the tournament as volunteer staff with the purpose of helping people correctly, and better, understand welfare for people with disabilities. Four of the course’s short holes have been designated as “welfare holes,” with donations received according to the players’ scores and net profits from the tournament being used in welfare activities for people with disabilities living in the Hokuriku region.

In July 2022, we launched the National Parks of Japan project to achieve sustainable “conservation and utilization” of Japan’s national parks. We sell original limited-edition products from the National Park Collection, with a portion of the proceeds continuously for the conservation and management of national park areas on an ongoing basis. We also organized 10 PLAY EARTH ADVENTURE tours on nine different courses in national parks to learn about the history and culture of each region and engage with local people. In addition, we also promoted the appeal of Japan’s world-class national parks, by organizing a special exhibition, ‘Discovery of National Parks of Japan Powered by GOLDWIN Vol.1 Shiretoko National Park + Naoki Ishikawa’, at three locations: Daikanyama Tsutaya Bookstore, Shiretoko Nature Center, and Shinjuku Gyoen Art Gallery.

By leveraging the knowledge we have built up through our directly managed stores and events focused on outdoor sports throughout Japan, we help increase awareness and promote use of Japan’s national parks.

Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Shari Town in Shari District, Hokkaido Prefecture

On October 9, 2021, Goldwin and Shari Town signed a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Regional Revitalization with the aim of sharing a sense of direction for the future and driving initiatives that have made the Shiretoko area a field for outdoor activities. Goals of the agreement include continuing the philosophy of creating an outdoors culture, increasing the appeal of the Shiretoko National Park, creating an abundance of nature experiences for children as custodians of the future, and pursuing sustainability.

In 2019, prior to this agreement, we opened THE NORTH FACE / HELLY HANSEN Shiretoko, a directly managed store, within the Shiretoko National Park Nature Center. In addition to selling sports wear and gear to travelers and locals, we also collaborated with Shari Town, and local organizations and businesses, to develop outdoor activities, develop industry, and conserve nature.

In FY 2023, we held an environmental training program for business partners in October and organized an Athlete Summit in December, where THE NORTH FACE athletes gathered. During the summit, we engaged in programs to experience the nature of Shiretoko, participated in group work on environmental conservation, and took part in other activities.

We will continue to promote collaborations with Shari Town, providing support for the promotion of outdoor activities and creating nature experiences for children in the diverse and open outdoor fields of Shiretoko.

Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture

On March 9, 2022, Goldwin and Hakone Town signed a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Regional Vitalization with the aim of energizing the region through collaborative projects, preserving the natural environment, and realizing a bright future for children as custodians of the future. This agreement will enable each of us to effectively utilize our resources, from the knowledge we have gained about experiences and lessons in the outdoors, to the natural environment in Hakone Town.

In FY 2023, on April 28, THE NORTH FACE Hakone opened in the new facility HAKONATURE BASE in Hakone Town, where we carried out various activities. From July 25 to 27, we hosted the outdoor event HAKONE TOWN x GOLDWIN KIDS SUMMER CAMP 2023 for third to sixth graders, allowing participants to experience nature hiking with professional skier and medical doctor Gota Miura, an adventure course, and a tour of the fish farm of the Lake Ashi Fisheries Cooperative Association.

In addition, on September 25, HAKONE TOWN x GOLDWIN HAKONE Outdoor Experience Class was held. Forty-one children from kindergartens, nursery schools, and early learning and care centers in Hakone Town participated and who enjoyed cooking over an open-air fire using wood from thinned forests in Hakone.

Other activities include participating in volunteer activities to repair mountain trails and holding hiking events to learn about Hakone’s nature, culture, and history. We plan to continue these efforts in partnership with Hakone DMO (Hakone Tourist Association), aiming to more broadly communicate the natural attractions and potential that Hakone has to offer.

Three-way Comprehensive Regional Partnership Agreement with Hayama Town (Kanagawa Prefecture) and Hayama Marina

On March 29, 2023, we signed a Comprehensive Agreement for Collaboration and Cooperation with Hayama Town and Hayama Marina to promote greater understanding of the importance of getting close to, protecting, and nurturing the natural environment of Hayama Town, including the sea and mountain forests, for the next generation.

Matters for collaboration are:

1. Promotion of projects for greater familiarity with marine life, etc.
2. Promotion of projects for managing satoyama and greater familiarity with mountain flora and fauna, etc.
3. Promotion of projects for the conservation of Hayama’s natural environment
4. Other activities deemed necessary to achieve the objectives of the agreement.

The purpose of the agreement is to improve the quality of life for local residents and to revitalize the community by promoting projects that make effective use of their respective resources through close collaboration and cooperation. The aim of the agreement is to increase understanding of the importance of getting close to, protecting, and nurturing the natural environment such as the sea and mountain forests, which are two of the attractions of Hayama Town.

In FY 2023, on May 20, we held a fish release and cruising experience for 90 elementary school students living in Hayama Town. During the event, we used the marine floating garbage collection machine, SEABIN to create an opportunity for children to think about marine environmental issues.
On November 1, we opened HELLY HANSEN OCEAN HAYAMA MARINA, a field-based store that enriches people’s lifestyles, at Hayama Marina. We regularly hold various workshops using the shop as a base of our activities.

Going forward, we will organize events for the local Hayama children to familiarize them with the local sea and mountains, providing an opportunity for the next generation of leaders to learn about the asset that is Hayama’s natural environment.

Comprehensive Partnership Agreement Between THE NORTH FACE and Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture

In January 2020, Goldwin’s “THE NORTH FACE” brand and Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture signed a comprehensive partnership agreement. Through this comprehensive partnership agreement, both parties plan to implement problem-solving activities such as teaching children about the appeal of Hokuto City, improving mountain trails and other environmental protection measures and improving access to outdoor fields from train stations. From July 2021, we started providing support for the operation of the Mountain Taxi service linking JR Kobuchizawa Station with the start of mountain trails in the Yatsugatake Mountains, Mount Kaikoma in the Southern Alps, and other areas.

In 2023, we continued to cooperate in operating the Mountain Taxi service as well as hosting the Hokuto Mountain School 2023 initiative, which allows children to experience and learn about the city’s mountains. We also organized the Trail Maintenance 2Days in HOKUTO hiking trail maintenance event and the CHALLENGE CLIMBING 2024 IN HOKUTO climbing event, which encourages communication between people with and without disabilities. Going forward, we will continue to implement a range of initiatives.

Goldwin sponsors ULTRA-TRAIL Mt. FUJI (UTMF), which is an international trail running race of more than 160 km, covering the base, trail paths, walking paths, and woodland paths of Mt. Fuji. We have been sponsoring this event since its first year.
In 2023, the event was held from April 21 to 23, with our employees serving as ground staff in various roles, including supporting the athletes to checking equipment, operating the water stations, and providing guidance.

This year’s event was also held in partnership with JEPLAN, INC. and the ULTRA-TRAIL Mt. FUJI Executive Committee, and with a special booth set up at the venue to collect unwanted clothing. Unwanted shoes were also collected, to be repurposed as reused shoes through partner organizations.