The European Outdoor Group (EOG) and the Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie (BSI) have launched an updated version of the Sustainability Data Exchange Questionnaire version 3.0 (SDEX 3.0), which originally launched in 2023.
The project aims to make it easier to exchange sustainability data at the product level between brands and retailers.
The previous method involved using spreadsheets and questionnaires for each product and for each trading partner, which EOG said was very time-consuming for all parties and involved many duplicated tasks.
The SDEX tool features a harmonised questionnaire to facilitate data exchange, and following widespread uptake from the industry, improvements to the questionnaire were made in 2024, with a promise to keep enhancing it for the whole industry.
EOG head of CSR and sustainability Dr Katy Stevens said: “We’ve been delighted with how outdoor brands and retailers have embraced SDEX since we first launched the tool, and the launch of the updated questionnaire represents another important milestone in the project.
"With our colleagues at the BSI, we’ve introduced changes that will further broaden the relevance and reach of SDEX. It was really encouraging to hear from retailers during the webinar who stated that the role of SDEX extends beyond sustainability data, and towards broader transparency, and that they now regard the tool as a common industry pathway.
"This clearly reflects the fact that global policy is moving towards a time when the supply and display of the data involved in SDEX is a legal requirement. With that in mind, I encourage all outdoor brands and retailers to get in touch and engage with SDEX 3.0.”
Key changes to standardised sustainability data tool
- Product tabs now include questions on packaging and life cycle analyses (LCAs), reflecting industry requests and increased data availability. Packaging has also been added, as it is a reporting requirement for retailers.
- The brand tab has been completely revised to reduce duplication, align with reporting needs, and cover environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics such as chemicals, design, compliance, policies, and codes of conduct. A filter has been added to reduce the burden on SMEs.
- The hardgoods section has been thoroughly reworked in collaboration with producers to accommodate the wide variety of products in this category. The new format offers greater flexibility for components and materials, with logic allowing up to 10 named components and three certifications.
