Sustainability Report 2024

Sustainability Report 2024

Foreword

Dear Reader,

To FISCHER Sports, sustainability is not just a claim, but an obligation. As a company with deep roots in the outdoor industry, we have a special relationship with nature. Our products enable people all over the world to experience the joy and freedom of winter sports to the fullest – moments that are inextricably linked with a healthy environment and snow-covered mountain slopes.

As an Austrian company owned by its founding family, sustainable business practices have always been a central component of our corporate culture. These values, deeply rooted in our more than 100-year history, shape our daily actions. We have been using geothermal energy to heat our premises for many years as well as using biomass as a source of energy in solar heating for many years. This is as much a part of our identity as our responsibility towards our employees and the continuous development of our processes.

During this reporting period, we launched further important initiatives to advance our sustainability goals. We are particularly focused on the recycling of our products, for example, as part of the WINTRUST project, which aims to advance the circular economy in our industry.

Our vision “to be the athlete’s no. 1 choice” gives us a clear direction. To live up to this claim, we not only have to impress with innovation and quality, but also with a deep sense of responsibility for our environment. For us, sustainable economic activity and peak performance belong inseparably together.

With our first sustainability report according to the internationally recognized GRI standards, we would like to transparently demonstrate the steps we have already taken, where we stand, and what ambitious goals we have set for the future. We voluntarily and comprehensively show how we harmonize ecological, social, and economic aspects in all areas of our company.

However, this report is more than just an inventory. It is our commitment to continuously improve our processes and to align our actions even more closely with the needs of the environment and future generations. We not only want to be a pioneer in the technology of our products, but also in the way we take responsibility for our environment.

We warmly invite you to use this report as a basis for dialog with us. Let us work together to ensure that we can continue to experience the fascination of winter sports in a pristine, healthy winter landscape in the future – for us, for our customers and for future generations.

Yours in Sport, Franz Föttinger, CEO / Christian Egger, CFO

FISCHER Sports – We live to ski

Innovation from Tradition

Product Range and Positioning

FISCHER Sports GmbH is the global market leader in Nordic skiing and one of the world's leading brands in Alpine skiing, known for innovation and cutting-edge technology. In addition, FISCHER is one of the largest manufacturers of high-end Hockey sticks.

ONE WAY, a globally recognized brand with a special focus on poles for Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing, Nordic walking, and trekking has been part of FISCHER Sports GmbH since May, 2018.

FISCHER Sports acts as a full-service provider and sells not only its own products but also a full complement of merchandise. The main focus is on winter sports hardware, including skis, bindings, poles, boots, and Hockey sticks. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, we sold approximately 2.3 million items.

Our range covers both the professional and the hobby sports sector. We place a particular focus on the group of “enthusiasts and athletes”, true to our vision: “Be the athletes’ no. 1 choice”

Company Size, Structure, and Locations

Our privately held company was founded in 1924 in Ried im Innkreis, Austria, where it is still headquartered today. At our headquarters, we also maintain one of two production facilities. The second is located in Mukachevo, Ukraine. In addition, there are further subsidiaries in Germany, France, Russia, Italy, and the USA.

At the end of the fiscal year 2023/24, Fischer Sports employed 1,232 people, all of whom share a passion and dedication to winter sports. Of these, 467 were in Ried, 642 in Mukachevo and 123 at other locations. Total assets in 2023/24 were 210.4 million euros.

Markets Supplied

The demand for high-quality winter sports equipment extends beyond Europe. In addition to Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, FISCHER exports to the USA, Canada and Japan. These key markets are responsible for almost 60% of sales in the Nordic division and almost 70% in the Alpine division.1

Including the above key markets, the FISCHER distribution network covers more than 40 countries.

1 Reference value: revenue of FISCHER Sports Austria 2023/24

100 Years of FISCHER

Fischer Sports celebrates its centenary in 2024. The following overview summarizes the most important milestones and phases in the company's development.

1924 - 1959: Laying the Foundation

Josef Fischer founds a ski factory in Ried im Innkreis. By the time of his death in 1959, the company has reached production of approximately 500,000 pairs of skis.

1959 - 1970: Rise to a Global Brand

Josef Fischer Junior and his sister Selma Sturmberger take over the company. Under the management of Josef Fischer Junior, the company becomes a large, modern ski factory and FISCHER becomes a global brand through ski racing success.

1970 - 1978: Expansion of the Product Range

In 1971, FISCHER starts producing Nordic skis. In 1974, tennis rackets are produced for the first time. Shortly thereafter, FISCHER founds the Sport AG and integrates, among others, today's sister company LÖFFLER.

1979 - 1999: Expansion of Production

Fischer’s development team employs the most modern equipment and continuously introduces new technologies, new processes, and new materials, revolutionizing the ski market. In Mukachevo, Ukraine, FISCHER builds a new ski factory.

2000 - 2014: Complete Ski Equipment Supplier

Triggered by the financially difficult years of 2007 and 2008, FISCHER concentrates on Alpine and Nordic skiing. The ski range is extended to include boots, bindings and poles. FISCHER becomes a full-service provider in its core areas and is successful with this focus.

2015 - 2020: Tireless Innovation Driver

With an unwavering spirit of innovation, FISCHER expands its portfolio with the self-developed Nordic binding brand TURNAMIC® and by acquiring the renowned pole brand ONE WAY.

2020 - 2024: Crisis Management and a New Beginning for a Sustainable Future

Difficult times are at hand. The son of company founder Josef “Pepi” Fischer passes away. Two months later comes the destruction of the Mukachevo factory by a fire. Reacting quickly, FISCHER completely rebuilds and restarts production. Then comes the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the beginning of the war in Ukraine. FISCHER stays resilient and overcomes these challenges. At the same time FISCHER is developing strategies to make the company, its products and its entire value chain sustainable for the future.

With this first sustainability report, we bear witness to what has been achieved so far and what goals we have set for ourselves. We look to our future with strength and confidence.

Vision, Mission and Guiding Principle

Vision: Be the athlete’s no. 1 choice

Our vision encompasses both the purpose and values of our company. The foundation of our vision is that we share our customers' passion for winter sports. Since 1924, we have been active in the ski industry and have developed into a global player known for product innovations and quality. We are wholeheartedly committed to our products in the areas of Alpine, Nordic, and Hockey

FISCHER is the first choice for every winter athlete. With our products, we enable personal best performances and unforgettable moments. We challenge the status quo to offer even better solutions in the future.

Mission: For us, skiing is not a lifestyle. It's life.

Our mission statement describes how we aim to achieve our vision. It defines the primary goals related to the company's purpose, our team values, and the needs of our customers.

Our mission is…

…to remain relevant to our customers and respond to their changing needs.

… to bring even more joy to our customers in their sport and motivate them to redefine their personal limits.

… to develop the most innovative, reliable, and user-friendly products so that our customers can enjoy their sport even more and achieve personal best performances.

… to provide our customers with a unique brand experience that exceeds their expectations through excellent service, expertise, passion, and unwavering focus.

… to attract the best employees for FISCHER and be a reliable business partner.

… to ensure the long-term financial success of our company and sustain its corporate value.

We develop the most innovative, reliable and user-friendly products. Through excellent service, expertise, passion and undivided focus, we offer our customers a unique brand experience that exceeds their expectations. We give them even greater joy in their sports and motivate them to push their personal limits.

Guiding Principles and Values

Our values describe what we stand for and the principles that guide us. They shape our behavior, decisions, and corporate culture.

Customer Focus: In everything we do, our primary concern is the added value for our current and future customers.

Collaboration: We are all FISCHER, and our successes are always the result of teamwork. With a holistic perspective, we collaborate across departments to drive innovation, ensure excellent service, and use our resources efficiently. We foster an open, performance-driven, and respectful corporate culture as the foundation for an inspiring work environment.

Innovation: We encourage innovative thinking. Trial and error are the parents of innovation! To provide our customers with even better future solutions, we challenge the status quo. We anticipate market trends and changes in our environment and respond with a lean and flexible organization. We are ambitious, think big, and succeed together.

Passion: We share our customers’ dedication and love for our sport. For us, skiing and hockey are not just a lifestyle – they are our life.

Quality: We consistently offer the highest quality and reliable products to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. By owning or controlling key parts of the value chain, we ensure that our customers' expectations are met and even exceeded.

Responsibility: We handle the company’s resources and our environment responsibly. We respect our colleagues and customers. We uphold our commitments with integrity.

Corporate Governance and Organization

Senior Management and Extended Management

The FISCHER Sports GmbH is jointly managed by Franz Föttinger (CEO) and Christian Egger (CFO). Their powers and duties are defined in the Rules of Procedure for Management and their employment contracts.

To avoid conflicts of interest, the employment contracts include a non-compete clause and require that any secondary professional activities be disclosed and approved by the Supervisory Board. The contract also stipulates that managing directors are not permitted to hold equity stakes in companies that compete with FISCHER.

The parent company is responsible for the selection of management.

The areas of responsibility for both managing directors are outlined in the following graphics. The FISCHER sustainability management is part of the Quality Management department and is therefore formally under the authority of CEO Franz Föttinger.

The Extended Management Board includes, in addition to the two managing directors, key division heads: Thomas Drindl (Head of Nordic Division), Josef Heftberger (Head of Technology/Production), Stephan Rossberger (Head of International Sales), Jan Weiss (Head of Alpine Division). These executives are responsible for the most important operational areas within the company.

Franz Föttinger, CEO

Mag. Franz Föttinger, born in 1969.

Education: Business Administration at JKU Linz.

Joined the company in January 1998

1998 – 2000: Sales Promotion AT/DE

2000 – 2001: Head of Marketing Nordic

2001 – 2009: Head of Nordic Division

2009 – Present: Commercial Managing Director, appointed for an indefinite period by shareholder resolution in September 2009

The CEO has collective signing authority for the company, together with another managing director.

Christian Egger, CFO

Mag. Christian Egger, born in 1981.

Education: Business Administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Joined the company in May 2019

2020 – Present: Commercial Managing Director, appointed for an indefinite period by shareholder resolution in January 2020

The CFO has collective signing authority for the company, together with another managing director.

Sustainability Know-How

The managing directors acquire knowledge and expertise on the topic of sustainability through the study of specialized literature, participation in informational events, regular exchange with experts, and internal working discussions. The direct economic, social, and environmental impacts of FISCHER are continuously monitored, assessed, and managed by the managing directors and the extended management team. The extended management team is part of the sustainability steering circle and thus the key decision-making body for FISCHER Sports' sustainability governance. Further information can be found under SustainabilityManagementandOrganization (p. 20).

To manage the potential impacts in the supply chain, FISCHER continuously develops its supply chain management (see ValueChainandBusinessRelationships, p. 23, or SustainabilityintheSupplyChain, p. 41).

In regular coordination meetings with all executives, the managing directors ensure that the company develops successfully according to its strategic direction and sustainability goals (see OperationalPlanningandControl, p. 18).

Leadership Culture and CoCreation

In addition to their responsibility for the successful development of FISCHER, our leaders also serve as role models for the entire workforce and shape the company culture. At FISCHER, there are leadership guidelines that serve as orientation for the leaders on how to manage their employees and teams in a way that aligns with FISCHER’s vision and mission and reflects our values.

Leadership Guidelines

1. The leader is well-informed

2. The leader provides guidance

3. The leader is consistent

4. The leader is forward-looking, courageous, and open to new ideas

5. The leader is a role model

6. The leader is respectful, mindful, and appreciative

7. The leader fosters and challenges

In addition to good leadership, successful collaboration among all employees and a shared effort to drive continuous improvement are critical to success. In this regard, FISCHER decided in 2011 to actively promote a culture of continuous improvement and implemented the Kaizen management concept across the company. In a Kaizen corporate culture, every employee has the opportunity, and is encouraged to, contribute positively to the improvement of the work environment, processes, products, and collaboration. More information can be found under QualityManagement (p. 18).

Strategic Planning

Once a year, FISCHER reviews its corporate strategy. A strategy paper outlines the fundamental long-term goals of the company. The normative framework consists of vision, mission, and values.

Based on this, the top leadership team annually develops or updates the strategic pillars for sales, internal divisions, operations, marketing, and the company's IT strategy. Sustainability, as a cross-company issue, is an integral part of the corporate strategy. Many of FISCHER's strategic sustainability goals are therefore also included in the strategy paper.

The operational planning is derived from the corporate strategy: the three-year medium-term plan, the annual operating budget, as well as the resulting actions and investments.

Compensation of Executives

The compensation of executives, like that of all other employees, is regulated by individual contracts in addition to the applicability of laws and collective agreements.

For higher income employees, all overtime, travel time, and benefits are compensated (all-inclusive contracts). The majority of the compensation is fixed, but for some executives, a performance-based variable component is included in the salary.

Ownership

FISCHER Sports GmbH is part of the family-owned FISCHER group. The sole owner of FISCHER Sports GmbH is FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs (Investment Management) GmbH, which is in turn owned by two private foundations. LÖFFLER GmbH, a company in the sports textiles sector, is a sister company of FISCHER Sports GmbH.

Stability across generations

The transfer of company shares to subsequent generations often carries potential for conflict in many family businesses, which can lead to the risk of destabilizing the ownership structure and ultimately negatively affecting the company’s success. However, this is not the case at FISCHER: The two family foundations ensure ongoing continuity and professionalism at the ownership level.

The J. FISCHER Privatstiftung was established on December 18, 1995, and holds 80.7% of FISCHER

Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH. A key purpose of the majority owner is to ensure the continued existence of the companies. This purpose is achieved when the companies, employees, and locations are developed. Sustainable business practices across generations are therefore regulated at the ownership level and legally secured.

The family code, as an ownership strategy, is firmly enshrined in the foundation deed in its core and cannot be changed. The foundation deed is legally binding and simultaneously expresses the will of KR Josef Fischer (1929–2020) and the family. Both the foundation deed and the family code serve as guidelines for the long-term actions of the company bodies.

The foundation board members are:

The foundation board members, the management of FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, and the supervisory board support the strategy of sustainable business practices and underpin the development of the companies.

FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH

FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH implements the foundation’s intent for long-term, sustainable corporate development in a contemporary professional manner. The managing directors of FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH are:

FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH has established a supervisory board for FISCHER Sports GmbH, which advises and monitors the management of FISCHER Sports on strategic matters.

Supervisory Board

The supervisory board consists of nine members. Six individuals have been appointed by the parent company to the supervisory board for an indefinite period. The qualifications of these members are based on their high level of expertise and management experience in the private sector. Most of them are, or have been, in leadership positions in various organizations dealing with the demands of sustainable corporate governance. Their dismissal by the parent company is possible at any time without providing a reason.

The supervisory board must also include members who are employee representatives. At FISCHER, these are representatives from the employee works council and two representatives appointed by the worker’s council.

The members of the supervisory board during the reporting period (2021/22 to 2023/24) were:

Persons who have already reached the age of 70 may not be appointed to the supervisory board. The members of the supervisory board do not hold leadership positions in the company or its subsidiaries.

The tasks and powers of the supervisory board are regulated in the rules of procedure for the supervisory board.

The procedure for avoiding or mitigating conflicts of interest in the supervisory board is the responsibility of the parent company. FISCHER Sports has neither knowledge of nor influence over this.

Voting and Control

The formal reporting of the management of FISCHER Sports GmbH to the overall supervisory board takes place during the quarterly supervisory board meetings and the annual strategy meetings.

In the supervisory board meetings, the management reports on the business progress and the current situation of the company. In the strategy meetings, the management presents the updated strategic planning, which is further developed and refined in coordination with the supervisory board.

Sustainability aspects are also discussed, particularly as the topics of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) are gaining strategic importance. Drivers for this include new regulatory requirements, which are also linked to financial risks and opportunities for the company.

During the supervisory board meetings and strategy meetings, the development of the company is analyzed and evaluated. The management receives direct feedback from the supervisory board members. Wishes are expressed, and tasks are assigned.

In addition to formal reporting to the overall supervisory board, there is ongoing communication between the managing directors of FISCHER Sports GmbH and the managing directors of the parent company, who are also the chairman and vice-chairman of the supervisory board.

Strategic Sustainability Objectives

• Ensuring long-term financial success

• Sustainable and resilient supply chain

• Sustainable fulfillment and assurance of legal requirements

• Long-term, significant reduction of the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF)

• Perception as an attractive, modern, and future-oriented employer

• Creation of safe working conditions and promotion of employee well-being

• Sustainable, high-performance products

• Circular products

Management and

Controlling Operational Planning and Control

The corporate and SustainabilityStrategy (p. 20) serves as the basis for decision-making and provides clarity for FISCHER Sports employees. In the operational implementation plan, tactical and operational goals are formulated, measures are established, and necessary resources are planned, building on the strategy.

In addition to the annual budget, which is developed in January and approved by the supervisory board in February, FISCHER prepares a 3-year medium-term plan, which is updated annually.

The budgeting process is carried out in close coordination between management, executives, and cost center managers. The Controlling department is primarily responsible for preparing the budget. The basis is the sales forecast of the individual markets and subsidiaries.

The budget is approved by the supervisory board before the start of the new fiscal year. Ongoing forecasts, variance analyses, cost summaries, and subsequent coordination with subsidiaries and cost center managers ensure adherence to the budget. Monthly reports from Controlling to management provide an ongoing overview of the actual economic situation.

Operational coordination within and between management levels, operational coordination takes place in three formalized formats:

The Extended Management Team (EMT) meets every 14 days.

Each manager in middle management regularly holds bilateral meetings with the EMT member responsible for them.

A quarterly meeting called "Leadership Information" is held for the entire middle management group, usually after each supervisory board meeting. In this meeting, the EMT explains current developments and discusses them with the leadership team.

Guidelines and Directives

To provide our employees with guidance and a secure framework for carrying out their activities, FISCHER has internal guidelines and directives (DA) available on our intranet. In the event of acute potential hazards, management issues directives to prevent or eliminate them and to raise awareness of the relevant topics.

The existing guidelines and directives serve the following functions:

• Ensuring the safety of our employees.

• Protecting data, information, and trade secrets.

• Securing the careful handling of financial matters.

• Regulating general topics (e.g., Social Media Guidelines).

The management of the Ukrainian production plant also issues directives and guidelines for its employees. These are distributed to the workforce and posted on information boards.

How FISCHER ensures compliance with legal regulations and other requirements is outlined in the section LegalCertainty andCompliance (p. 43). This section also provides information on how to report legal violations or other serious irregularities through the whistleblower contact form.

Quality Management

FISCHER Mukachevo LTD has implemented a quality management system based on ISO 9001 and regularly has it externally audited and certified. The last audit took place in December 2022.

FISCHER Sports GmbH in Ried also has a systematic quality management system, which has not been certified according to ISO 9001 in recent years but is still aligned with it.

The quality management system is also based on the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM is a holistic quality management approach that continuously improves quality and efficiency within the company while considering the company's interactions. In addition to customer satisfaction and long-term business success, TQM aims to generate benefits for both the company and society. TQM is also an important pillar of the Kaizen management concept, which is applied at FISCHER to continuously improve products and processes.

Kaizen

Kaizen comes from Japanese manufacturing techniques and follows similar approaches to TQM but incorporates two important additional principles for FISCHER: First, Kaizen involves all employees to leverage their problem-solving potential. Secondly, the Kaizen concept focuses on many small improvements that are easier to integrate into everyday work and carry less risk than large process optimizations.

In 2011, FISCHER initiated a cultural change process by implementing the Kaizen philosophy company-wide, both in production and administration. Not only were all executives involved in the implementation, but all employees also received a one-day Kaizen basic training. Additional training sessions and workshops were organized on specific Kaizen methods. All new hires also receive Kaizen training as part of their welcoming training.

Kaizen supports the continuous improvement process with a variety of methods. Here are some examples:

• The 5S method guides the efficient organization of work areas with the goals of Sorting, Systematizing, Cleanliness, Standardizing, and Self-discipline

• The TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) methodology helps us create trouble-free production systems.

• With the Value Stream Design method, we identify bottlenecks, waste, and inefficiencies in the production process.

• The “Structured Problem Solving in Teams” method promotes knowledge exchange within teams, identifies and analyzes potential problems, and resolves them permanently.

• With the Process Mapping method, we visualize, analyze, and optimize our workflows.

In line with the principles of TQM and Kaizen, we involve all relevant departments and employees to continuously improve

our product and process quality and tackle challenges together.

Idea Management

A key contribution to the continuous improvement process at FISCHER is the internal Idea Management (IDM) system. Our employees can submit their ideas through the IDM system to make processes safer, simpler, faster, or more cost-effective.

Anyone can submit specific suggestions for improvement, either individually or as a team, using a form. It’s important that the idea contributes to the continuous development in the spirit of Kaizen and brings benefits to the employees and/or the company. Each suggestion is rewarded with a submission bonus. A committee evaluates the ideas and initiates their implementation. If the new measure results in savings, the person or group that proposed it will receive a percentage of the savings. For improvements that cannot be quantified financially, a flat-rate reward is given.

Sustainability Management and Organization

In the process of creating this first sustainability report for FISCHER, we have laid the foundation for a systematic sustainability management approach. Under the guidance of a specialized consultant, we collected a range of data and information required for compliance with the GRI standards. Building on this and considering the numerous regulations introduced or expected in connection with the European Union’s Green Deal, we developed a sustainability strategy and a corresponding sustainability program with operational goals and measures.

At the same time, FISCHER established a sustainability governance framework to anchor cross-departmental sustainability management within the organization and define responsibilities.

Sustainability Strategy

Our sustainability strategy aims to positively shape the company’s impact on the economy, environment, and people in accordance with sustainability principles while strengthening FISCHER’s resilience to external developments (e.g., climate crisis or demographic changes).

We acknowledge that our business activities have direct and indirect impacts, and we take responsibility for avoiding negative effects or minimizing them when avoidance is not possible, while maximizing positive effects. This awareness existed at FISCHER even before we systematically addressed sustainability, influencing our normative, strategic, and operational management.

Thus, when developing our sustainability strategy, we did not start from scratch but rather built upon this existing sense of responsibility, already embedded in our corporate culture and management. The FISCHER sustainability strategy encompasses five areas of action, for which we have established medium- to long-term strategic objectives.

Sustainability Program

The sustainability program is derived from our strategic objectives and includes goals and concrete measures for all key topics (see DeterminingtheMaterialTopics on page 123) to ensure their achievement. We plan to develop a KPIbased sustainability controlling system as a management tool, with some of these indicators already published in this report.

Sustainability management is a cross-functional task. All relevant departments of the company are involved in implementing the measures, with responsibilities defined within the sustainability governance framework.

Sustainability Governance

With the introduction of a sustainability governance framework, FISCHER has established clear decision-making structures, laying the foundation for a systematic sustainability management approach.

Our parent company, FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH Austria (FBAT), defines the strategic direction of FISCHER Sports GmbH, including sustainability agendas. This strategic direction is communicated top-down from senior management to the Sustainability Steering Committee. The Steering Committee addresses and prioritizes sustainability-related topics, activities, and projects, making decisions and delegating their implementation to the relevant departments or working groups.

Complementing this top-down approach, our Sustainability Committee contributes sustainability-related topics and project proposals from a bottom-up perspective for decisionmaking by the Steering Committee.

A key responsibility of sustainability management is to coordinate between the Sustainability Committee and the Steering Committee. The ultimate responsibility for managing impacts, opportunities, and risks in the sustainability context lies with senior management, which consults with the parent company (FBAT) and its appointed supervisory board on strategically important matters.

Sustainability Steering Committee

The Sustainability Steering Committee consists of the Extended Management Board and designated Content Owners. They meet semi-annually as scheduled and more frequently when necessary to make sustainability-related decisions. Content Owners are experts in their respective fields and have decision-making authority regarding sustainability topics within their areas of responsibility.

Key responsibilities of the Sustainability Steering Committee include:

• Updating the company’s sustainability strategy

• Prioritizing and approving the implementation of sustainability projects

• Defining the timeframes and budgets for sustainability initiatives

• Monitoring the progress of ongoing projects, approving next steps, and initiating corrective actions if needed

• Providing information on future legal sustainability requirements

• Overseeing participation in various sustainability initiatives

Sustainability Committee

Each sustainability-relevant department has appointed at least one Sustainability Representative. These representatives meet every two months, or as needed, in the Sustainability Committee.

The meetings serve to:

• Share information: e.g., updates from the Sustainability Steering Committee or project updates from department representatives or working groups

• Advise: on legal framework changes, improvement opportunities, new project ideas, or participation in cross-company initiatives

• Plan: operational goals and measures

• Prepare decisions: by developing initiatives or projects that require approval from the Sustainability Steering Committee

Sustainability Coordination

The Sustainability Coordination consists of the Sustainability Manager and the Head of Quality Management. They act as a bridge between the Sustainability Committee and the Sustainability Steering Committee. Their responsibilities include organizing and leading Sustainability Committee meetings and informing the Sustainability Steering Committee about the status of ongoing projects, as well as presenting project proposals for approval.

The sustainability management function was introduced at FISCHER in 2022 and established as an independent unit within Quality Management. Since 2023, it has been a fulltime position.

The responsibility extends from the development and implementation of ESG processes in the company to the operational coordination of sustainability-related topics. Sustainability management conducts employee training on sustainability topics and is the central point of contact for internal and external questions in this regard. It is where the threads of FISCHER's sustainability governance come together.

Value Chain and Business Relationships

As a producer and trading company in the sports equipment industry, FISCHER is embedded in a complex value creation network and maintains business relationships with a wide range of companies and other organizations. In the following general description of the actors, relationships, and activities within this network, we simplify the model to a linear value chain and divide it into three main sections:

• Upstream segment, where suppliers manufacture the raw materials, components, and traded goods, as well as provide the services that FISCHER procures.

• Production and other FISCHER activities, which directly generate added value.

• Downstream segment, covering distribution, consumer use of FISCHER products, and the end of their life cycle.

Upstream: Manufacturing and Supply Chain

In 2023/24, FISCHER sourced materials and traded goods from 650 suppliers, with a total purchasing volume of € 72.5 million. Whenever feasible and economically viable, raw materials and components are sourced from the countries where production takes place or from neighboring countries.

FISCHER follows the procurement principle: As local as possible, as global as necessary.

In 2023/24, 77.4% of procurement volume remained within the European Union, while 22.6% was sourced from non-EU countries. More details can be found in the chapter Regional Production and Procurement (p. 39).

Social and Environmental Impacts in the Supply Chain

Like many companies, FISCHER faces the challenge of promoting sustainability in its supply chain and fulfilling its due diligence obligations. While we are not directly subject to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), adopted by the European Parliament in April 2024, we may still be indirectly affected through our supplier relationships.

To address this, we have developed a Supplier Code of Conduct (CoC), which outlines ethical, social, and environmental standards that our suppliers must adhere to. By signing this code, suppliers commit to upholding these standards. More information on this topic can be found in the chapter SustainabilityintheSupplyChain (p. 41).

Made by FISCHER Sports: Development and Production

FISCHER manufactures Alpine and Nordic skis as well as Hockey sticks in-house at its production facilities in Austria and Ukraine. Some products, which we have designed and developed ourselves, are produced in collaboration with our partners. These include Alpine ski boots, Nordic boots and bindings, as well as poles.

As a full-range provider in the market, FISCHER complements its in-house product range with outside supplier goods. This includes accessories such as clothing and ski helmets, as well as Alpine ski bindings, which are sourced from partner companies.

For more information about our products and the efforts FISCHER is making to design them as sustainably as possible, see the chapter Innovativeproducts (p. 101).

Downstream: Distribution, Usage, End of Life

Distribution Channels

Customers who purchase our high-quality winter sports equipment can expect comprehensive professional advice. This service is provided by specialized retailers, whom we extensively train and support.

FISCHER Sports distributes its products through its own sales subsidiaries and, in the business-to-business segment, also via external agencies or general representatives. FISCHER has sales subsidiaries in Germany, France, Russia, and the USA, which handle sales in their respective countries.

FISCHER Sports GmbH itself manages distribution in Austria and in all other countries where no dedicated FISCHER sales branches, general representatives, or contracted agencies are present.

For the Austrian, German, Swiss, French, Dutch, and Italian markets, deliveries to sporting goods retailers are handled directly from the FISCHER Logistics Center in Hohenzell near Ried. For all other countries, deliveries are made via national warehouses and general representatives.

In the 2023/24 fiscal year, 60.1% of sales were generated through our own distribution network, while 39.9% came from general representatives and agencies.

Product Usage

When it comes to the use of skis and ski equipment, a distinction must be made between rental products and those sold directly to consumers through retailers. Alpine rental skis are typically used in rental services for about two seasons, while cross-country skis remain in use for an average of five seasons. Afterward, they are mostly resold by rental providers for continued use.

According to our retailers, privately purchased skis and ski equipment are typically used for approximately five years. Many of these products are later resold privately via secondhand marketplaces.

The lifespan of ice hockey sticks is more difficult to determine, as it strongly depends on the player’s skill level, training and match frequency, and physical contact during play. The higher these factors, the sooner a stick is likely to break.

For more details on the lifespan of our products and FISCHER’s efforts to extend their durability, see Durability andRepairService (p. 115).

End of Life

Most of our products are only disposed of when they can no longer be used properly due to natural wear and tear. However, what happens at the end of their life cycle and whether they can be recycled depends largely on waste management systems in the respective countries where they are discarded.

The ski industry aims to increase the recycling rate of hard goods in order to reduce resource consumption and minimize environmental and social impacts in the long term.

A step in this direction is the WINTRUST cooperation project, described in MembershipsandInitiatives(p.26).

Memberships and Initiatives

For an individual company, many of the challenges related to sustainable development are difficult to tackle alone. Often, cooperation within the industry or cross-sector collaboration through projects and initiatives is necessary. Below, we outline key voluntary memberships and initiatives through which FISCHER collaborates with other organizations to address sustainability-related issues.

FESI – Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry

The Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) represents the interests of approximately 1,800 sporting goods manufacturers (accounting for 85% of the European market) through national industry associations and directly affiliated member companies. FESI serves as a bridge between European legislative institutions and the sporting goods industry.

FESI leads a Sustainability Steering Committee that promotes the topics of circular economy, supply chain/transparency/due diligence, good practices/industry leadership and national initiatives and supports its participants in implementing these topics.

In addition, FESI has launched a Winter Sports Sustainability Network (WSN), in which a total of five “lead groups” (Climate, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Supplier and Materials, Traceability and Recycling) are working together on sustainable solutions and where FISCHER Sports GmbH is actively involved in all lead groups.

VSSÖ – Austrian Sporting Goods Association

The Association of Austrian Sporting Goods Manufacturers and Retailers (VSSÖ) represents the interests of the Austrian sports industry both nationally and internationally.

For FISCHER, the VSSÖ serves as a key platform for collaboration with sporting goods retailers and manufacturers across Austria. As a trade association, it provides insights into major sustainability projects and shares its knowledge with member companies. FISCHER CEO Franz Föttinger is a board member of VSSÖ.

BSI – German Sporting Goods Association

FISCHER Deutschland GmbH is a member of the German Sporting Goods Industry Association (BSI), which represents German sporting goods manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers.

The BSI is committed to anchoring sustainability in the sports industry. It supports its member companies primarily in the areas of the circular economy, human rights due diligence in value chains and strategic sustainability management.

PEF – Standardization Project

In this project, European winter sports equipment manufacturers and retailers are working to develop standardized rules for determining the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) of various product groups, including Alpine skis, Nordic skis, bindings, snowboards, boots and helmets.

The Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) to be developed should make the environmental

footprint of the products comparable. The project also serves as proactive preparation for expected legal requirements.

As a founding and active project member, FISCHER regularly participates in the meetings and contributes to the provision of the necessary data.

WINTRUST – Recycling Project

The WINTRUST cooperation project focuses on the recycling of end-of-life (EoL) waste from winter sports equipment such as skis (including bindings, boots, poles and helmets), which are mainly made of high-performance plastics. Initiated by the Lower Austrian ecoplus Plastics Cluster, the project aims to create the basis for the large-scale recycling of discarded winter sports equipment. In addition to FISCHER, competitors and industry partners as well as research partners - such as the University of Mining Leoben - are also taking part.

The main objectives of the project are a) to analyze processing options in order to significantly increase the material return of winter sports hardware and b) the joint, uniform ecological and economic evaluation of this recycling. For defined applications, a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the entire value chain is carried out, which quantifies the ecological and economic effects of recycling.

FISCHER Sports GmbH is a WINTRUST project member and, with its ONE WAY brand, is also represented as an expert in poles, among other things.

Our Stakeholders –

Our Partners

Stakeholders are groups or individuals who have an interest in an organization because the actions of that organization affect them or because they themselves can influence the development of the organization. In this broad sense, almost everyone who comes into contact with FISCHER is one of our stakeholders.

We have carried out a stakeholder analysis to prioritize the stakeholder groups according to their importance for FISCHER. In doing so, we evaluated the influence and impact of the individual groups on the company and, conversely, of the company on the stakeholders. The following matrix shows the result of this analysis.

FISCHER maintains trusted relationships with its stakeholders, some of which have been in place for many years. We also involved them in our MaterialityAnalysis (p. 123) and asked them to assess the relevance of various sustainability aspects. We try to align the interests of our stakeholders with our own in a spirit of partnership.

The following is an explanation of the concerns that our most important stakeholder groups (key players and law-makers) have vis-à-vis the company and how FISCHER engages with them.

Owners

The owners and the supervisory board they appoint are interested in the long-term market success of FISCHER and consider the anchoring of sustainability in the company to be an important prerequisite for this. It is important to them that FISCHER, as a traditional Austrian company, produces a part of the skis in Austria.

The interests of the owners are represented by the supervisory board and brought to the attention of the management of FISCHER Sports at the supervisory board meetings and the annual strategy meeting. For more information, see the chapters Ownership (p. 15), Supervisory Board (p. 15) and VotingandControl (p. 16).

Employees

Our employees are the basis for the long-term success of FISCHER. We demand commitment from our employees and – in the spirit of Kaizen – a responsible view of the big picture. In return, FISCHER strives to provide its employees with an inspiring working environment in which they can actively participate, take individual interests into account and support the personal and professional development of its employees.

The interests of the workforce are also represented by a works council for blue-collar workers and one for white-collar

workers. Our young employees are represented by their own youth council, which works together with the works council.

Our communication with employees is multi-layered and ranges from annual performance reviews with supervisors to staff information meetings held by management to information provided via the intranet, newsletters and social media channels. Informal communication opportunities supplement the official ones, for example in the context of company parties, company outings or simply through our open-door policy. Further information can be found in the chapter AttractiveEmployer (p. 73).

Customers – Retailers and Consumers

To fulfill our vision of being the first choice for every athlete, we need regular and good contact with our customers. Only in this way can we respond to changing customer needs at an early stage. We define customers as retailers on the one hand and consumers on the other.

For the sale of our high-quality winter sports equipment, specialist retailers are our most important partners and customers. The specialist retailers want quality, reliable delivery and support from FISCHER when it comes to sales that require a great deal of advice. The specialist retailers are looked after by our field staff. We maintain contact with a wide range of services, starting with training, company tours and info meetings, through reliable complaints management, to personal visits to our dealers. One highlight is the ski tests accompanied by the FISCHER test crew, which we carry out in cooperation with specialist retailers and during which interested consumers can test the latest ski models. We also maintain a dialog with both retailers and end customers at trade fairs. FISCHER also uses common information channels such as product catalogs, newsletters or social media to keep customers up to date.

Suppliers

FISCHER sources materials and semi-finished products for its production as well as commercially available items, which we use to supplement the range we produce ourselves.

We expect our suppliers to deliver reliably and to comply with the duties of care that we have set out in detail in our Supplier Code of Conduct (see chapter Sustainabilityinthe SupplyChain; p. 41). This is to ensure that our ESG standards and values are also applied in the supply chain.

We maintain contact with our suppliers primarily through our purchasing department. Recurring contacts also arise from the queries carried out by FISCHER to ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Sales Partners

In sales countries where we do not operate our own sales offices, we work with sales partners, specifically general agencies. These are the points of contact for dealers in the respective country and are supported by FISCHER Sales Management.

Brand Ambassadors

Professional ski racers and Hockey players, who are equipped by FISCHER and celebrate top results in competitive sports with our products, help to ensure that amateur athletes also reach for our products. They are therefore important brand ambassadors for FISCHER and increase the international awareness of FISCHER through their success and prominence.

Our vision is to be the first choice for athletes. FISCHER provides world-class athletes such as AJ Ginnis, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Frida Karlsson, Mathilde Gremaud, Johannes Thingnes Bø, Ziga Pance and many more with first-class equipment and professional service.

By providing the perfect technical conditions, FISCHER contributes to their success in the best possible way. At the same time, the athletes provide valuable feedback to the development teams, thanks to which the products can be continuously improved. This in turn benefits all recreational athletes.

In addition, FISCHER integrates its top athletes intensively into content production for a wide range of communication channels (press releases, campaigns, social media, websites, etc.) as brand ambassadors due to their positive public image.

Selection from the pool of athletes

Financial Performance Capability

Our Approach

FISCHER Sports is an Austrian company that has successfully maintained its position in the international sporting goods market for 100 years. The milestones in our company’s history (see 100 Years of FISCHER, p. 7) are driven by innovation, customer focus, and a passion for winter sports.

Our competitive strategy is product leadership. FISCHER Sports is renowned for technically and qualitatively outstanding sporting goods. As a comprehensive provider, we offer performance packages where products are perfectly coordinated (see “ThePerfectSetup”FromASingleSource p. 102).

FISCHER aims for long-term economic success in the interest of all stakeholders (see Financial Performance and Development p. 35). This requires financial prudence and a balanced approach between financial, social, and environmental goals.

We produce as locally as possible (see RegionalProduction and Procurement p. 39) and pay fair wages (see Fair Remuneration p. 38). However, we cannot ignore globalization and cost pressures in the industry. Ultimately, we must offer competitively priced products.

This also requires a continuous increase in productivity. We achieve this, among other things, through ongoing automation, digitalization and process optimization in our production facilities at both production sites. The newly built ski production plant in Mukachevo was designed and installed according to the latest industry standard “Industry 4.0”. Through the intelligent networking of machines and processes, the products can be economically manufactured despite their increasing complexity and individuality, while at the same time meeting the highest quality standards.

Although FISCHER produces exclusively in Austria and Ukraine, our supply chains are highly interconnected and in some cases, globally distributed. Avoiding negative impacts on people and the environment within our supply chain is a complex challenge, especially with new regulatory requirements, such as the Supply Chain Act (see SustainabilityintheSupplyChain p. 41). Finally, compliance with laws, international standards, and internal regulations is a fundamental element of responsible corporate governance, making it another key topic covered in this chapter (see LegalCertaintyandCompliance p. 43).

At this point, we would like to briefly outline the most significant developments during the reporting period, current and future trends, as well as the guiding principles and strategic objectives we pursue in the field of financial performance.

Environment and Global Developments

During the reporting period, spanning the 2021/22 to 2023/24 fiscal years, FISCHER Sports faced unexpected crises and challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the fire and reconstruction of our Mukachevo plant, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the resulting energy and cost crisis, and high inflation all placed extraordinary burdens on our company and employees.

Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic and its economic disruptions caused instability in our supply chains, putting our production to the test.

Lockdowns and the closure of Alpine ski resorts had a significant impact on our markets, though the effects varied by segment.

Before COVID-19, the global Alpine ski market was experiencing steady growth, according to the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI). However, due to ski resort closures during the pandemic, the global market was temporarily halved. By the 2022/23 season, global sales had recovered to 3.7 million pairs of skis, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, the cross-country and touring ski segments experienced a surge in demand during the pandemic. Unlike Alpine skiing, these sports were not subject to strict legal

restrictions, making them an attractive alternative for newcomers seeking outdoor physical activity in winter. However, these markets are now experiencing a countertrend, though their demand has always been volatile due to their dependence on natural snow conditions rather than artificial snow.

Fire and Reconstruction of our

Production Facility in Mukachevo

One of the biggest challenges was the fire at our Mukachevo production plant in October 2020.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but the material and economic damage was significant. The fire completely destroyed the factory hall and production equipment for ski manufacturing. To compensate for lost capacity, we had to temporarily expand production at our headquarters in Ried to its maximum limit and outsource part of the production to partner companies.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine further complicated and delayed the urgent reconstruction of the burned-down plant. However, since the 2023/24 fiscal year, the newly built, state-of-the-art production facilities in Mukachevo have been fully operational, built according to the latest industry standards.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

In February 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, and the conflict has continued to this day. Due to the location of our facility in the far west of Ukraine, in an area spared from direct military actions, the Mukachevo plant has been able to continue operating. Over the past two years, operations have been maintained without significant disruptions. Power outages and staff call-ups for military service have been managed through organizational measures.

Energy and Cost Crisis, Inflation, and Declining Consumption

As a result of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia, Europe has experienced an energy crisis. The significant increase in energy prices which remain high has notably increased production costs for FISCHER.

In the long term, we will also face the inflation surge fueled by the energy crisis. This has led to high wage and tariff increases in both Austria and Germany. Since Austria and Germany are not only important sales markets but also FISCHER's central procurement markets, these increases have led to higher procurement costs.

Furthermore, both Germany and Austria have slipped into a prolonged recession, which has negatively affected consumer purchasing willingness.

Trends and Outlook

Despite the challenging developments during the reporting period, many of which are still ongoing, we remain optimistic about the future. On the one hand, the past business years have shown that we can overcome crises and are resilient. On the other hand, there are trends and forecasts that give us confidence.

Growing Markets Expected

The market for winter sports equipment, particularly Alpine skis and Nordic skis, is expected to grow moderately both in Europe and globally. Countries such as Austria, Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland have strong and stable traditions in Alpine sports, and the demand for classic Alpine products remains steady, partly due to increased artificial snowmaking. In Scandinavia, cross-country skiing is deeply rooted and enjoys high popularity.

North America and Asia are emerging markets, with the Austrian Wood Industry Association particularly highlighting China as a future market for the Austrian ski industry 2 . According to industry estimates, the global market for winter sports equipment is expected to grow at an annual rate of about 3-5% until 2030, driven primarily by the increasing sales in the Alpine sector.

Trend Toward Activities in Nature

Even before the pandemic, there was a trend toward outdoor activities. Studies confirmed that more and more people view outdoor activities as essential for their physical and mental health. This development, which was significantly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, forms a strong foundation for the demand for high-quality winter sports products.

Trend Toward Ski Equipment Rental

An important trend in the Alpine ski segment is the improvement of rental offerings. In the past, only specially developed models were available for rental, but now most common models from leading manufacturers are offered. The rental infrastructure has also been expanded in many destinations, making the rental process easier and more convenient for consumers. As a result, rental rates have reached over 70% in some markets (see also Trend:Renting SkiEquipmentInsteadofBuying; p. 115).

2 Vgl. https://www.holzindustrie.at/unsere-branchen/ski/

Sustainability as an Opportunity

Demand for winter sports equipment that is produced in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable way possible is growing, albeit only to a limited extent, and regulatory requirements in the context of sustainability are also increasing noticeably. On the one hand, this presents us with challenges, but we also see it as an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage and open up new markets.

FISCHER has already established a good starting position in this regard – as evidenced not least by this first comprehensive sustainability report from the company.

Impacts of Climate Change

Climate change is becoming evident through generally milder and shorter winters. At the same time, ski resorts, particularly those at higher elevations, are well-equipped to face these challenges. Especially in regions with modernized infrastructure and efficient snowmaking systems, winter sports will continue to play a central role in the long term.

While the Nordic ski market could potentially be more affected due to limited artificial snowmaking capabilities, societal trends toward greater health awareness and outdoor activities offer enormous opportunities. The growing enthusiasm for physical activity in nature strengthens crosscountry skiing and encourages creative solutions, such as optimized trail networks and sustainable concepts for reliable snow conditions.

With innovative technologies and a positive attitude toward adaptation, it is clear that winter sports will continue to hold significant potential in the future, and it will remain possible to practice them in many areas.

Overall, we expect that the financial risks posed by global warming for FISCHER are manageable in the medium to long term.

Our broad range of products and our positioning as a comprehensive supplier should help ensure that our business model remains resilient in the face of climate change.

Guiding Principles

Long-Term Success:

• Our solid ownership structure and equity capital form the foundation for forward-looking investments.

• The economic success of FISCHER and the sustainable development of the company go hand in hand.

Fair Compensation:

• FISCHER pays fair wages and offers its employees an attractive profit-sharing scheme.

• We ensure that workers in the supply chain also receive fair compensation.

Regional Production and Procurement:

• We produce in Austria and Ukraine.

• Through our predominantly regional procurement, we contribute to value creation in Austria and other European countries.

Sustainable Supply Chain:

• Our responsibility does not end at our factory gates: We ensure a sustainable supply chain.

Legal Security and Compliance:

• Ensuring legal compliance is the foundation of our corporate responsibility.

• We continuously develop our corporate governance and optimize our processes to meet both new regulations and our own sustainability guidelines.

Strategic Objectives

Securing Long-Term Financial Success:

• Relevant market share in all segments

• Ensuring brand strength (image and recognition)

• Securing the investment rate (e.g., for production equipment, data management, infrastructure)

Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chain:

• Comprehensive evaluation of all suppliers regarding their current and future sustainability performance by 2026/27

• Transparent tracking of supply chains by 2026/27

Sustainable Fulfillment and Ensuring Legal Requirements:

• Establishing and implementing a company-wide compliance management system.

Financial Performance and Development

Relevance and Impact

The profitability of a company forms the foundation for creating long-term value. A solid financial position enables the company to bring innovations to market, compete effectively, and ultimately act sustainably in social and ecological terms. Strategic decisions must, therefore, be made by management primarily based on business aspects, considering market conditions and requirements.

Practically all stakeholders are interested in the positive development of the company primarily the owners, executives, and employees, but also suppliers, customers, and regional politics, economy, and society. Only if the business activities consistently generate profits can highquality jobs be secured and sustainable investments financed.

Solid Ownership Structure and Equity Capital

The stable ownership structure based on family foundations is the cornerstone of the company’s economic success and its continued existence over generations (see FISCHER Sports – We live to ski; p. 4).

Another success factor is the company’s solid financial foundation. The equity ratio of the FISCHER Sports subsidiary 3 is approximately 60%. This enables us to make business decisions independently and autonomously and to make investments aimed at improving productivity and competitiveness.

Commercial Diligence and Risk Management

The economic management of the company falls under the responsibility of the commercial management. This includes, among other things, the departments of Finance and Controlling, which, in close coordination with the management, implement the necessary activities and processes to ensure business due diligence. This encompasses accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, liquidity management, and the preparation of an annual financial statement.

Supplementary financial calculations and special analyses ensure that the management has all the necessary information to manage the company effectively.

FISCHER Sports has a standardized risk management system, focused on identifying, assessing, and managing the risks relevant to the company. A risk owner has been defined for each risk area, responsible for regularly assessing the risk and deriving measures for risk reduction.

Following this, a consolidated risk assessment is conducted, and an annual report is made to the audit committee.

Investments to Secure Competitiveness

In order to meet the demand for FISCHER products in the future and to increase productivity, the company continually invests in highly efficient production facilities and state-ofthe-art technology.

In total, FISCHER has invested around 86 million euros over the past three fiscal years. A significant portion of this exceptionally high investment sum has gone into the rebuilding of our factory in Mukachevo.

(1) The data of FISCHER Sports GmbH and its subsidiaries are reported in consolidated form, even if this is not provided for under company law. The parent company of FISCHER, which has to prepare the consolidated financial

statements in accordance with § 244 of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB), is FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH (FN 114802b).

Generated and Distributed Economic Value

The fiscal years covered by the reporting period show significant fluctuations in economic indicators, such as revenue and results. In this context, two major events that affected the business activities of the reporting period should be highlighted, which are described further above (see EnvironmentandGlobalDevelopments p. 31).

The first is the COVID-19 pandemic, which still had a significant impact on demand in the 2021/22 fiscal year, the second year of the pandemic. While the cross-country and touring ski segments saw continued high consumer demand, the Alpine ski segment was still significantly impacted by the ongoing pandemic restrictions. Although our sales revenues in 2021/22 were slightly higher compared to the previous fiscal year, they were still well below the average levels of the years before the pandemic.

The second event is the fire damage at the Mukachevo site in the fiscal year 2020/21, prior to the reporting period. Due to significantly reduced production capacity, market demand could not be fully met during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 fiscal years. However, by the 2022/23 fiscal year, the rebuilding activities at the Mukachevo site were completed, and the full production capacity was available in the 2023/24 fiscal year. The insurance revenues related to the fire damage were primarily realized in the 2021/22 fiscal year and are included in the revenue figures in the table below.

The economic figures presented in the table should be viewed in the context of these two events and refer to the FISCHER Sports subsidiary.

From an operational perspective, the fiscal year 2022/23 brought the highest revenue in the company’s 100-year history. However, in the subsequent fiscal year 2023/24, FISCHER Sports saw a decline in revenue. Along with generally challenging economic conditions due to geopolitical developments, high retail inventories, coupled with reduced consumer willingness to spend, led to a lower

level of revenue. FISCHER Sports concluded the fiscal year 2023/24 with a net income of 3.3 million euros. The equity ratio was approximately 62%.

Current Situation and Economic Outlook

The current economic environment is challenging. Retailers' high inventory levels and the general reluctance to consume that can be observed in many sectors have led to a reduction in pre-orders for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. The extent to which this can be offset by increased re-ordering in the current winter season will become apparent in the coming months.

Overall, however, sales and earnings for the 2024/2025 fiscal year are expected to be lower than in the previous year. The company is successively implementing the cost-cutting measures necessitated by the change in market conditions. In the 2024/25 fiscal year, Fischer had to make redundancies among both blue-collar and white-collar workers at its headquarters in Ried and at its production plant in Mukachevo.

A market recovery is expected in the medium term. Currently available market and industry data show a positive and stable development in terms of winter tourism and the practice of Alpine and Nordic winter sports. The declines in Alpine winter sports caused by the coronavirus pandemic were offset in all relevant markets. In addition, a significant reduction in retail inventories is expected for the 2024/25 season.

The focus on the core segments of Alpine and Nordic, as well as Hockey – combined with the focus on technological product leadership – will continue in the coming fiscal year.

In addition, activities to successfully position the ONE WAY brand as an independent pole brand in winter and summer sports will be continued.

Objectives

• Relevant market share in all segments

• Securing brand strength (image and awareness)

• Securing the investment rate, e.g. for means of production, data management, infrastructure

Fair Remuneration

Relevance and Impact

Whether a person perceives their own income as fair depends not only on their qualifications but also on the current cost of living, regional standards and the attractiveness of the job. From a company's point of view, above-average pay is also a way of recruiting and retaining qualified employees.

Performance-related pay that enables a decent standard of living and stands up to comparison promotes employee motivation and loyalty. Based on the legal or collective agreement provisions of the respective country, it is therefore important to develop a transparent wage and salary scheme for the workforce within the company.

FISCHER Sports is committed to paying fair wages and salaries. In Austria, the collective agreements apply and the remuneration of our employees in Mukachevo is also subject to collective agreements. Both form the basis for fair remuneration of employees at FISCHER Sports.

Remuneration in Austria

In Austria, the social partners negotiate collective agreements on behalf of employers and employees, which, among other things, set minimum standards for pay and working conditions within an industry. These take into account the rising cost of living and industry-specific economic developments.

The entire FISCHER Sports workforce in Austria is subject to such collective bargaining agreements

The “Collective Agreement for Employees in the Woodworking Industry” applies to salaried employees, and

4 https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/ausland/arbeitsmarkt-ukraine-kriegrussland-100.html

the “Collective Agreement for Workers in the Woodworking Industry” applies to workers.

At FISCHER Sports in Austria, all employees, whether workers or salaried employees, receive more than the minimum wage under the collective agreement. On average, the wages and salaries of workers and salaried employees at FISCHER Sports in Austria are more than 25 percent above the collectively agreed rates.

Remuneration in Ukraine

The level of income in Ukraine depends heavily on the industry, region and level of qualification. Collective agreements in Ukraine are based on the “Law of Ukraine on Collective Agreements and Agreements” and the labor code.

The state-set minimum wage in Ukraine in 2023 was around UAH 6,700 (Ukrainian hryvnia) per month, which is around EUR 170, although the minimum wage does not correspond to the actual cost of living in Ukraine. The minimum subsistence level in Ukraine for 2023 was set at UAH 9,435 (approximately 239 euros). According to the Ukrainian statistical office, the average salary in Ukraine in 2023 was UAH 17,937 (approximately 454 euros)4. This corresponds to an increase of 23 percent over the previous year.

In 2023, workers at FISCHER Sports in Mukachevo earned an average of over 20,000 UAH (about 506 euros) gross per month. Their pay was thus significantly higher than the minimum standards mentioned and also above the average salary in the country, which has recently risen.

Fair Remuneration in the Supply Chain

All employees in the value chain have the right to fair compensation that enables them to enjoy an adequate

standard of living. Our commitment to fair compensation also extends to our vendors, suppliers, third-party vendors, manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors and their agents who do business directly with FISCHER Sports, provide goods or services purchased or sold by FISCHER Sports (collectively referred to as “suppliers”). The remuneration of our suppliers' employees must comply with local or national minimum wage regulations and/or the industry-standard rates of pay. The specific provisions and our expectations regarding fair remuneration are set out in the FISCHER Sports Code of Conduct for Suppliers.

Regional Production and Procurement

Relevance and Impact

Through their business activities, large companies contribute to purchasing power and prosperity in the entire region – for example, through social security contributions and taxes, the training and remuneration of employees, the purchase of goods, investments in the location and the awarding of contracts to local businesses.

A high level of vertical integration within the company reduces dependency on suppliers and thus also the risks resulting from international crises. The coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, in particular, have highlighted the vulnerability of global supply chains – both in the economy and among customers, the desire for regional sources of supply is increasing.

Although production costs in most European countries are significantly higher than in the Far East, there are advantages to be had from higher social and environmental standards, shorter transport routes, trusting relationships with suppliers and more scope for creativity in terms of sustainability and innovation. A brand that stands for regional quality enjoys a high reputation in the market and appeals to a discerning customer segment. FISCHER produces in Austria and the Ukraine. Our most important sourcing countries are Austria, Germany and Italy.

As local as possible, as global as necessary

FISCHER skis are produced exclusively in Austria and Ukraine. Hockey sticks are produced in the Ukrainian factory. All Alpine ski boots come from Europe and bindings are also mainly produced in Europe or purchased from Europe. The supply chain for these products is comparatively regional and more crisis-proof than those that extend to the Far East.

For some of our products, such as cross-country ski boots, the competitive situation and price sensitivity of the consumer require a globalized manufacturing process with production steps in Asia.

Further information about where the various items in our range are manufactured can be found in the chapter Made byFISCHERSports:DevelopmentandProduction (p. 24).

Suppliers and Purchasing Volume

by Country

The materials for the two FISCHER plants in Austria and Ukraine are purchased centrally by the headquarters for the production in Ried im Innkreis and for the production in Mukachevo. The materials that we provide to our partner companies and all the merchandise are also procured by the purchasing department in Ried. Thus, the procurement of FISCHER Sports GmbH, to which the following information and data refer, covers the majority of the total purchasing volume of the FISCHER subgroup.

In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the head office in Ried procured production materials (raw materials and intermediate products) and merchandise from around 650 suppliers with a total value of 72.5 million euros. 77.4% of the amount went to suppliers within the European Union.

Austria, where our headquarters are located and our most important procurement country, accounted for 38.6% of the total purchasing volume, followed by Italy (22.1%) and Germany (11.0%).

The breakdown of the purchasing volume by production materials and merchandise shows that 92% of the raw materials and intermediate products for our own products came from the EU, while our purchasing volume for merchandise was more globally distributed. However, here too, the majority of our expenditure (approximately 56%) was accounted for by suppliers within the EU.

Sustainability in the Supply Chain

Relevance and Impact

A company's commitment to responsible corporate governance does not end at the factory gate. If raw materials, services or merchandise are procured from different sources and countries, the supply chain becomes the focus of sustainability management. In many cases, undesirable social and ecological impacts can be found in the upstream areas of business activity. That is why sustainably managed companies are rising to the challenge of examining and continuously developing their often complex international value chains in terms of environmental protection, labor standards, human rights and compliance.

Developing sustainable supply chains is a costly but worthwhile process: on the one hand, it serves a company's own success – for example, through reliable supply chains and an enhanced brand image – and on the other hand, it contributes to the global dissemination of good business practices. In view of the strict standards in place in the EU, companies with business relationships with third countries have great potential to tangibly improve living and working conditions and environmental protection in other parts of the world as well.

FISCHER sources the raw materials and intermediate products needed for its own products mainly from European suppliers. Information on where FISCHER products are manufactured can be found at MadebyFISCHERSports: DevelopmentandProduction (p. 24). The countries in which our procurement volume is distributed can be found at SuppliersandPurchasingVolumebyCountry (p. 40).

Sustainability in Strategic Supply Chain Management

Like all companies, FISCHER is required to observe due diligence in its supply chain. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) adopted by the EU Parliament will further strengthen this requirement in the coming years.

We have more influence on our production partners who manufacture finished or semi-finished products for our production than on the manufacturers of the merchandise we sell. This is because the development work and know-how for these intermediate products lies largely with Fischer and we also provide our partner companies with some of the machines, tools and materials they need to manufacture the intermediate products. Some of the partner companies are directly affected by the various supply chain laws, and FISCHER is in constructive dialog with them in this regard.

On the other hand, we have so far had only very limited influence on the major raw material suppliers when it comes to enforcing sustainability criteria. However, there is a positive trend here in the ski industry towards cooperation in order to present a united front to the major suppliers with sustainability requirements.

In order to align our procurement with ecological and social criteria and to reduce the risk of negative impacts in the supply chains, we have been using our own tool for strategic supplier and supply chain management since 2024. We also use this software to manage sustainability certificates from our suppliers.

We have now subjected all existing suppliers from whom we purchase raw materials, intermediate products, and merchandise in relevant quantities to a risk analysis. All new suppliers, especially those considered particularly relevant due to existing or upcoming legal requirements, will also be reviewed in the future.

the future. Changing risks during the year are immediately incorporated into the evaluation.

Criteria such as location risk, corruption index and environmental risk are evaluated. The analysis for strategic procurement risk management will be carried out annually in

Code of Conduct for Suppliers

In cooperation with our suppliers, we want to ensure that people – especially our suppliers' workers – and the environment are not harmed in our supply chain. That is why

FISCHER Sports has developed a Code of Conduct (CoC) for its suppliers, which requires them to comply with ethical, social and environmental standards. The Code, which will be rolled out in stages in 2024/25, requires our suppliers, for example, to comply with international human and labor rights as well as international environmental standards and national environmental laws.

FISCHER Sports expects its suppliers to sign, acknowledge and comply with this Code of Conduct by incorporating the practices it requires into their internal business policies, processes and communications.

Objectives

• Comprehensive assessment of all suppliers with regard to their current and future sustainability performance by 2026/27

• Transparent tracking of the supply chains by 2026/27

Measures

• Roll-out of the Supplier Code of Conduct to all suppliers

• Transparent presentation of the supply network including risk assessment

• Review suppliers for relevant certifications

• Establish a tracking system for purchased materials – ensure traceability

• Identify high-risk suppliers on the basis of due diligence audits and increase the frequency of controls and audits for these suppliers

Legal Certainty and Compliance

Relevance and Impact

Companies that are managed sustainably operate in accordance with all legal requirements and set high standards for themselves. Consistently complying with laws and standards influences a company's chances of success today more than ever. Conducting business in a compliant and ethical manner not only helps to minimize risk in terms of legal consequences or reputational damage, but also builds trust among stakeholders. All stakeholders benefit from working with reliable partners who meet strict standards in their field of activity.

In recent years, the legal requirements that FISCHER must meet have been joined by various legal provisions in the context of sustainability. In addition to individual countryspecific regulations, this primarily concerns those provisions that have been issued or revised in connection with the EU Green Deal. Some of these regulations apply not only to our own activities, but also to the entire value chain.

Ensuring Legal Compliance

Compliance with all legal requirements is the top priority for FISCHER Sports, its management and all employees. The organizational framework for this is provided by the rules of procedure for the management, the Guidelines and Directives (p. 18) and the internal control system (ICS) of FISCHER Sports.

Within the management team, there is a designated point of contact for all contacts with authorities, banks and contractual matters for the entire company. Responsibilities are defined in the rules of procedure, the signature policy and in the individual job descriptions. Only the two

managing directors and the authorized signatories entered in the commercial register are authorized to sign on behalf of the company.

In view of the wide range of legal requirements, ensuring legal compliance at FISCHER is a shared responsibility. There is a responsible function within the company for each legal obligation, which reviews all legal changes to determine any need for action by FISCHER.

Due to the increasing regulatory environment, FISCHER is planning to install a compliance management system that will act as a central coordinating body and monitor compliance with all legal and internal requirements.

External Review

Several authorities and independent auditors review at regular intervals and as needed whether FISCHER is complying with the regulations regarding compliance, financial reporting, its tax and duty obligations, or the protection of employees and the environment, among other things (see table).

Compliance in the Context of Sustainability

As part of our SustainabilityGovernance (p. 21), we monitor developments in sustainability regulation, which is being driven forward in particular by the EU Green Deal. The committees and functions involved determine which measures are necessary to comply with existing and future requirements, and they coordinate and monitor their implementation.

For example, this sustainability report, which we have voluntarily prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, also serves as preparation for the future mandatory annual reporting in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which the parent company FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH will have to comply with from the 2025/26 fiscal year.

Other regulations that affect us – directly or indirectly, currently or in the future – and that are related to the Green Deal include, for example, the EU Taxonomy Regulation, the EU Climate Law, the Ecodesign Regulation, the Green Claims Directive, the revised chemicals regulation REACH, the EU Supply Chain Law, the EU Deforestation Regulation and the revised Packaging regulation.

In addition to the EU-wide regulations, there are also country-specific requirements in the context of ESG that we must comply with in some sales markets. Examples include the various supply chain laws in Germany, France and Canada and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in force in the USA and Canada (see REACHandOtherLegally BindingRequirements; p. 113).

Consequently, FISCHER is not only accountable to legislators and external control bodies, but also to some business customers for compliance with human rights and environmental laws in our own operations and in our supply chain.

Compliance in the Supply Chain

In our role as a supplier, we comply with the codes of conduct of our business customers. Our own Code of ConductforSuppliers (p. 42), developed during the reporting period, defines the requirements that our suppliers must comply with. These are based on national and international laws and standards for the protection of people and the environment.

FISCHER will begin rolling out the Code of Conduct and the accompanying communication in the 2024/25 fiscal year and will then gradually monitor compliance with it. Violations can then also be reported to FISCHER via the whistleblower reporting channel. If the requirements are not met, we reserve the right to take appropriate action.

Whistleblower Reporting Channel

Whistleblower reporting channels allow individuals to report concerns about misconduct or violations of the law by a company, regardless of whether they have been personally harmed.

The European Union Whistleblower Directive was transposed into Austrian law in 2023 with the Whistleblower Protection Act (HSchG) and applies to companies with 50 or more employees. Its aim is to protect persons who provide information on suspected violations of the law from retaliation, such as dismissal or harassment. This goal is in line with FISCHER's corporate values, such as mutual respect, trust and professional conduct.

In 2023, we published an internal information sheet on the EU Whistleblower Directive. With a whistleblower contact form on our website, we offer our employees and all others who have a business relationship with us a low-threshold and secure channel for passing on information. This channel can be used to report suspected financial crimes, harassment, violations of environmental regulations or other serious irregularities to FISCHER.

Reports submitted to FISCHER using the whistleblower contact form are received by an internal reporting office, which is managed by our compliance team, consisting of the head of human resources and the managing director.

FISCHER guarantees that the identity and concerns of whistleblowers will be treated confidentially and informs them about further steps and measures. We value and explicitly encourage courageous behavior. We can assure you that whistleblowers will not suffer any disadvantages within the company.

Since the reporting channel was set up and up to the end of the reporting period, no reports of violations have been submitted to FISCHER via the whistleblower contact form.

No Violations

During the reporting period, there were no significant violations 5 by FISCHER of legal regulations, permits, standards or other requirements. No proceedings were initiated against the company and no significant fines or non-monetary penalties were imposed on FISCHER.

5 Bythiswemeanviolationsthatresultinfines exceeding € 1,000 or those that result in non-monetary sanctions that significantly harm our business or reputation.

Objective

• Development and establishment of a companywide legal and compliance management system

Measures

• Implementation of a global legal and compliance function within the company

• Further development of the internal code of conduct

Environmentally Friendly Manufacturer

Our

Approach

In a world increasingly confronted with ecological challenges – from climate change and biodiversity loss to scarcity of resources – the economy faces a crucial responsibility. Companies contribute to the ecological crises through their consumption of materials and energy, through their products, and through their emissions and waste. They therefore also have significant leverage to overcome these challenges. In addition to the resulting moral responsibility, regulatory pressure is also increasing to use this leverage and to engage in effective environmental and climate protection.

There are also economic arguments in favor of doing so. Environmental crises, in particular extreme weather events such as storms, floods and droughts caused by climate change, can have a significant impact on companies. They disrupt supply chains, damage production facilities and can cause shortages of the resources on which companies depend. In addition, there are transition risks associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy. These result from changes in the policy framework, technological standards and market preferences.

Companies must therefore deal with an uncertain environment and the resulting risks. However, climate change also offers opportunities for developing new products and services that contribute to climate protection and enable cost savings, which can lead to new market opportunities and competitive advantages.

An important aspect of climate protection is the energy transition, i.e. the move away from fossil fuels and the promotion of renewable energy sources. This requires the electrification of facilities that previously used fossil fuels. In addition, the transition to a circular economy supports climate protection, reduces the consumption of resources and protects biodiversity.

FISCHER Sports is addressing these issues at both the strategic (see SustainabilityStrategy; p. 20) and operational level. With our operational environmental management, we want to minimize our environmental impact in order to meet legal requirements and strengthen our reputation and competitiveness. During the reporting period, we have intensively addressed our environmental and climate impacts and implemented measures to continuously minimize them.

Guidelines, Goals and Responsibilities

Austria is a country with high environmental standards. The laws are aimed at avoiding negative impacts on people and the environment in line with the precautionary principle and sustainability. This is reflected in detailed regulations and strict limit values – for example, for wastewater or air emissions.

In Ukraine, too, environmental laws and standards are being harmonized with the European legal situation in preparation for the country's accession to the European Union. For example, the new law on waste management, which came

into force in 2023, requires companies to provide a waste declaration and an annual waste report, among other things.

Further reports and evidence are required at least annually in areas such as air emissions and water use.

Environmental management at the operational level is the responsibility of the facility management team at FISCHER. The ultimate responsibility lies with the management. It ensures compliance with all regulations and laws and is responsible for the administration and observance of official notices (e.g. building notices, trade notices and water law notices).

Legal certainty and compliance with all requirements are therefore also the minimum requirement for environmental management, which FISCHER meets. However, this does not mean that we limit ourselves to this. Where it seems sensible, we do more than the law requires. For example, we have installed a water treatment plant for our process water in Ried that cleans it of grinding and adhesive residues. This allows us to run the water through our production plants several times, saving fresh water and the energy that would be needed to heat the fresh water.

Environment and SafetyInterrelated Areas

The tasks of facility management cover and interlink several areas. In addition to the management of classic environmental aspects, such as waste, wastewater, energy and air emissions, it also includes, for example, ensuring compliance with the European Chemicals Act REACH, which is intended to ensure not only the protection of the environment, but also the safety of employees and consumers. This also applies to other requirements, in particular those that must be met in connection with the use of chemicals by FISCHER. Therefore, at FISCHER, the areas of environmental protection and employee health and safety are organizationally interlinked at both production sites. The safety officer at the headquarters in Ried, who creates the framework conditions to ensure OccupationalHealthand Safety (p. 88) in the best possible way and advises the management in this regard, is part of the facility management team.

Monitoring of Environmental Management Requirements and Effectiveness

The head of facility management and his team conduct daily tours of the company to check that everything is in order and that the requirements for environmental protection and employee safety are being met. If this is not the case at individual workstations, the respective team leaders are asked to ensure compliance. If this intervention does not lead to the expected improvement, the production management is informed.

In addition to the daily tours, a fire safety inspection is carried out once a month, during which environmental requirements are also checked and any deficiencies are documented.

In addition, Kaizen audits (see FISCHERSports – We live to ski; p. 4) are carried out twice a year, during which environmental and safety aspects are also checked. Any deficiencies are documented and described in the audit report, which covers all departments, with photos. Depending on their severity, the deficiencies must be remedied by the next audit at the latest.

Every two weeks, the head of facility management has a fixed meeting with the responsible managing director, in which he reports on the state of affairs in his department. In addition, the management receives an annual management report from facility management, which is also accessible to all employees via the intranet. This information forms the basis for evaluating the effectiveness of measures and for further task planning in environmental management.

The external control of the effectiveness of environmental management and, in particular, compliance with all requirements and limit values is carried out at both production sites by the relevant authorities. Facility management must report to them regularly. The authorities check these reports and also carry out on-site inspections at the companies. Seamless documentation of all relevant

services, key figures and measures to fulfill the requirements in the area of environmental protection is a prerequisite for ensuring that the inspections do not lead to any complaints.

During the reporting period, there were no violations of environmental protection laws and regulations and no complaints by the controlling authorities.

Inclusion of Employees

Employees can contribute ideas and suggestions that will help improve the company's environmental protection efforts at any time. For example, they can contact the facility management team when they visit the workplaces. They can also submit suggestions for improvement through the company IdeaManagement program (p. 19).

Guiding Principles

Efficient Use of Materials and Recycling:

• We place great value on the use of renewable raw materials and recycled source materials.

• Our focus is on minimizing the use of materials that are hazardous to health or the environment and on the efficient use of materials.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Supply:

• We are continuously increasing our energy efficiency.

• We are increasingly covering our energy needs with energy we produce ourselves and from renewable sources.

Reducing Emissions:

• We are creating the basis for a complete accounting of our greenhouse gas emissions.

• Fischer Sports is developing a transition plan for climate protection that ensures a gradual reduction of our emissions.

Water Management and Wastewater Treatment:

• We are committed to using water responsibly.

• We ensure that our wastewater is carefully treated to minimize environmental impact.

Commitment to a Circular Economy:

• We are reducing our waste and ensuring that our unavoidable waste is treated in accordance with high EU standards.

Strategic Objectives

Long-Term, Significant Reduction of the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF)

• Implementation of a detailed CO2 reduction plan with the goal of reducing the corporate carbon footprint by 40% by 2040.

• Reduction of waste by 10% by 2030

• Expansion of the e-vehicle fleet to 30% by 2030

• Sustainable employee mobility – reduction of the carbon footprint for commuting and business trips

• Continuous increase in own electricity production

Material Use and Recycling

Relevance and Impacts

As a result of the overuse of our planet's limited resources, many raw materials are becoming increasingly scarce and ecosystems are being severely disrupted, and in some cases even destroyed.

Companies that operate sustainably implement materialsaving potential along their entire value chain. They use renewable raw material sources, design long-lasting, sustainably usable products and think in terms of circular economies. The EU Ecodesign Regulation, for which a fully formulated proposal has been on the table since January 2024, requires companies to do just that on a legal basis.

Optimized material use not only improves the protection of our livelihoods and compliance with regulatory requirements, but also the cost structure and competitiveness of production plants. During the reporting period, FISCHER purchased an average of 5,674 tons of material per year from suppliers.

Predominantly Centralized and as Sustainable as Possible Procurement

The purchase of materials for the two FISCHER production plants in Ried and Mukachevo is largely carried out centrally by the headquarters. The site in Ukraine is supplied from Austria, but also purchases some materials independently locally. This applies, for example, to wood, which is needed by our plant in Ukraine as a raw material in the production of ski and Hockey sticks and as fuel for generating process heat.

The substitution of materials in our products that could potentially have a negative impact on the environment is a task that our development department is committed to. In coordination with the purchasing department, the market availability and costs of alternative materials and intermediate products are examined. In the future, we also want to increasingly check the suppliers from whom we purchase materials and our merchandise with regard to compliance with ecological and social standards. Further information can be found in the chapter Sustainabilityinthe SupplyChain (p. 41).

FISCHER Sports ensures economical use of materials not only in production but also in administration. In the office, we try to work with as little paper as possible. The ongoing digitalization contributes to this.

Limited Data Availability

It has not yet been possible to differentiate material consumption into renewable and non-renewable materials based on the data currently available. It is also not yet possible to disclose the proportion of recycled materials in total material consumption. Individual examples of the use of increased proportions of recycled materials in surface foils, coverings and sidewalls of skis can be found in the chapter FromaLineartoaCircularEconomy (p. 107).

We are aware that we will have to expand the data on our material consumption in line with the upcoming CSRD reporting requirement and have already started to improve internal data collection via our ERP system. This is based on more precise and comprehensive information on the materials purchased, which we are demanding from our material suppliers. It remains to be seen to what extent and in what quality our suppliers will be able to provide the required data. However, we assume that we will be able to gradually improve the data situation with the help of our suppliers.

Fluctuating Material Input

The development of material input – i.e. the total of all materials purchased by FISCHER Sports – over the reporting period follows a pattern that can also be seen in other environmental data: in the second reporting year, there is a sharp increase in relation to the first, and in the third year there is a decrease again.

This fluctuation is mainly due to a major fire that destroyed our entire ski production in Mukachevo in 2020. In the 2021/22 fiscal year, our plant in Ukraine was therefore only able to produce Hockey sticks, which reduced our total material input. In 2022/23, FISCHER increased its ski production capacity in Ried. After the reconstruction of the plant in Mukachevo, the gradual start-up began in the same fiscal year. Ski production in Ukraine was able to start despite the outbreak of war, and our finished goods warehouses were refilled. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, we were able to access these stocks, which is why production volumes – and with them material purchases – settled back at a somewhat lower level.

By far the largest share of the material input is attributable to the raw materials and intermediate products that we process into high-quality products. In addition, we require auxiliary and operating materials as well as packaging materials.

Average value in the reporting period: 5,673.8 tons

*Notincludingmerchandiseandofficematerials

The materials required for office operations are negligible both in terms of their ecological relevance and in relation to the mass of the materials that we process in production. We will therefore not discuss office materials in more detail below. These are also not included in the data on material input.

The data also do not include merchandise, i.e. products that we develop and manufacture together with our partners and distribute through FISCHER sales channels.

Raw Materials and Pre-production Products

Material savings through efficient use or reuse have both ecological and economic benefits. This applies in particular to the raw materials and intermediate products that we need in large quantities to manufacture our products.

FISCHER Sports therefore continuously implements measures that contribute to the efficient use of materials. For example, we were able to reduce wood consumption by around 45 percent by optimizing the cutting of wooden wedges.

The mass of raw materials and intermediate products purchased by FISCHER Sports increased by around 81% in the 2022/23 fiscal year after the newly built production hall in Ukraine was put into operation after the fire. The fact that consumption fell again by around 39% in the following year is primarily due to the development described above and to a reduced market demand.

On average, we purchased around 5,222 tons of raw materials and precursors during the reporting period. In the following, we will briefly discuss the four material groups that were most significant in terms of their mass.

Wood

Even though the times when skis and Hockey sticks were made almost entirely out of wood are over, it remains an important raw material in our production. In the reporting period, we used an average of 2,219 tons of wood purchased from our suppliers during the year. Most of it was processed in Ukraine, where we use the renewable raw material in both ski and Hockey stick production. Birch wood is mainly used for the shafts of the sticks. The ski wedges are mostly made of poplar or beech wood.

At the Mukachevo site, we use the wood waste from our production preparation for energy generation. This thermally used wood is not included in the material data, but in the energy consumption data (see TotalEnergyConsumptionHas RecentlyFallen; p. 54). The material input values only include the wood used in the construction.

Plastics

FISCHER processes an average of around 800 tons of plastics per year. Since these are contained in almost all our products, we strive to ReducingPetroleum-Based Plastics (p. 106) and try to use alternative materials and recycled plastics instead.

Fiber Composites

The consumption of fiber composites averages around 655 tons per year. Fiber composites, which simultaneously provide stabilizing and flexibility-enhancing properties, are used in all our product groups. Which fiber composites are processed depends on the products and models. For example, we use carbon fiber-reinforced plastic in the cuffs of our ski boots. We use fiberglass composites in skis, Alpine ski boots and Hockey sticks.

Fiber composites are difficult to recycle because several different materials are firmly bonded together. In the chapter Sustainable Product Innovations (p. 104), we report on our efforts to use more ecological fiber composites, such as flax

fiber composites, as well as a scientifically supported ski recycling project.

Paints, Lacquers, Adhesives and Foam

In the reporting period, FISCHER processed an annual average of around 822 tons of paints, varnishes, adhesives and foam. In general, all products containing ecologically harmful chemicals are subject to the EU's REACH regulation. The REACH review processes carried out by FISCHER are described in more detail in the chapter REACH and Other LegallyBindingRequirements (p. 113).

In this material group, there are some substances that contain solvents. These can evaporate into the air and be harmful to health if inhaled. They also pose the risk of impairing soil and water health as well as biodiversity if they enter the soil or water.

FISCHER Sports has been using water-soluble paints for several years. As a result, and due to the increasing conversion from screen printing to thermal diffusion and digital printing, we have succeeded in reducing the use of solvents by about 15 percent.

Auxiliary and Operating Materials

During the reporting period, Fischer used an average of around 198 tons of auxiliary and operating materials annually. These include some materials that are processed in the products but are not main components. One example is rubber bands, which are part of skis. However, the majority of the auxiliary and operating materials are materials that are used in the production process rather than in the product. Release papers, screen fabrics, abrasives, cleaning agents and membrane rubbers are among the materials that play a significant role.

We also ensure that auxiliary materials and supplies are used efficiently and implement measures to reduce material consumption. For example, we have been able to significantly reduce the consumption of membrane rubber,

which is used as an auxiliary material in ski production. We have achieved this by using a higher-quality product and by optimizing processes and tools. These measures have extended the useful life of the membrane rubber.

Packaging Material

Packaging protects products from damage, for example, from light, moisture or during transport. At the same time, their production and disposal have a significant environmental impact. That is why we try to use as little packaging material as possible, but as much as necessary.

During the reporting period, FISCHER Sports used an average of around 255 tons of packaging material per year, of which almost 209 tons were cardboard boxes, most of which were made from recycled material and could be recycled again after use.

Packaging materials include both transport and product packaging. In recent years, we have taken a number of measures to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging and, with care, to reduce the packaging itself, as the following examples show:

• For several years now, we have no longer been packaging Alpine ski boots in virgin plastic, but in plastic bags made from recycled material. Soon we want to do without these polybags altogether. The operating instructions and care instructions enclosed with the polybags will increasingly be available to customers via QR code. Some of the cardboard boxes for Alpine ski boots have been switched to recycled FSC-certified boxes. A note is printed on the boxes indicating that they should be disposed of at the recycling center.

• We pack cross-country ski boots in cardboard boxes and, for several years now, no longer in polybags, but in paper. Since then, cardboard tubes have been used in the shaft of the boot instead of plastic ones, and we have reduced the number of labels usually applied to the packaging to a minimum.

• We pack cross-country ski bindings exclusively in recycled cardboard boxes.

Average value in the reporting period: 254.5 tons

Energy Supply and Consumption

Relevance and Impact

The way we use energy is a key issue in the restructuring of our economy for a sustainable future. The order of the day is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, switch to renewable energy sources and use energy sparingly and efficiently.

The energy policy of the European Union relies on diversified, renewable and regional energy concepts in order to achieve the Paris climate protection target on the one hand and to reduce dependence on third countries on the other.

The electrification of industry is an investment in the longterm competitiveness of companies and at the same time an important step towards an energy transition. Every company can contribute to the transition to a post-fossil economy by using energy as efficiently as possible and either purchasing green electricity or generating it themselves from locally available renewable sources.

Electricity produced on the company premises can be used directly in the company without significant grid losses and strengthens independence from volatile energy markets.

FISCHER Sports consumed an average of 47,837 MWh of energy per year during the reporting period. A good 65% of this came from renewable sources.

Regular Energy Audits

FISCHER Sports has an external energy audit carried out for its Austrian site in Ried every four years and thus complies with the Austrian Energy Efficiency Act. The results are documented in the audit report and the energy efficiency measures proposed in it are an important basis for the planning and implementation of energy efficiency measures by the facility management. The last energy audit was completed in 2024.

Total Energy Consumption Has Recently Fallen

When it comes to energy consumption, a similar trend can be seen over the three reporting years as for material consumption.

FISCHER Sports' total energy consumption rose by 23 percent in 2022/23, after exceptionally low consumption the year before. The significant increase is mainly due to the resumption of ski production in the newly built production hall after the fire in Mukachevo. In addition, our finished goods warehouses had to be restocked due to the long production shutdown, which is why the production volumeand with it energy consumption - was comparatively higher in the 2022/23 fiscal year.

The fact that energy consumption fell again slightly in 2023/24 can be partly explained by the recent slight decline in production volume, but other factors also play a role, such as the recently implemented measures to increase energy efficiency.

Average value in the reporting period: 47,837 megawatt hours

Heat Energy Requirement

In Mukachevo, a total of 19,566 MWh of energy was required for process and space heating in the 2023/24 fiscal year. This was almost exclusively generated from wood, which is burned in the plant's own biomass heating plant, which consists of two solid fuel boilers. In addition to firewood and wood chips, which we source in Ukraine as fuel, we also use wood production waste for heating. During the reporting period, almost 98 percent of the heat consumption at the Mukachevo plant came from our biomass heating plant, while around two percent of the heat required was generated from natural gas. The gas boiler was decommissioned in 2009 when the second solid fuel boiler was commissioned. Since then, it has served as a reserve boiler, only used when necessary.

At the Ried site, the energy demand for space heating and for process heating was roughly equal in the 2023/24 fiscal year. 5,452 MWh of energy were consumed for space heating, which is obtained from the geothermal district heating network in Ried, and 5,982 MWh for process heating, which is obtained from natural gas.

History of the Heating Supply at the Ried Site

Until 2000, process and room heating at the FISCHER Sports headquarters was provided by oil heating. Even then, the company management decided to convert the heating supply and to generate the required energy from wood, a renewable resource, in the interests of environmental and climate protection. A contracting provider was then commissioned to construct a large biomass heating system on the premises of FISCHER Sports GmbH, which supplied our company and two other businesses in the area with heat energy from 2000. The project was considered groundbreaking and was awarded the Austrian Environmental Prize.

As part of a new contracting agreement, which was again concluded for 15 years, the energy supplier has built a

natural gas heating system on the company premises. The main line of the Ried district heating network, which is fed exclusively by geothermal energy, was diverted to provide space heating.

As a result, pipes in our company were replaced and resized, and more efficient circulation pumps were installed. The flow temperature of the space heating for the production buildings could thus be reduced from 150 to 70 degrees Celsius. As a result, the heating energy demand of FISCHER Sports was reduced by about 4,000 MWh.

Measures and Potential for Reducing Heating Energy Requirements

In the years that followed and during the reporting period, measures were also taken to increase energy efficiency. For example, improvements in insulation values were achieved as part of necessary minor repairs, such as window replacement or roof renovations. Savings potential was also realized by renewing equipment.

With regard to heat generation for our processes, new energy concepts for fossil-free process heat are to be examined after the current contracting agreement has expired, taking into account contractual conditions and economic efficiency.

We want to explore various options for this by 2028 and develop an energy concept. As part of this, we also want to examine the extent to which we can further optimize our processes in order to reduce the required temperature levels, use waste heat potential and thus further reduce our heating energy requirements.

At our site in Ukraine, the construction of the new ski production hall after the fire and the necessary purchase of new production facilities have led to an increase in efficiency in both process heat and space heating.

Energy Demand for Cooling

In addition to heat energy, FISCHER Sports also requires process cooling in some parts of production. This is generated using various cooling systems. In summer, the open cooling system with two cooling towers and two associated cooling water tanks, each with a capacity of 15,000 liters, can provide a cold supply of 26°C, and in winter 22°C. Compression cooling machines are used for processes that require a higher cooling capacity. Split units are also operated to air-condition rooms.

In the fiscal year 2021/22, we moved and replaced the technology for providing cooling water in a larger room at the Ried site. It is expected that the renewal and insulation of the system components will reduce the energy consumption

and water consumption associated with the generation of evaporation cooling. In doing so, we followed a recommendation of the 2019 energy audit. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, we also had to replace one of the two cooling towers due to a leak. The new cooling tower has a frequencycontrolled fan, which also contributes to a more efficient operation of the cooling system.

Electricity Consumption

After a significant increase in 2022/23, which was due to the resumption of ski production after the fire at our plant in Ukraine, FISCHER Sports' electricity consumption fell again slightly in the last fiscal year. The majority of the company's electricity consumption is accounted for by production, where electric and pneumatic drives, pumps, fans and other machines require electricity.

In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the company consumed a total of 16,369 MWh of electricity. About two percent of the electricity came from our own PV systems (Ried), 29 percent from a purchased green electricity product (Ried) and 69 percent from purchased electricity from the conventional electricity mix (Mukachevo). Since we have not received any information about the electricity mix for the electricity product purchased in Ukraine due to the war there, we have assumed that 15 percent of it came from renewable sources. This roughly corresponds to Ukraine's national electricity mix before the war. Based on the total electricity demand of FISCHER Sports, it can be seen that, on average, we were able to cover around 47 percent of our electricity needs from renewable sources during the reporting period.

Measures to Reduce Electricity Demand

FISCHER has implemented many measures in the past that have contributed to a reduction in electricity consumption. For example, the renovation of the compressed air center in Ried in 2017 resulted in annual savings in the range of 230 MWh. An additional 30 MWh less electricity per year has since been required due to a pressure reduction from 7.5 to 6.8 bar in our compressed air network.

During the reporting period, for example, the aforementioned renewal of the cooling system led to a reduction in electricity consumption. Further efficiency improvements related to lighting fixtures, which were converted to LED in some areas, and the reduction of the electricity base load through organizational measures that reduced electricity consumption outside of operating hours.

From the 2022/23 fiscal year to 2023/24, we were able to reduce our electricity consumption in Ried by 18%, and the total electricity consumption of FISCHER Sports has fallen by more than eight percent.

In-house Electricity Generation

Our PV systems in Ried were installed in 2019 (200 kWp) and 2020 (100 kWp) on the roofs of the company buildings. We consume 90 percent of the electricity generated ourselves, the rest is fed into the public grid. After the static and energetic renovation of one of our roof surfaces, a further expansion of our own electricity production is planned in the following years.

We have not yet installed any photovoltaic systems at the Mukachevo site and there are no plans to do so for the time being because the local energy supply conditions currently make this impossible.

Fuel Consumption

The most important means of transport for our inbound, production and outbound logistics within Europe is the truck. Intercontinental shipments are mainly handled by sea freight.

Incoming and outgoing goods are transported by regionally based carriers at both production sites. The FISCHER Sports fleet therefore does not include any trucks and consists mainly of cars, vans and forklifts.

Energy consumption for our entire fleet in the 2023/24 fiscal year amounted to 1,634 MWh and has thus fallen by almost eight percent compared to the previous year. The share of fuel consumption for the fleet in total energy requirements amounted to 3.5 percent in the reporting period.

Our fleet in Ried includes a gas-powered forklift, a tractor and around 70 cars, of which about 20 serve as pool vehicles. Company cars are available to managers, field staff and race supervisors.

By the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year, the fleet comprised five electric cars. By 2030, we want to electrify a third of the fleet at our headquarters in Ried.

Our fleet in Ukraine consists of eight cars, two small vans, two tractors and ten forklift trucks. The majority of the forklifts are gas-powered, with the remaining vehicles running on diesel or petrol. There are no plans to electrify the fleet in Ukraine for the time being due to the current unstable power supply and the limited charging infrastructure in the country.

Objectives

• Continuous increase in own electricity production

• Expansion of the e-vehicle fleet to 30% by 2030

Measures

• Further expansion of the PV system on the planned roofs and, if appropriate, on open spaces

• Gradual conversion of the car fleet to low-emission or electric vehicles, depending on the usage profile and economic efficiency

Emissions and Climate Protection

Relevance and Impacts

The global average temperature is rising and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Human-induced climate change is affecting the environment, society and the economy at both the regional and global level.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, the United Nations agreed to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius – ideally to 1.5 degrees Celsius – by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve this goal, global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced quickly and significantly. The European Climate Law accordingly aims to achieve climate neutrality throughout the EU by 2050.

A valid database is essential to estimate and reduce the impact of our operational activities on the climate. For this reason, FISCHER Sports had its corporate carbon footprint (CCF) estimated for the first time during the reporting period, based on the data from the 2021/22 fiscal year. The findings obtained are published in this chapter. The Product Carbon Footprints (PCF) of two ski models, which were also determined, are reported in the chapter LifeCycle AssessmentandProductCarbonFootprint (p. 108).

Winter Sports Need Climate Protection

As a ski brand, Fischer is directly affected by the impacts of climate change. There is a direct link between winter snow conditions and demand for our winter sports products.

Although we also export to countries with reliable snow conditions and the risk is therefore somewhat spread, we

have to deal with the potential financial consequences of climate change.

Regardless of this, we are already actively reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and thus making an important contribution to climate protection. FISCHER Sports has already taken effective steps to improve its greenhouse gas balance by purchasing electricity from renewable sources, investing in its own photovoltaic systems, converting the heating supply in Ried to geothermal energy and generating heat in Mukachevo from wood.

To identify further potential savings, we commissioned Wolfgang Pekny – an experienced life cycle assessor and founder of footprint-consult e.U. – to estimate the corporate carbon footprint of FISCHER Sports.

Rough Estimate of Carbon Footprint

Creating a comprehensive climate balance for a company with internationally connected supply chains and complex production processes in which numerous materials are processed is a challenging task. A step-by-step approach is recommended. The Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) of Fischer Sports estimated in the pilot project serves as an initial approximation to identify the main sources of emissions. This promotes awareness and knowledge within the company about the areas in which there is significant potential for improvement.

The results are not yet suitable for time series comparisons or comparisons with other companies. Although the CCF was estimated in line with the methodological procedures of ISO 14064, not all requirements could be met. This is mainly due to the lack of clarity regarding the company and system boundaries, as well as missing or uncertain life cycle inventory data. Furthermore, there is a need for further clarification due to the divergent requirements and the wide scope for interpretation offered by the current standards and norms for greenhouse gas accounting.

Details on the methodology and standards on which the calculation of the CCF and the Product Carbon Footprint (PCFs) are based are discussed in the chapter “Life Cycle Assessment and Product Carbon Footprint” in the section MethodologicalPrinciplesandStandards (p. 108).

Background and Limitations

In the present study, the expenditures at the two production sites in Ried and Mukachevo were recorded, including energy requirements, material inputs, employee expenses and overheads. Due to the complexity of the manufacturing processes, it was not possible to precisely define the material flows between these locations and other companies involved in the manufacturing chain. The system boundary was set at the factory gate. Accordingly, the climate impact was only determined up to the point where the products leave the factory.

Determining the CCF was further complicated by the fact that FISCHER Sports not only manufactures its own products, but also has some of them produced by production partners. The greenhouse gas emissions associated with these products must also be recorded and disclosed for future EU reporting requirements. Although a rough estimate of these emissions has been made, it can only be considered a preliminary approximation, despite the considerable effort involved.

In addition, the 2021/22 reporting year was atypical and not representative because demand was lower and production activity was restricted at times due to the coronavirus

pandemic. In addition, our ski production in Ukraine was at a standstill during this fiscal year following the fire at the Mukachevo plant.

Target and Scope of the Study

FISCHER Sports' initial carbon footprint assessment aimed to prepare for the mandatory future disclosure of GHG emissions under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The results should also help to identify the main sources of emissions and the associated reduction potential. This provides clues for evaluating the impacts, opportunities and risks in the context of the upcoming materiality analysis and at the same time forms the basis for targeted ecological improvements within the company and in the upstream and downstream production chain.

Life Cycle Inventory

The life cycle inventory (LCI) was collected using extensive Excel formulae. The materials and production-related expenses, including energy consumption, employee mobility, business travel and waste management, were recorded. The pro-rata expense for the production of machines and buildings (Stocks) was also taken into account.

The effort for planning, transportation and packaging of the purchased materials was only roughly estimated. Marketing activities were recorded on the basis of the costs. The effort of supporting winter sports competitions is not included.

The use phase of the products and the expenses as well as possible life cycle credits at the end of the useful life were not yet modeled in this study, in line with the defined system boundary.

Further information on the preparation of the life cycle inventory can be found in the chapter ComprehensiveLife CycleInventorywithLimitedDataAvailability (p. 109).

The following illustration breaks down the emissions considered by scope according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

*Itisdebatabletowhatextentthegreenhousegasemissions causedbypracticingthesportcanbeattributedtothe greenhousegasbalanceofthesportinggoodsmanufacturers. Thisisnotcurrentlyregulatedandtheextentofthe associated emissions cannotbereliablyestimated.

Impact Assessment

In this pilot project, the assessment of environmental impacts was limited to climate impacts. However, if all of the requested data is collected in the future, it will be possible to estimate all of the other environmental impacts in addition to the carbon footprint. The climate impacts were estimated for each input and output of the life cycle inventory analysis using greenhouse gas emission factors from the LCA specialist.

When collecting the data on emissions from FISCHER Sports, all seven greenhouse gases (GHG) regulated in the Kyoto Protocol were taken into account. These include:

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)

• Methane (CH4)

• Nitrous oxide (N2O)

• Partially halogenated hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

• Perfluorinated hydrofluorocarbons (PFCs)

• Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

• Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)

The determined emissions were converted into CO2 equivalents (CO2e). The necessary emission factors for materials and transportation were taken from the ECOINVENT 3.9.1 database. For energy in Austria and transportation, data was also used that is calculated and published annually by the Austrian Federal Environment Agency for the “Austrian Air Pollutant Inventory”.

The fact that not only data gaps in the life cycle inventory, but also different assessments of the climate impact affect the overall result and make it difficult to compare different inventories is discussed in the chapter on life cycle assessment and product carbon footprint under Impact AssessmentwithModellingVariability (p. 110), using the example of the assessment of wood as an energy source.

Another question relevant for the result of the climate balance of Fischer Sports is the evaluation of the climate impact of electricity consumption. There is still no satisfactory regulation for this either, and accordingly, there are different approaches in the impact assessment.

Rigorous Eco Rating of NonCertified Green Electricity

Wolfang Pekny and other life cycle analysis (LCA) practitioners believe that the greenhouse gas emissions attributed to electricity consumption should reflect the actual contribution to energy system transformation. And this is regardless of what the legally prescribed accounting and reporting regulations allow, or whether certain statements by electricity providers and the accounting approaches on which they are based comply with technical conventions (e.g. ISO standards).

Contrary to the information provided by the supplier, who states 0 g CO2/kWh for the product we purchased on the annual electricity bill for 2021, Pekny has therefore calculated the electricity consumption at its headquarters in Ried at 148 grams for the market-based approach. This value is reported by the electricity supplier for the supplier mix.

For the calculation according to the location-based approach, 200 grams per kilowatt hour was calculated. This is the emission factor that the Federal Environment Agency reports for the Austrian electricity mix in 2021.

For the electricity purchased in Mukachevo, we did not receive any information from the supplier about the productrelated electricity mix and greenhouse gas emissions. In view of the war and its impact on the country's electricity supply, this information would have been questionable anyway. Therefore, the emission factor for the “Eastern European electricity mix”, which was 520 grams of CO2e per kilowatt hour, was used to assess the climate impact of the electricity consumption at our production site in Ukraine.

Evaluation and Findings

Since there are still uncertainties regarding the system boundaries, the life cycle inventories still have some gaps and the different approaches to the impact assessment can lead to significant shifts in the results, FISCHER has decided not to publish detailed results for the corporate carbon footprint. In the following, we report only on the findings that are considered certain regarding conditions and savings potential, which enable us to make targeted improvements in the interest of climate protection.

In principle, the winter sports articles that we manufacture and distribute are minimal in relation to the overall climate impact caused by the practice of the sport (see also Notably: The Ski Is Not the Main Problem; p. 110).

However, this does not relieve us of the responsibility to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our direct and indirect spheres of influence. By estimating our corporate carbon footprint, we know where we can contribute most effectively to climate protection.

Results and Potential for Improvement

The presentation of the corporate carbon footprint, differentiated according to the three scopes, shows that 88.4 percent of total emissions arise in the Scope 3 area, while the directly influenceable areas of Scope 1 and Scope 2 account for only 2.7 and 8.9 percent respectively.

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with the energy generated from wood for process and space heating in Ukraine are not included in the results. This applies to both the emissions caused in the value chain and those caused by combustion directly in our biomass heating plant. This approach is in line with the requirements of the GRI Standards – which in turn are based on the guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – but it is technically controversial (see Challenge:Eco-Assessment of Wood; p. 110).

*Thesharesoftotalemissionsassociatedwithelectricity consumptionarebasedonthelocation-basedapproach.A market-basedcalculationoftotalemissionswasnotpossible duetoalackofinformationabouttheelectricityproduct purchasedinUkraine

The first estimate of Fischer's CCF showed that more than three quarters of our total emissions were related to the materials and goods we purchased. Goods alone accounted for around 62 percent, although this figure is only a rough approximation and may change significantly upon closer examination, especially since the data (e.g. information from suppliers, literature values) is still very patchy.

Nevertheless, it can be assumed with certainty that in the 2021/22 reporting year, by far the largest share of our CCF was attributable to merchandise.

The raw materials and intermediate products from which we manufacture our own products accounted for about 15 percent of the CCF. The largest items within this group were plastic granulates, adhesives, laminates, aluminum alloys, and cardboard.

This suggests that we need to focus on merchandise and materials in particular in order to improve our greenhouse gas balance. The basic prerequisite for targeted optimization is that we close data gaps and improve data quality.

To this end, we will in future be asking our suppliers for more information about the products supplied and how they are manufactured, so that we can subsequently align procurement more closely with sustainability criteria. We have already started to implement supply chain software to support this.

Further potential savings exist in the area of energy, both in terms of energy efficiency and with regard to reducing the share of fossil fuels in our overall energy needs – see also EvaluationandFindings (p. 110).

Most of our employees use their cars to get to and from work. Here, too, we want to create offers and set incentives that contribute to more sustainable mobility behavior and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Objective

• Implementation of a detailed CO2 reduction plan with the aim of reducing the corporate carbon footprint by 40% by 2040.

Measures

• Develop an energy concept for the production sites in Ried and Mukachevo by 2027/28 with the aim of gradually expanding the fossil-free energy supply.

• Reduction of process heat to lower temperatures

• Determining a detailed CO2 reduction path and joining relevant initiatives, if applicable, to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

• Annual calculation of the corporate carbon footprint across all locations

• Ongoing monitoring of CO2 reduction progress and targets

Water and Wastewater

Relevance and Impact

Water is a scarce resource. Although it covers more than twothirds of the earth's surface, only a small portion of it is suitable as drinking water, for food preparation or for irrigation.

Due to the ongoing climate change, the usable fresh water reserves worldwide are coming under pressure. Problems also arise from the uneven regional distribution of water resources, the increasing water consumption and the increasing water pollution.

Austria is considered a country rich in water. And at our location in Ukraine, the water supply is also currently secured. However, Europe is not immune to climatic changes and increasingly frequent and prolonged heat waves with little precipitation and the resulting regional water shortages. The problem is exacerbated by the melting of glaciers, which currently release water continuously during the dry periods in summer. As they disappear, their function as water reservoirs will also be lost.

The water stress indicator measures whether the renewable surface and groundwater supplies in an area are sufficient to meet the demand of humans and the needs of ecosystems. Water demand includes use in households, industry, irrigation and livestock farming. The available renewable water supplies take into account the impact of upstream water users and large dams on the availability of water downstream. Higher values indicate greater competition between users. 6

For the area around our company headquarters in Ried im Innkreis, the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas classifies water

stress – both currently and for the period up to 2050 – as “low” (< 10%).

According to AQUEDUCT, the water stress at the location of our Ukrainian production plant is currently “medium to high” (20% to 40%) and is not expected to worsen until 2050. So far, no problems have arisen regarding water scarcity. Nevertheless, we want to address the potential water stress and other possible water risks in Mukachevo more intensively in the context of the next materiality analysis at the latest and look for solutions if necessary.

In any case, careful use of water as a vital resource is imperative. FISCHER Sports abstracted an average of 75,788 cubic meters of water per year during the reporting period.

Water Abstraction

No water from rivers or lakes is used at our production sites. Both have their own wells. In Mukachevo, all the water needed is taken from our well. In Ried, the drinking water and the majority of the process water comes from the public water supply. A small part of the process water comes from the well.

FISCHER Sports is committed to the economical use of this valuable resource. In 2021, the company commissioned a new water treatment plant that allows our cooling water to be reused several times (three to four times) before fresh water has to be added again

6 Source: Aqueduct 4.0, accessed from https://www.wri.org/data/aqueduct-waterrisk-atlas in May 2024

The development of annual water withdrawal in the reporting period (see table below) is atypical and can be attributed to the major fire at our Ukrainian plant: In the fiscal year 2021/22, ski production in Mukachevo was discontinued due to this event, but a larger amount of water was used for construction work. The lower water withdrawal in the fiscal year 2022/23 is due to the fact that ski production at our Ukrainian plant was not resumed until the middle of the year, meaning that less water was required for the production processes. It was only in the last reporting year that production was resumed for the full year.

Average value in the reporting period: 75,788 cubic meters

Only fresh water (≤1000 mg/l total solids) was withdrawn. No water is withdrawn from areas with high water stress (> 40%).

Wastewater

The wastewater from our production plants consists mainly of the process water that Fischer needs for heating and cooling in its production processes. All wastewater is discharged into the public sewer system and fed to a wastewater treatment plant.

In Ried, we have a wastewater contract with the Reinhalteverband der Stadt Ried (Municipal Sanitation of the City of Ried), which regulates how much production wastewater per day and in what quality may be discharged into the public sewer system.

Before discharge, we measure and document the required parameters: chlorine, phosphorus, AOX (adsorbable organically bound halogens, i.e. organic chlorine, bromine and iodine compounds) and a parameter for determining oxidizing agents in the wastewater.

To achieve the required wastewater quality, we treat about a third of the wastewater in our own treatment plant at our main factory before it is discharged into the sewer system. This filters coarse, abrasive particles and adhering components out of the water before it is fed into FISCHER's own wastewater sewer, which empties into the public sewer system. The wastewater pipes and inlet shafts of the 2,200meter-long internal sewer system were gradually rehabilitated from 2017 onwards, thus preventing the unintentional seepage of wastewater. The project was completed in the 2022/23 fiscal year.

In Mukachevo, all wastewater is discharged into the public sewer system and into the municipal wastewater treatment plant without prior treatment.

Modernization to Reduce Phosphorus Levels

Until 2022, the FISCHER parent plant in Ried was dependent on an official exemption regarding the phosphorus content in the process water because the limit value in our cooling water system was exceeded. From 2022, we were able to comply with the limit for discharge into the public sewer system by modernizing our cooling water system, including continuous cooling water filtration.

Once a year, an external inspection is carried out by the water authority, during which 13 parameters of our industrial wastewater are tested. The last inspection took place in June 2024 and showed that all limits were met.

Rainwater

In Mukachevo, rainwater is discharged directly into the public sewer system, via which it is fed to the municipal wastewater treatment plant.

At the FISCHER headquarters in Ried, we operate our own sewer system for rainwater, the main pipes and shafts of which were renovated between 2022 and 2024.

Of our 75,000 square meters of land, about one third is undeveloped, two thirds of the soil are sealed. Rainwater and meltwater from the sealed surfaces, roof surfaces, and paved driveways and parking lots are directed into the designated sewer system and then into our retention basin. From there, the water is gradually fed into the Oberach via a throttle system – at most the maximum amount approved by the authorities.

Drinking Water

It is just as important to us to use water in an environmentally friendly way as it is to provide our employees with easy access to drinking water. That is why in 2020 we replaced our 33-gallon water dispensers, which were located throughout the company, with 24 dispensers that are fed from the city's public water supply. The new drinking water dispensers are equipped with ultrafiltration and UV disinfection. This changeover saves us 2,800 gallons of plastic and plastic transport annually. In addition, each employee received a water bottle with the aim of significantly reducing the number of disposable cups.

Corporate Waste Management

Relevance and Impact

The amount of waste generated worldwide is increasing, and only a small proportion of it is reused or properly recycled. In many countries, environmental awareness is as inadequate as public waste management, which has devastating effects on humans, animals, soil, air and water. For example, the dumping of untreated waste results in the loss of recyclable materials on the one hand and a number of environmental and health hazards on the other.

In Austria, both awareness of the problem and waste management are well developed, but increasing consumption is nevertheless reflected in a rising volume of waste. As in all European countries, there is still potential for avoiding waste and recycling materials.

The Austrian Waste Management Act provides the central legal basis. In Ukraine, the local waste law must be observed, which regulates waste collection, waste logistics, waste treatment and the prescribed controls.

During the reporting period, an average of 1,874 tons of waste was generated annually at FISCHER Sports, of which around 60 tons was hazardous waste.

Waste Generation

The amount of waste generated by FISCHER Sports correlates with the mass of goods produced. The increasing amounts of waste in the reporting period is due to the fact that after the major fire at the Mukachevo plant, ski production there came to a halt in the 2021/22 fiscal year and only restarted in the middle of the 2022/23 fiscal year. In 2023/24, production was back to full capacity, causing the amount of waste to rise to 2,296 tons.

Construction waste and other non-production-related waste generated in connection with the reconstruction of the Mukachevo plant and the renovation of the buildings in Ried were properly disposed of but are not included in the data.

Non-Hazardous Waste

In the reporting period, the FISCHER production plants in Ried and Mukachevo generated an average of 1,813 tons of non-hazardous waste per year. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the figure was around 2,243 tons.

The largest share of the waste generated by FISCHER Sports is general industrial waste, of which an average of 1,173 tons per year was generated during the reporting period. Other significant fractions generated at both production sites are scrap iron and aluminum waste at 137 tons, plastic waste at 105 tons, and cardboard and waste paper, also at 105 tons.

Hazardous waste

During the reporting period, an average of 60 tons of hazardous waste per year was generated at the FISCHER production plants. Thus, the share of hazardous waste in the total waste mass was on average 3.3 percent. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the figure was 53 tons or 2.4 percent.

The Austrian Waste Management Act and the Ukrainian Waste Management Act define which types of waste are classified as hazardous and are therefore subject to increased monitoring.

We subdivide hazardous waste into liquid and viscous waste, oily waste, spray cans and fluorescent tubes. The first group includes, for example, paints, varnishes and resins, while oily waste includes fuel and lubricant residues.

We store all hazardous substances in drums or barrels in our warehouses until they are picked up by a licensed company.

Waste Prevention, Treatment, and Recycling

In the so-called waste treatment hierarchy, waste prevention is at the top. Unavoidable waste should, wherever possible, be sent for recovery. These are prioritized as follows in the Austrian circular economy strategy:

• Processing for reuse, for example by repair

• Recovery of raw materials through recycling

• Energy generation through thermal utilization

Landfilling, the least favorable option, should always be carried out properly.

Ideally, waste prevention should take place in the upstream supply chain. For example, plastic waste that arises during the production of FISCHER ski boots at our production partner's premises is already being re-granulated and recycled there.

Within its own sphere of influence, FISCHER is taking measures to avoid waste from the development process and production.

Reduction of Plastic Waste

• With the 10 percent reduction of the surface film made of polyethylene, we have already been able to avoid several tons of plastic waste.

Reduction of Wood Waste

• During the production of the wooden core of the new Adventure cross-country ski collection, milling and grinding waste was minimized.

• At our production site in Ukraine, unavoidable wood waste is fed into our own biomass heating plant.

• Switching from a 6-millimetre to a 3-millimetre saw blade saves several tons of wood shavings waste every year.

• The dual use of the wooden wedge not only results in a 45 percent material saving, but also in an annual reduction of several tons of wood waste.

Some of our waste – an average of 287 tons per year during the reporting period – is passed on to recycling companies to enable the reuse of resources. In this way, waste such as paper, cardboard, iron and spray cans were processed into secondary raw materials and can thus continue to be recycled.

In Austria, waste that is not recycled is incinerated with energy recovery in order to generate electricity or district heating. Some of this waste is also used in the cement industry as a substitute for fossil primary fuels. Waste incinerators and cement plants in the European Union are subject to strict emission regulations. This ensures that negative impacts on the environment are minimized.

For the Mukachevo site, we were unable to obtain reliable information on the disposal procedures for waste that was not recycled but passed on for disposal. This waste is listed

in its entirety under “other disposal methods” in the following table.

In view of the mandatory sustainability reporting in accordance with the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), we will work to obtain the necessary information from the disposal companies in the future in order to improve the quality of our data in waste reporting.

The basis for this is the Ukrainian law on waste treatment that came into force in July 2023. It requires that the transfer of waste from the waste producer to the waste management company is based on a contract in which the volume and the process for recovery or disposal are specified for all waste fractions.

Waste Logistics and Waste Treatment

At the main plant in Ried, the storage and disposal of waste is regulated by the waste management concept of FISCHER Sports, which can be viewed by all employees on our intranet.

The facility management department provides the production areas with collection containers for the separate collection of waste. The production managers are responsible for ensuring that the waste from their departments is taken to the collection points defined for the individual types of waste.

The Facility Management department is responsible for the intermediate storage and organization of disposal. Commercial waste, aluminum shavings, cardboard and wood are stored in separate containers. Sheet metal, scrap metal, electronic scrap, empty containers and batteries are stored in the internal waste collection center. Waste requiring monitoring and combustible materials are stored in a separate storage room until they are picked up.

All waste is handed over to certified disposal and recycling companies that are geared towards the highest possible level of material recycling.

According to the Austrian Packaging Ordinance, companies are obliged to take back their sales and transport packaging. FISCHER uses the legally created option of transferring its disposal obligation to ARA (Altstoff Recycling Austria), a company that is highly specialized in this field, by means of a so-called dispensation fee.

In Mukachevo, too, waste is collected and sorted before being handed over separately to the respective responsible and licensed authorities. Recyclable non-hazardous waste is passed on to commercial waste recycling organizations that process it into secondary raw materials. Non-recyclable nonhazardous waste is handed over to a waste treatment organization licensed on the basis of the applicable laws. We also hand over hazardous waste to specialized and licensed waste treatment companies in Mukachevo.

Objective

• Reduce the amount of waste by 10% by 2030

Measures

• Optimize the use of materials along the entire value stream

• Increase the recycling rate for packaging by 2030

Attractive Employer

Our

Approach

People are the focus at FISCHER Sports. Recognized as one of the most popular employers in Austria and an exemplary training company in the region, FISCHER Sports offers a stable working environment with exciting prospects. Employees of all ages have room for individual development in all areas. Many employees who started their professional career as apprentices are now valued skilled workers, specialists or managers in the company.

Many people can identify with the well-known, strong FISCHER brand – especially in sports communities. Existing and potential employees share a passion for the product, for sports and for the brand. As a basis for long-term cooperation, the values of employer and employee must largely correspond. Therefore, we pay attention to authentic and open communication when recruiting. A good “cultural fit” between our company and new employees is beneficial for everyone involved. Because those who fit well into the team as people will feel comfortable in their new job, are motivated and stay with the company.

We are also addressing the current personnel bottleneck with comprehensive training and further education programs. Our goal is to provide our employees with the best possible qualifications and to employ them as specialists at FISCHER Sports in the long term.

We therefore pay particular attention to apprentice training in Austria and to attractive social benefits. The family-owned company also embraces social responsibility by welcoming

people with health restrictions or disadvantages in the labor market.

Our innovative strength, technological and product leadership depend to a large extent on the expertise and commitment of our workforce. We expect genuine commitment and uncompromising quality from our employees in their work. In return, we try to meet their personal needs as best we can and support them in their development. This includes individual training opportunities, fair opportunities for all and a good work-life balance.

In the spirit of respectful cooperation, FISCHER Sports fosters a feedback and learning culture on an equal footing. An important tool for mutual understanding and the joint pursuit of professional goals are the annual employee appraisals with the respective manager. An open-door policy is also part of the relaxed, collegial working atmosphere. Each and every individual is encouraged to contribute their own ideas for improving the working environment, processes or cooperation. Flat hierarchies and responsibility in the team promote entrepreneurial thinking.

Personnel Management and Employee

Representation

Two separate works councils – one for shift workers and one for salaried employees – represent the interests of the FISCHER Sports workforce in Ried im Innkreis. The framework collective agreement for salaried employees and the collective agreement for hourly workers in the woodworking industry apply. In Mukachevo, all employees are members of the trade union and the individual

departments are represented on the trade union committee. The cooperation between management and the union is regulated in the collective agreement. Our employees in France and Germany are also covered by collective agreements. In 2023/24, 91.2 percent of our global workforce was thus covered by collective agreements.

The remuneration of all employees of FISCHER Sports GmbH in Austria is above the collectively agreed rates and in Ukraine it exceeds the statutory minimum wage many times over (see

In all countries in which FISCHER Sports operates, the respective laws apply as the minimum standard.

The personnel management of FISCHER Sports in Ried im Innkreis reports directly to the management (CFO). All personnel matters – from recruiting to payroll accounting and strategic HR management – are handled in-house. The HR department sees itself as a point of contact for the concerns of all employees.

The development goals in human resources are part of the individual target agreement of the head of HR. Whether these goals have been achieved and the management approach in human resources is generally effective is evaluated in the annual performance review by the responsible managing director.

Employees are continuously provided with up-to-date information on the intranet and via notices. Our employee magazine Insider is published four times a year. A modern communication area with seating booths has been set up in the foyer for informal and cross-departmental exchange.

The human resources management in Mukachevo is relatively independent, in line with the circumstances of the Ukrainian location. The fire at the plant at the end of 2020 and the Russian military attack at the beginning of 2022 were turning points for the company and its workforce. Despite the exceptional circumstances and the enormous challenges they have posed, FISCHER Sports is doing everything it can to offer its employees in Ukraine attractive, secure jobs.

oftheentireFischerSportsworkforceisemployedin Ukraine.Thesometimesdramaticchangesinthenumberof employees,whichcanbeattributedtothefireattheplant, theresumptionofproductionandthewarinthecountry, thereforealsohaveasignificantimpactontheaggregated employeedata.

Guiding Principles

Employment and Quality of Employer:

• Our managers at all levels are characterized by ethical behavior, employee-oriented leadership, and a feedback and learning culture based on mutual respect.

• We offer our employees an attractive working environment with numerous voluntary social benefits and a good work-life balance.

• We value a relaxed, cooperative working atmosphere, but at the same time we expect a high level of commitment from our employees and teams.

Occupational Safety, Employee Protection, and Human Rights:

• We promote the health of our employees and ensure their safety in the workplace.

• We create a working environment based on the following internationally recognized social and labor standards: MNO declaration and core labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO) as well as OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

• FISCHER Sports is committed to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and promotes compliance with them.

Training and Ongoing Development:

• We support our employees in their development and professional careers through regular performance reviews and targeted training and further education opportunities.

• We take on new apprentices every year and train them to become qualified specialists.

Diversity and Equal Opportunities:

• We are an inclusive company, and diversity and equal opportunities within our workforce are a matter of course for us.

Strategic Objectives

To Be Perceived as an Attractive, Modern and Future-Oriented Employer

• Increase employee satisfaction and loyalty

• Strengthening employer branding and increasing visibility

• Reduced fluctuation: blue-collar workers < 9%, white-collar workers < 7%

• Systematic training and continuing education to meet the challenges of the labor shortage and to qualify our employees for operational requirements.

• Increasing the proportion of women in the company at all levels

• Promoting an inclusive, open and international corporate culture and avoiding any kind of discrimination

Creating Safe Working Conditions and Promoting Employee Wellbeing

• Promoting physical and mental health to ensure an attractive working environment

• Complying with all legal requirements regarding occupational safety

Employment and Quality of Employer

Relevance and Impact

The desire for an attractive work environment is growing, especially among the younger generation. That is why employer branding measures that are effective both internally and externally are becoming increasingly important for retaining employees and attracting suitable new people to the team. The stronger the employer brand is perceived in the region and by the target groups, the more promising applications the company will receive.

Happy employees are motivated, loyal and productive members of the company. In addition to an interesting range of tasks, monetary and human recognition is crucial for this. Leadership style, working atmosphere, a sense of achievement, flexible working options and career opportunities are further important factors for team satisfaction.

FISCHER Sports offers a total of 1,232 employees worldwide a wide range of jobs. The majority of the workforce is employed at the headquarters in Ried im Innkreis and at the Ukrainian plant in Mukachevo.

Although the Innviertel region is one of Austria's fastestgrowing industrial regions and the labor market in the production sector is highly competitive, FISCHER Sports is able to attract and retain employees.

Workforce Structure

As of the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year, the workforce at the headquarters in Ried im Innkreis consisted of 467 people, of whom 12 – six girls and six boys – were completing an apprenticeship. In Ukraine, 642 people were employed at our plant. Almost three quarters of the employees at Fischer Sports are men, although the proportion of women rose slightly from 26.8% to 27.0% during the reporting period.

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Predominantly Unlimited Full-Time Employment

The percentage of part-time employees remained relatively constant during the reporting period and most recently accounted for 7.6% of the total workforce.

There are almost no part-time employees in Ukraine, but a relatively large number in Austria: 37.7% of female and 11.9% of male employees in Ried had a part-time position at the end of 2023/24. The proportion of part-time workers rose by around 3 percentage points during the reporting period for both women and men.

The personnel management team uses proven measures to counter seasonal fluctuations, which result from the winter sports season and retail purchasing cycles: a time-balancing model for the core workforce enables the accumulation and reduction of overtime over the course of the year. In addition, holiday interns and temporary workers are employed to cover peak demand.

In the reporting period, only Austria had employees on temporary contracts. These included holiday workers, interns and employees at ski events. The proportion of employees with temporary contracts is negligible in relation to the total workforce. In 2023/24 it was 2.1%.

In principle, the benefits for employees (see VoluntarySocial Benefits; p. 84) also benefit those who work part-time or on a temporary basis for FISCHER Sports.

Exceptional Employee Fluctuation

Due to the circumstances in Ukraine, the fluctuation in the reporting period was not representative for the company as a whole. FISCHER Sports' goal of keeping the fluctuation rate below 7% for salaried employees and below 9% for shift workers therefore only applies to the workforce excluding Mukachevo for the time being. It only records external fluctuation, excluding internal job changes and natural wastage such as retirements.

The fluctuation rate in the following tables includes all employees who have left, i.e. it also includes the so-called natural fluctuation resulting from retirements and deaths. However, it does not include fixed-term employment relationships or leaves of absence.

Fluctuation in Austria

The younger the employees, the greater their willingness to change jobs. People under 30 are less attached to their job or place of residence and want to gain different work experiences. Especially in the catchment area of Ried, the labor market currently offers numerous opportunities for those seeking a career change.

The fluctuation rate in the under-30 age group therefore increased during the reporting period and was higher than in the other two age categories in the last two fiscal years.

Fluctuation in Ukraine

After the fire in the ski manufacturing hall in Mukachevo at the end of 2020, the original headcount of around 1,000 employees in Ukraine fell sharply. Some of the workforce was deployed in other production areas or for clean-up work, some were released from work with two-thirds pay replacement in accordance with the legislation for force majeure, and 138 employees had to be laid off. In the 2022/23 fiscal year, the new production facilities in Mukachevo gradually commenced operations, which is why a large number of employees were hired again, including all employees who had been laid off after the fire and who applied for a job after the reconstruction.

In the course of the ongoing war, almost 100 men have been drafted into military service so far. Their positions had to be refilled and kept open for their return. Employees serving in the military are not included in the key figures. However, they are not listed as former employees in the following table. In the event of their return, they are reinstated in the employee figures, but are not counted among the newly hired employees. The people hired to replace them appear in the new hires.

Fluctuation in Other Countries

Staff reductions in other countries in 2022 are due to the Russian war of aggression. After the war began, activities in Russia were severely curtailed, resulting in a reduction in the number of staff there.

Fluctuating Number of Employment Agency Staff

The loss of production due to the fire in Mukachevo at the end of 2020 made it necessary to temporarily increase capacity in Ried. Most of these additional jobs were filled by personnel from temp companies.

The unusually high number of temporary workers for FISCHER Sports can also be explained by the high fluctuation in this context: setting up shift work and training new employees are labor-intensive processes. It proved difficult to find enough suitable people for all areas of work. As a result, there were often several – sometimes only shortterm – employment relationships for each vacancy. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the number of temporary workers returned to the level seen before the fire.

Employer Branding and Recruiting

Successful employer branding facilitates recruiting on the one hand and promotes employee retention on the other. We use a wide range of contact and presentation opportunities to address the right specialists in a targeted manner for all areas of the company. We are increasingly communicating the benefits and career opportunities that distinguish FISCHER Sports as an employer.

In doing so, we strive for an honest dialog with potential and existing employees.

The successes of FISCHER Race Family athletes, such as medals at the Olympics or victories at the World Championships, strengthen the visibility of the brand and thus also its attractiveness as an employer. Digital channels are playing an increasingly important role in maintaining the image of the traditional brand.

The plant in Mukachevo advertises for new employees with radio spots and video clips on public transportation as well as on internet platforms and social networks.

In Upper Austria, FISCHER Sports is once again presenting itself as a training company in schools and at trade fairs after the pandemic-related restrictions. In addition to placing job ads, new digital measures were implemented in 2022:

• Implementation of a LinkedIn company profile

• Storytelling on the topic of employer branding on social media

• Videos and photos on the topic of “employees behind the scenes” as an online marketing campaign

• Videos of apprentices were shot and posted online

We want to convey a true and fair view to potential applicants by means of precisely defined job profiles. Team members and managers are involved in the application process in order to gain a better impression of whether the applicant's values – such as team spirit and hands-on mentality – match our own. Ultimately, everyone benefits when cooperation works well not only professionally but also interpersonally.

Award-Winning Employer

Every year, the business magazine Trend, together with the market research institute Statista and the career networks Xing and kununu, compiles a ranking of the best employers in Austria. FISCHER Sports was named a top employer in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

From over 200,000 reviews for more than 1,000 companies, FISCHER Sports was ranked 9th among the top employers in Austria in the “Consumer Goods” category in 2022 and 6th in 2024, and was ranked first in Upper Austria in both years. The greatest influence on the overall result is the willingness of the employees of the respective companies who were surveyed online to recommend their company of the respective companies.

Voluntary Social Benefits

Salaried employees and workers at the headquarters in Austria benefit from a range of advantages:

• Subsidized lunch menus in the canteen

• FISCHER Academy with free internal and external training opportunities

• Flexible working time models and home office options

• Health and fitness offers and, among other things, the opportunity to lease a bike of your choice via LeaseMyBike

• Free rental of the latest FISCHER Sports products

• Employee discounts (FISCHER Shop, Löffler Shop and other local businesses)

• Events such as joint ski days, cross-country skiing, tennis, curling, company championships and trips to sporting events (World Championships, 4-Hills Tournament, ice hockey games, etc.)

• The works council pays 50 euros on the occasion of the birth of a child or a marriage.

• Certain long-time employees receive a financial bonus in the form of a jubilee bonus and one week of special leave.

Apprentices also receive a free ticket for public transport in Upper Austria and a free lunch in the canteen. Those who opt for the apprenticeship with Matura can take advantage of one training session Friday per month during the course periods. Apprentice excursions and meetings with prominent sports personalities round off the apprenticeship at FISCHER Sports. The company rewards the successful completion of the apprenticeship with special bonuses and a pair of skis designed by the apprentice themselves.

The employees of FISCHER Sports in Mukachevo are offered the following benefits:

• Meals at reduced prices

• Free shuttle service to and from the factory

• One health check per year

The home office options were greatly expanded during the coronavirus pandemic and will remain available to employees in the future thanks to increasing digitalization. FISCHER Sports provides laptops for this purpose, has introduced MS Teams as a central collaboration tool for joint document processing and included a home office regulation in the company agreement in 2022.

Onboarding

We want new colleagues to feel that they are in good hands with us from the outset. After accepting a job offer, we stay in touch and invite them to a welcome breakfast before they start work. This is where they get to know the team and receive their employment contract.

As part of the “Welcoming” process, on their first day at work, they are greeted by the HR team, informed about all the important issues and accompanied to their department. The manager receives a checklist as a guide to what needs to be done before the new team member starts and in the first few weeks of work.

A feedback meeting with the HR department is scheduled before the end of the probationary month. During the first few months at FISCHER Sports, departmental welcoming events take place: all relevant departments take time for the new employees and give them an insight into their area.

At the Mukachevo site, recruitment is initiated by the respective department head reporting a specific personnel requirement. The search for personnel is carried out via internet platforms, social media, radio and video advertising in public transport. An initial interview takes place in the human resources department. Suitable applicants are invited to a second interview with the head of the department, where they already get to know the relevant workplace.

On their first day at work, the new employee is familiarized with the work plan, the collective agreement, the wage system and the most important protective measures in the relevant departments. A mentor is on hand for the first two weeks to help them settle into their new workplace on the shop floor.

Balancing Family and Career

More and more people expect their jobs to offer them maximum flexibility in terms of workload and time management.

FISCHER Sports accommodates these wishes with a variety of working time models. Different part-time options, flextime, parental and educational leave, home office or sabbaticals enable employees to adapt their working hours to their current phase of life. For example, Austrian employees have increasingly taken advantage of paternity leave in recent years. If employees need time off for personal reasons, we find individual solutions for them using accrued time off, part-time, or parental leave agreements.

We stay in touch with employees on parental leave and continue to invite them to departmental and company events. If employees on parental leave want to work for us for a few hours, we are happy to support them. As part-time employees, they retain their entitlement to the full child care allowance. They stay professionally up to date and integrated into the team during the parental leave period, which makes it easier to re-enter the workforce.

In Austria, the employer is legally obliged to grant a leave of two years after the birth of a child. By assuring mothers and fathers of their return to their jobs even after three years, we accommodate the wish of many parents to take advantage of a longer childcare period.

Most employees return to work at Fischer Sports in Ried after their parental leave. Working time models that enable a combination of work and family commitments are agreed upon request together with supervisors and HR management.

Even years after starting a family, we endeavor to respond flexibly to the changing needs of parents. The retention rate in the company one year after returning from parental leave was 100% across both production sites.

In all other countries where FISCHER Sports employees work, there is also a statutory right to parental leave. In

Austria, more and more men are also taking advantage of this and going on parental leave. In Mukachevo, only women were on parental leave during the reporting period. Paternity leave and part-time work are also possible under Ukrainian law, but are not yet common practice.

The following table contains consolidated data from the two production sites. This data is not yet collected for employees in other countries.

Objectives

• Increase employee satisfaction and retention

• Strengthen employer branding and increase visibility

• Reduced fluctuation: blue-collar workers < 9%, white-collar workers < 7%

Measures

• Strengthening the feedback culture through regular employee surveys.

• Continuous improvement of communication between management, executives and employees to create a transparent and productive work environment.

• Strengthening the work-life balance, e.g. by expanding home office opportunities.

• Expansion of social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

• Redesign of the careers page, including a clear illustration of corporate values, to offer potential employees a transparent insight into the corporate culture.

• Strengthening our position as a top employer

Occupational Health and Safety

Relevance and Impact

The conditions at the workplace contribute significantly to the health of employees. Avoiding the risk of occupational accidents and illnesses is in the interest of everyone – the company, the employees and the general public – because effective preventive measures increase productivity, maintain health and reduce health costs.

Responsible corporate governance goes beyond compliance with all legal requirements for accident prevention, health protection, ergonomics and medical care by supporting a healthy lifestyle in a variety of ways. In this context, the mental health and physical fitness of the workforce is increasingly becoming the focus of workplace health promotion.

Occupational Safety Management to Minimize Hazards

As an employer, FISCHER Sports is obliged under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to identify potential hazards in the workplace and to take effective measures to protect safety and health.

Possible hazards exist, for example, with regard to noise, dust, vapors, indoor climate, mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards, infectious diseases, ergonomics, and excessive physical or mental stress.

In order to minimize the resulting risks of injury and health hazards, FISCHER Sports has established an occupational safety management system that protects employees in production in particular, but also those working in other areas of the company, from hazards. The occupational safety

management system is based on the respective legal requirements in the countries where the company is located.

It is regularly reviewed by the responsible, professionally qualified employees with regard to its effectiveness. Compliance with legal requirements is monitored by the authorities on a case-by-case and random basis.

Organization of Occupational Safety and Health Protection

Although we have not installed a standardized management system at FISCHER Sports that is externally audited and certified, we consistently take responsibility for the comprehensive protection of our workforce.

At the Mukachevo site, officers have been appointed for each production and administrative department to be responsible for health and safety in the workplace. This ensures that a manager is responsible for occupational safety in all structural units and at all times during shift work. Every five years, an evaluation of the workplaces is carried out; the last one took place in September 2023.

At the Ried site, our safety officer has worked with management to develop an effective package of measures based on official requirements and high internal standards.

The occupational safety management system is implemented and continuously improved in collaboration with the responsible occupational physician and the safety officers in the company. The safety officer, occupational physician and safety officers undergo legally required training to qualify for their respective tasks.

The safety officer and the occupational physician evaluate the health hazards that may arise from work processes, work equipment, work materials and workplaces in the company. With their expertise, they are involved in the planning of workplaces and the implementation of new processes and machines. They are also significantly involved in the selection of personal protective equipment. They are involved

in the implementation of rescue plans and in company fire protection.

A detailed health and safety document describing the workflows and the prevention concept can be viewed on the intranet for each machine and each workplace. All employees are obliged to follow the specified protective measures.

Occupational Safety Committee

The occupational safety committee, which consists of the management, a safety specialist, a technical director, two production managers (Alpine and Nordic), ten safety representatives, an occupational physician and a works council representative, meets twice a year.

Safety-related incidents are analyzed and improvement measures, for example to prevent accidents, are discussed and, if necessary, decided upon.

Occupational Safety for Non-Employees

The requirements for occupational safety, fire protection, etc. apply to all employees, including workers from leasing and third-party companies who work in the company. Leasing employees receive the same safety training as the permanent staff.

External companies and their employees who, for example, carry out construction, assembly or maintenance work at FISCHER Sports locations receive detailed safety instructions for their stay on the company premises. This written external company instruction is part of the contract and can be viewed by all parties involved.

FISCHER Sports appoints a coordinator with authority to issue instructions as a point of contact for external professionals and auxiliary staff and to avoid mutual endangerment. In these cases, FISCHER Sports has control over the workplace, while the sending company is responsible for the work processes.

Identifying and Assessing Potential Hazards

FISCHER Sports uses workplace evaluations as a tool to identify hazards in the workplace and to take measures to protect employees.

The workplace evaluation follows two different approaches:

System 1 – plant-related: The potential hazards of plants, individual machines or workplaces are examined closely. This evaluation is to be applied to similar machines or workplaces.

System 2 – task-related: Depending on the job description or area of responsibility (e.g. maintenance, office, porter, picking, material magazine), possible hazards when performing the activity are identified and safety measures defined.

As part of the systematic evaluation, the hazard profile is evaluated with regard to the following factors:

• What is the probability of injury or health impairment?

• How serious could it be?

• How long do people spend in the danger zone?

• Can they recognize dangers and avoid them?

According to these criteria, the dangers are classified on a scale from 0 to 8. 0 means no danger, 1-4 indicates dangers that require appropriate measures to prevent them, and 5-8 means there is an acute danger. In the latter case, work in the affected area must be suspended until the hazard has been eliminated. This ensures that no employees are exposed to an avoidable accident or health risk.

Regardless of the outcome of the workplace evaluation, individual employees can always turn to the safety representative or safety specialist with confidence if they fear a hazard in connection with their work.

In addition, monthly inspections are carried out by the safety specialist, so that every area of the premises is inspected and documented with regard to safety and health protection once a year.

Employee Involvement

Every major department has a safety representative. With 10 safety representatives, more specialists at Fischer Sports are appropriately qualified than are legally required. Each safety representative is the first point of contact for employees at their workplace and advises them on occupational safety. The safety representatives are involved in the occupational safety committee and can put forward suggestions from their departments. The safety officer inspects every production area with the responsible safety representative every quarter, records the results in writing and initiates new measures as needed.

The safety officer and the facility manager are also constantly on the move within the company and are available to answer questions and address concerns from individual employees and safety representatives. As soon as a hazard is identified or a safety-related incident occurs, employees are obliged to report it immediately to the safety representative, safety officer or supervisor. Suggestions for improving occupational safety can also be submitted as part of the idea management (IDM) process.

Training in Occupational Safety and First Aid

All new employees complete basic training to familiarize themselves with fire safety, Escape routes, protective equipment and other important occupational safety topics at FISCHER Sports.

In addition to legally required training on the use of certain work equipment, we hold training courses that are essential for maintaining operations or for the safe operation of machines. Furthermore, all employees receive comprehensive training in their specific area of responsibility and are regularly updated on the latest developments in areas such as safety standards, technical changes or ergonomic workflows.

A 16-hour first-aid course is held by the Red Cross almost every year at the company headquarters in Ried. This ensures that at least 10% of the production staff and 20% of the office staff are registered as first responders, so that first aid can be provided at all times, even in shift work.

Accidents at Work

Employees are trained to respond correctly in the event of an accident at work: shut down the machine, secure the workplace or hazard area, administer first aid, call an ambulance if necessary and notify the safety representative or safety committee.

Every accident is documented internally and reported to the Austrian Workers' Compensation Board (AUVA) in Austria. The workplace or process in question is re-evaluated to avoid future injuries by means of improved protective measures.

The work-related injuries that can be documented are mainly cuts to fingers and hands and bruises to the upper limbs. To minimize the risk of such injuries, scissors or safety knives should be used wherever possible. To avoid bruises, movements at the workplace are evaluated to mitigate potential hazards and risky hand movements.

Currently, work-related injuries are not yet recorded uniformly across the company. The following table therefore only includes data from Austria, excluding contract workers.

FISCHER Sports is not obliged to collect accident data from contract workers, but does so voluntarily and in as much detail as possible.

As far as the completeness of information on absences is concerned, FISCHER Sports relies on the information provided by the respective leasing company responsible. During the reporting period, a total of five work-related injuries were documented for employment agency workers.

Occupational Health Service

The occupational physician is an important member of various committees on the subject of employee protection at FISCHER Sports Austria. His or her legally defined tasks include evaluations – for example of working materials, noise, maternity protection, ergonomics – examinations as a basis for the limit value regulation, anamnesis discussions, control of treatment progress, vaccinations, etc.

The occupational physician provides his or her services twice a week at our headquarters in Ried and acts as a point of contact for work-related illnesses, psychological stress or medical issues.

At the plant in Mukachevo, a treatment room with two nurses on alternating duty – and thus continuously in every shift – is available to the workforce for health concerns. In addition, a doctor is present once a week, to whom employees can turn with medical concerns.

Promoting Health in the Workplace

Cooking classes and sports activities such as running groups and yoga are regularly held to promote healthy eating and exercise among the workforce. These offers are free of charge for anyone who is interested and can be taken up in their free time.

Employees also benefit from reduced gym membership fees and admission discounts at the regional leisure pool.

For several weeks in spring, the canteen offers a daily healthy lunch at the company-sponsored special price of 1 euro.

Exercise programs have been developed to provide physical balance to production and office activities, which can be easily integrated into everyday work. Posters in the premises and department managers encourage teams to do short daily exercise sessions.

Mental Health

Since 2013, our occupational physician has been evaluating the workplaces at the FISCHER Sports headquarters by means of surveys for possible mental stress and suggesting individual measures if necessary.

Managers have been trained for this and employees have been sensitized in workshops to also perceive signs of overload in colleagues and offer support.

FISCHER Sports is a member of the Innviertel Personalnetzwerk (Inn Region Personnel Network) and pays a voluntary contribution to the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) for each employee every year. This gives our employees the opportunity to get therapy quickly and anonymously if they experience mental health issues.

Objectives

• Promoting physical and mental health to ensure an attractive working environment

• Meeting all legal requirements in relation to occupational safety

• Reduction of the number of occupational accidents and lost hours

Measures

• Re-evaluation of the psychological stress at the workplace

• Continuous expansion of awareness of occupational safety and health protection

• Implementing measures and offers for health promotion and continuous improvement of workplace conditions.

• No use of chemicals/substances/materials that are harmful to health in the work processes

Occupational Training and Ongoing Development

Relevance and Impact

The world of work is changing rapidly, especially with regard to technical innovations and social upheaval. Lifelong learning is just as indispensable for individual professional advancement as it is for the future viability of companies. The more a company relies on quality, high-tech and innovation, the more crucial the specialized know-how of its workers and employees becomes.

Dual vocational training in Austria plays a central role in this. Through apprenticeship training, companies gain muchneeded young skilled workers who already have specific qualifications and are integrated into the team. For young people, completing an apprenticeship provides a solid basis for their future career. They can further develop the professional and personal skills they have acquired in the company where they completed their training or use them for other career steps.

In view of the prevailing labor shortage, companies are being challenged to pull out all the stops – from the vocational training of young people to the retraining of interested career changers and the promotion of talent within the company, to maintaining the wealth of experience of long-standing employees. High-quality educational opportunities benefit multiple stakeholders – individual employees, the company, customers, but also the regional labor market.

Apprentice Training at FISCHER Sports

Apprentice training in Austria combines general education, technical theory and technical practice with practical consolidation by applying what has been learned in a company environment. For around 80% of the training period, the training takes place in the training company and for 20% in the vocational school.

Since 1974, FISCHER Sports in Ried has trained around 280 technical and 50 commercial apprentices. 38 young people have completed the apprenticeship with the schoolleaving certificate since its introduction in 2008. Around 90 of the former apprentices are still employed at FISCHER Sports today, some of them in leading positions.

During their three- to four-year apprenticeship, the young people receive a sound basic education in the stable environment of a value-oriented family business.

At the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year, twelve apprentices were in training. The following apprenticeships were offered during the reporting period:

• Process engineering

• Ski construction technology

• Metal technology

• Electrical engineering

• Application development - coding

• IT systems engineering

• Office management

• Finance and accounting assistance

As a recognized “exemplary training company”, FISCHER has been able to use the WKO INEO seal of quality since 2013, which stands for innovation, sustainability, commitment and orientation in apprentice training. After recertification in 2019 and 2022, FISCHER Sports was

awarded the distinction for a further three years in each case.

With a professional, versatile vocational training program, we ensure that our apprentices have many opportunities within the company. All apprentices are integrated into day-to-day business at an early stage in order to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and to benefit from working with experienced employees. Specially qualified apprentice representatives are on hand to support the young people.

Together with its sister company Löffler GmbH, FISCHER Sports runs the “FISCHER-Löffler Apprentice Academy” with subject-specific and personality-building modules. In the workshops, soft skills such as communication skills, selfreflection, team building or presentation techniques are promoted. The program also includes specialized technical courses and topics such as healthy nutrition and exercise. An additional plus in the training of apprentices in the technical field is the company's own training workshop.

After completing their apprenticeships, FISCHER Sports is always happy to take on the young professionals in a regular employment relationship.

Our former apprentices and young professionals have the opportunity to take part in a talent program. The skills and insights acquired in the process serve both their professional careers and their personal development.

Supporting our young professionals is an investment that contributes to the long-term strengthening of our company and at the same time supports the individual development of the participants. Through an extensive range of seminars, mentoring and exchange opportunities, we make a significant contribution to their professional and personal perspectives.

In Ukraine, there is no dual system of vocational training like in Austria, and we do not train apprentices in the other countries where FISCHER Sports employees work either.

Ground-up Training

To fulfill our quality promise to our customers and ensure the long-term success of FISCHER Sports, we rely on highly trained, motivated employees. Those who start with us or change departments receive comprehensive training to ensure smooth processes and consistently high quality standards.

As part of the onboarding process, current employees welcome new colleagues and introduce them to their departments. This familiarizes new team members with the company and also provides them with knowledge on topics such as workplace culture, company guidelines, and employee benefits.

At the plant in Ukraine, new employees complete a paid twoweek induction period with their mentors directly in the workshop. Depending on their area of responsibility, the training program includes an introduction to technological processes, selected IT systems, the creation of documentation and quality control.

Further Development for Employees

We promote the professional qualification and personal development of our employees, because their willingness to change and learn ensures the competitiveness of the company and ultimately the jobs. Especially in technical or legal fields, it is important to always be up to date.

The internal training and further education opportunities are available to all employees free of charge. The individual training measures are planned together with the manager in the course of the employee appraisal interview.

In recent years, the focus of the further training offered has been on management development, project management, digitalization, communication and presentation workshops, and language training.

Regular management training and team leader development also indirectly benefits their employees. The core topics of the external seminars are management, leadership, values, and communication.

Furthermore, employees were trained in the use of MS Teams, which was introduced as a company-wide communication and organization platform at FISCHER Sports. Short learning videos on current training topics are prepared internally and made available to employees via MS Teams. Video-based learning is a useful training opportunity for both the company and individual employees, as the learning videos can be accessed flexibly anytime and anywhere.

English and Italian courses serve international cooperation, while German courses are designed to eliminate language barriers for employees with a migrant background. All courses are completed with a certificate.

To strengthen their understanding of a culture of continuous improvement, all employees attend basic training in Kaizen (p. 19). In addition, topic-specific training is offered, such as 5S (cleanliness at the workplace), value stream or TPM (Total Productive Maintenance).

Employee Performance Reviews

The structured discussions that all employees have with their superiors are a cornerstone of our personnel development. Employees meet with their managers twice a year for a constructive dialog away from day-to-day business. In the spring meeting, previous performance is evaluated and new goals are agreed upon. In the fall meeting, the focus is on personal development and specific training plans.

For blue-collar workers, the employee evaluation meetings take place in February or March, when performance points are also determined. For sales employees with variable salaries, a detailed evaluation of the results of the target agreement is part of the meetings.

FISCHER Sports values mutual feedback in all employee appraisals. Regular exchange serves to create transparency and promotes a trusting working environment.

Lifelong Learning and Permanent Employment

We are keen to keep experienced employees in the company until they retire if possible. If someone is no longer able to perform their usual role for health reasons, FISCHER Sports strives to find individual solutions. This could be a new area of responsibility, an alternative or adapted workplace, a training opportunity or a part-time model.

The specific knowledge gained in the company is valuable capital and gives us a head start for future developments.

It is crucial for the company's success that long-standing employees share their know-how with their colleagues and secure it for the next generation. That is why we encourage cooperation between young and old in our teams and plan succession early on, especially for key positions.

Objective

• Systematic training and further education to meet the challenges of the labor shortage and to qualify our employees for operational requirements.

Measures

• Expansion and standardization of the internal training program

• Annual training of technical and commercial apprentices

• Intensification of cooperation with universities and other scientific organizations (e.g. internships, project cooperation) to ensure know-how and innovative strength.

• Promotion and standardization of internal knowledge exchange

Diversity and Equal Opportunities

Relevance and Impact

A conscious, positive approach to diversity means sincere appreciation and openness to individual differences, but also the active use of diversity as an economic success factor.

Diverse teams can respond more flexibly to challenges, act more innovatively and tap into different markets better. Companies that promote diversity in the workforce and ensure equal opportunities are therefore taking responsibility at the personal, operational and societal level.

It is not only a question of social attitude, but also a competitive advantage in view of the tight labor market situation to address previously underrepresented or disadvantaged groups in recruiting, to integrate them into the team and to promote them internally. Discrimination, for example on the basis of gender, age, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or disability, harms not only the people affected but also the company.

A Clear Position on Diversity and Inclusion

Men and women of different age groups, people with disabilities, with different native languages, cultural backgrounds and lifestyles work at FISCHER Sports. Regardless of their age, gender, marital status, origin, any physical impairment or other diversity characteristics, everyone has the same opportunities for entry and advancement, provided they have the appropriate professional and personal qualifications.

We are convinced that a diverse workforce also has a wide range of solutions for our daily tasks. A broad range of perspectives and ideas increases the creativity in our teams.

Structure of Workforce by Gender and Age

A look at the composition of the workforce shows that about three quarters of the employees at both production sites are men. In management positions, the proportion of men is even slightly higher at 81.2 %. The proportion of female managers has recently fallen by one percent. The reasons for the unequal gender distribution are complex, and not all of the contributing factors can be influenced by us as a company. Nevertheless, we want to increase the proportion of women in general and in management positions in particular.

Advancement of Women

Management positions are currently occupied mainly by men. This may be because in Austria more young men than women choose the apprenticeships we offer.

Due to the increased proportion of women among the next generation of skilled workers, more female employees at FISCHER Sports will also take on management responsibility in the future. We ensure that women in the company have the same opportunities as men and we also personally encourage them to take advantage of career opportunities.

We are committed to attracting women to senior roles and to providing the best possible support to existing female managers to help them develop their potential at FISCHER Sports.

Age Structure and Knowledge Transfer

The demographic change is increasingly being felt in the world of work. In Ukraine, the labor market has been suffering from a low birth rate and the emigration of young people abroad not only since the beginning of the war. Now, the refugee movements and the mobilization of men of working age are also affecting the availability of employees, in addition to all the human tragedies.

At FISCHER Sports in Austria, several long-standing employees are currently approaching retirement age. It is important to fill their positions with suitable people and to ensure the transfer of knowledge in the process. This is another reason why we rely on mixed teams in which older and younger colleagues work together, complementing each other's strengths and learning from each other.

We always have our internal demographics in mind so that we can start targeted personnel development and recruitment at an early stage.

Employees from Various Backgrounds

At our Ried site alone, we employ people from 13 nations. 37 workers and 18 employees have no Austrian citizenship, which makes up around 12 percent of the workforce in Ried. A diversity of cultural and social backgrounds can enrich the teams, but it can also cause tensions and conflicts. To reduce language barriers, FISCHER Sports in Austria offers German language courses for employees with other mother tongues.

Joint activities strengthen the cohesion within the workforce. Colleagues who are new to the team or have recently moved to the area are particularly encouraged to participate, because getting to know each other better outside of the workplace promotes mutual understanding and improves the working atmosphere.

Inclusion of People with Disabilities

We value the professional inclusion of people with disabilities. Numerous colleagues with different physical, sensory or speech impairments or chronic illnesses are or have been employed at FISCHER Sports.

In Austria, we have more than fulfilled the legal requirement to employ one so-called favored disabled person for every 25 employees, which is why no equalization tax was due during the reporting period.

Most areas at the Ried site, in particular offices, toilets and the canteen, are barrier-free. If necessary, we try to adapt workplaces or processes to special needs.

Objectives

• Promote an inclusive, open, and international corporate culture and prevent any form of discrimination.

• Increase the proportion of women at all levels within the company.

Measures

• Active diversity management, e.g., through teambuilding activities, coaching, and improving accessibility.

• Further development of the internal Code of Conduct to strengthen corporate culture and ensure compliance.

• Raising awareness and promoting understanding of diversity as a success factor.

• Support for returning mothers after parental leave with individual time models and opportunities for leadership responsibilities.

• Support for initiatives such as Girls' Day (encouraging women in technical fields).

Innovative products

Our approach

Innovation and top quality, combined with the aim of raising the level of sporting performance, are the top priorities at FISCHER Sports. A high level of innovation is essential to meet our performance requirements. The market also demands the regular introduction of technological innovations.

From a sustainability perspective, this dynamic can at first glance be viewed critically. This is because new developments create incentives to buy, often leading to the premature replacement of functional sports equipment, and can thus undermine sustainable development. On the other hand, there is a very well-established secondary market, especially for skis. Discarded skis usually find new owners. They are not disposed of, but remain in use.

In addition, sustainability aspects are increasingly becoming the focus of research and development, so product innovations can also bring improvements in this regard.

Increasing regulation, changing market requirements and, last but not least, growing consumer demand for products that are as environmentally friendly as possible are contributing to this.

With regard to regulatory requirements, the European Ecodesign Directive is particularly noteworthy, as it sets out requirements for the following aspects:

• Durability, reusability, upgradability and reparability of products

• Use of chemical substances that enable the reuse and recycling of materials

• Energy and resource efficiency

• Proportion of recycled material

• CO2 and environmental footprint

• Available product information, in particular a digital product passport

The aim of the Ecodesign Directive is to make sustainable products the norm in the EU market and to reduce their overall environmental and climate impact.

We share this endeavor of the EU and want to contribute to it. On the other hand, a more sustainable product design must not lead to any loss of quality and functionality, and the selling price must remain reasonable. This has been clearly shown by customer surveys and market analyses. FISCHER thoughtfully navigates its development activities in this sensitive area.

“The Perfect Setup” From A Single Source

The development and production of winter sports hardware is the core competence of FISCHER Sports. We process a wide variety of materials and components into high-quality sports equipment at our production facilities. In addition to our own production, we have some of the products we develop and individual components manufactured together with external partner companies.

FISCHER has been a full-service provider for consumers for over 15 years. In addition to skis, our range includes the matching boots, bindings and poles. We pay particular attention to the performance of the entire functional unit as early as the product development stage, ensuring a perfect setup for every application.

Our ONE WAY pole brand offers a complete range of poles for winter, with the segments Alpine, touring and crosscountry skiing, as well as for summer and the segments trekking, Nordic walking and roller skiing. The wide pole collection is complemented by functional bags and accessories.

In the Hockey segment, the range of sticks has been extended to include a comprehensive range of bags, clothing and accessories, to provide keen amateur players and club teams with a wide selection.

Innovations That Inspire

FISCHER is always at the forefront of technical progress and innovation in the ski industry thanks to its research and development. The FISCHER QualityManagement (see p. 18) ensures that the product quality meets our high standards.

We are proud of our innovation strength, thanks to which we have recently been able to achieve market success with the following technological developments:

Nordic skis with our Air Core are extremely light because the ski core – thanks to technology borrowed from aircraft

construction – consists of 80 percent air. Its torsion-free structure also makes it extremely break-resistant.

Our Curv skis with their triple radius master both short and long turns with precision.

With the Cold Base Bonding technology we developed, the ski base is not hot-pressed together with the other layers as usual, but is instead applied to the ski afterwards at a lower temperature. This allows the base to optimally absorb ski wax and glide better on the slope or trail.

Vacuum Fit technology, on the other hand, is an innovation in ski boot construction that allows the boot to be customized to the individual anatomy of the foot. Because the boot can be reshaped up to five times in a special oven, it can also be customized for second-hand buyers.

Our Speedmax 3D technology helps to give cross-country skis so-called gliding sidewalls. These are sidewalls that can be treated with liquid wax, thus giving the ski better gliding properties.

An innovation in the service area is the FISCHER Scan-Fit App, which makes it easier to select the right ski boot size using a 3D foot scan.

Our new #LIVETOSKI app analyzes individual data such as turning behavior, speed and skiing technique of skiers and recommends the appropriate ski.

Sustainability in Product Management

The basis for the successful positioning of FISCHER as an innovator is a professional and agile product management. In the product and innovation roadmap, the company, under the direction of the product managers, determines which new products and technologies are to be developed. The continuous analysis of customer needs plays a central role in this context.

In organizational terms, product management is embedded in the divisions. Each division has product managers who are responsible for individual product groups or entire segments and who, together with the product developers, drive forward innovations and bring new developments to market maturity. Our innovation and product development process is based on the so-called Stage-Gate model. Technical innovations are approved for the market by product management together with all other relevant functions, such as process development, production and sales, in the course of meetings – so-called gates. A prerequisite for the release of a new development is that it meets all legal and normative requirements, is suitable for series production and is marketrelevant.

In view of the ambitious transformation to a sustainable European economy outlined in the Green Deal, FISCHER's innovative strength is required to go beyond meeting customer needs. After all, in the future, products should be designed in such a way that they have only minimal – or ideally no – negative climate and environmental impacts. The fact that we share this aspiration is expressed in our guiding principles and strategic sustainability goals in the field of innovative products. In the following chapters, we disclose what we have already achieved and what we still have to work on in all the main topics.

Guiding Principles

• “Be the athlete’s no. 1 choice” - our products are the first choice for athletes, end consumers and retailers.

• The needs of consumers and the safety of athletes have the highest priority in product development.

• Our development focus is on recyclable products made from the most sustainable materials possible.

• Our sustainable innovations build on proven product quality.

• We are creating a FISCHER repair culture to give our customers long-lasting and sustainable enjoyment of our products.

• We measure the environmental impact of our products using recognized methods in order to continuously improve them.

• We communicate with our stakeholders in a transparent, informative and honest manner regarding sustainability.

Strategic Objectives

Sustainable performance products

• Increasing the durability of products

• Creating a comprehensive repair service for all products

• Proactive life cycle assessment calculation for new product developments

• Reducing the use of “problematic” chemicals in the entire product range

• Reducing the energy required to manufacture products

Circular Products

• End of Life solution regarding recyclability of winter sports equipment by 2026/27

Sustainable Product Innovations

Relevance and Impact

The ability to develop innovative products with sought-after properties and to launch them on the market or to continuously improve existing products is essential for the sustainable development of a company. This is because products consume materials, energy and other resources and have an environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle – from the extraction of raw materials, through production, transport and the use phase, to the end of their service life.

The aim of sustainable product innovations is to minimize the negative environmental impacts along the life cycle. The foundation for this must be laid in the early stages of product development. For example, a product's durability, reparability and recyclability must be built into its design.

An important factor is the selection of materials from which products are manufactured. Although there is still a considerable need for research with regard to the ecological assessment of many materials, there is already consensus that some chemicals, such as PFAS, and materials, such as PVC, pose a risk to people and the environment. Their release and marketing are therefore increasingly being counteracted by regulatory measures. But other materials also need to be critically evaluated in terms of their climate footprint or from other ecological points of view and should be substituted by materials with a better ecological balance.

FISCHER is characterized by a high level of innovation and has been dealing with the question of how products can be made more sustainable in research and development (R&D) for several years. The company therefore believes it is in a good starting position with regard to the future requirements of the Ecodesign Directive. However, we are not resting on

our laurels, but are continuously optimizing our products so that they not only meet the quality and performance requirements of our customers, but also fulfill sustainability criteria.

Sustainability is in Demand

The demand for sustainably produced sports equipment is steadily increasing among both business customers and consumers. An increasing number of customers are finding out how and where a sporting good was produced and value sustainable product characteristics. However, they are not willing to accept a loss of quality in favor of sustainability, and consumers are also reluctant to pay a higher price for a sustainable product. We know this from our ongoing market research and this has also been shown by the stakeholder survey that we conducted in advance of this report.

FISCHER is rising to the challenge and trying to strike a balance between the sometimes-divergent requirements and resolve the resulting conflicting goals. We are also doing this out of intrinsic motivation. Many of the company's employees are calling for sustainability aspects to be given strong consideration out of personal interest. That is why FISCHER is working with great commitment and conviction to optimize our own products in terms of sustainability or to develop completely new products with sustainable properties.

All in all, these developments have led to FISCHER's innovation strategy taking a strong ecological direction. “Sustainability” – while maintaining the highest quality and safety requirements – is now firmly anchored in the product development roadmap and plays an increasingly important role in internal collection meetings.

Materials Make the Difference

FISCHER places the highest quality demands on the raw materials and components that the company processes. This is a prerequisite for our sports equipment to meet performance and durability requirements. Many of the goods we purchase are high-tech products that incorporate the expertise and outstanding workmanship of our suppliers. In addition to the desired material and process-related properties, the raw materials and components should also be as environmentally friendly as possible.

There is no doubt that materials from recycled or renewable sources can help to improve the environmental performance of the end products made from them. However, this is not guaranteed, and simple panaceas for green products often do not deliver what they promise in a life cycle assessment. This is because the requirements for materials and products interact in a complex way and sometimes conflict with each other. In the case of injection-molded plastic parts, for example, the use of recycled material can cause quality fluctuations. If a higher proportion of recycled material is used in the production of ski bases, the process in the grinding line slows down and has to be repeated more often, which in turn leads to higher water and energy consumption.

In any case, legal prohibitions and limit values, which are specified by the European Chemicals Regulation REACH or our customers' Restricted Substances Lists (RSL), must be observed when selecting and using materials and chemicals. FISCHER naturally meets the legal requirements – and in some cases goes beyond them. Information on this can be found in the chapter EnsuringLegalCompliance (p. 43).

Problematic Chemicals and Materials

In addition to the substances that are banned or restricted by limit values, there are a number of other substances that are considered critical in our industry and beyond.

One of the key tasks of our research teams in product development is to reduce the use of materials that are harmful to the environment or health, or to replace them in the medium term with the most sustainable starting materials and components possible.

Phasing Out PFAS7

Products are often treated with perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) to make them water- and dirt-repellent. PFCs consist of carbon chains of varying lengths in which hydrogen atoms have been replaced by fluorine. These substances do not occur in nature, but they spread via waterways, air and food and can now be detected even in the most remote areas of the earth.

Once released, these persistent compounds are practically non-degradable and can hardly be removed from the environment. This is problematic because PFCs can affect the hormone and reproductive systems of living organisms and may be carcinogenic.

The European chemicals regulation REACH provides for a gradual phase-out of the use of PFAS, starting in 2025 and to be completed by 2029.

We have already collected data on the presence of PFAS in our products and are simultaneously searching for PFAS-free alternatives. As part of the annual supplier survey on the REACH conformity of purchased raw materials and products, our suppliers have also had to confirm compliance with the legally prescribed PFAS limits since 2023.

Our aim is to comply with the requirements across our entire product range, wherever alternative materials are available,

even before it is legally required, and to become PFAS-free to the greatest extent possible.

PFAS In Waxing and Care Products

FISCHER exclusively distributes the waxing and care products of the Finnish brand VAUTHI in some markets.

Some of the products contain PFAS. They are also known as fluorinated waxes and are affected by the EU PFAS phaseout regulation. The International Ski Federation FIS and the International Biathlon Union IBU have already banned the use of fluorinated waxes in ski racing from the 2023/24 season.

With the Vauthi PURE product line, FISCHER also has waxing and care products in its range that do not contain fluorocarbon compounds.

In addition, our product range includes waxes made entirely from plant-based raw materials. The associated containers are made from sugar cane and bioethanol is used as a solvent.

FISCHER and Vauthi, respectively, comply with all legal requirements regarding wax and care products.

7 PFC, PFAS, PFO and PFOA are different names for fluorinated chemicals with slightly different molecular structures and very similar functions. In practice,

these terms are often used interchangeably. The “EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles”, for example, only refers to PFAS.

Reducing Petroleum-Based Plastics

All conventional plastics are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable fossil resource. Producing plastics also requires a lot of energy and results in greenhouse gas emissions. Plastics can also have negative impacts on humans and the environment during their useful life and when they are disposed of. Examples include polyvinyl chloride (PVC for short) and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE).

PVC is an extremely durable plastic. What is an advantage for the longevity of products is an ecological disadvantage: the plastic hardly rots at all, and when it is incinerated, toxic dioxins and corrosive hydrogen chloride are produced. The plasticizers used in PVC are harmful to the human body.

Various additives such as plasticizers, stabilizers, flame retardants or fillers are added to conventional TPEs. These substances are usually not firmly bound in the plastic and are released into the environment over time.

FISCHER has set itself the goal of avoiding the use of materials that are harmful to the environment or health as far as possible. We consider alternatives if they meet our high standards of product and processing quality and are demonstrably more environmentally friendly.

However, the ecological evaluation of materials is a complex task and even science cannot always provide clear and reliable answers as to whether possible substitutes perform better in a life cycle assessment. One example is bio-based plastics, which are free of petroleum, but do not automatically have to be more sustainable or climatefriendly.

It is to be expected that future regulatory provisions will only classify them as “green” or at least more sustainable than petroleum-based plastics if reliable evidence can be provided (see also RelevanceandImpact; p. 104).

FISCHER conducts its search for and use of petroleum-free plastic alternatives to the best of its knowledge and belief. Alongside the long-term goal of completely eliminating petroleum-based plastics from our product range, in the short and medium term we want to replace materials that are

particularly harmful to the environment or health, such as PVC. We have already achieved successes here. For example, our cross-country ski boots produced in Europe are already PVC-free.

Thanks to our development work, FISCHER Alpine ski boots have also become more sustainable to a certain extent. The plastic Pebax® R-new, a biologically based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), has been replacing the petroleum-based equivalent in some models since 2022.

Replacement of Materials with a Large Carbon Footprint

The product carbon footprint of sporting goods is largely determined by the raw materials used (see Evaluation and Findings; p. 110).

For this reason, FISCHER has no longer been manufacturing the cuffs of its touring ski boots from CO2-intensive full carbon laminate since 2023/24, but from a plastic reinforced only with carbon fibers. This has reduced the carbon content to 5%.

FISCHER's freeride skis have been made completely without carbon since 2022/23. The material was replaced by Titanal AL4@ever, which, according to the manufacturer, has a significantly better greenhouse gas balance than carbon.

In view of the high quantities in which we produce ski boots and freeride skis, these changes in the selection of materials have already saved more than 130 tons of CO2 equivalents, according to internal estimates.

From a Linear to a Circular Economy

Humanity is currently using up the Earth's natural raw material reserves. According to the “Austrian Circular Economy Strategy”8, the global “material footprint” grew by 70 percent between 2000 and 2017. The linear economy based on the take-make-use-waste principle urgently needs to be transformed into a circular one. “The prerequisite for this is a comprehensively circular product design that is geared towards durability, renewable raw materials, the greatest possible freedom from pollutants, reparability and upgradability,” emphasizes the strategy paper. To close loops, it is crucial that recycled raw materials are used and that the products made from them can be reprocessed or recycled for reuse at the end of their life cycle.

Use of Recycled Materials

The use of recycled materials is still limited due to their limited availability, unfavorable physical properties and cost. Nevertheless, FISCHER has already successfully implemented a number of projects, as the following examples show:

• In some ski models from the Nordic and Alpine divisions, such as the Adventure ski collection, a higher proportion of recycled material is incorporated into the surface foils and ski edges.

• In some Alpine skis, such as the Curv models, the bases and sidewalls are made of at least 50 percent recycled material.

• In the new freeride Alpine ski collection RANGER, conventional Titanal®9 has been replaced by a resource-saving variant that requires significantly less energy to manufacture, which in turn has a favorable impact on the greenhouse gas balance of

8 See https://www.bmk.gv.at/themen/klima_umwelt/abfall/Kreislaufwirtschaft/strategie.h tml (22.1.2024)

this high-strength aluminum alloy. The material is also certified according to the international Chain of Custody Standard of the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI)10

Recyclability of FISCHER Products

FISCHER products have very different requirements for recycling at the end of their service life – from ski bindings that can be easily disassembled into individual parts to skis in which several layers of different materials are inseparably pressed together.

In order to improve the recyclability of its products, FISCHER is participating in research projects, currently for example in the WINTRUST project (Wintersport Resource Efficiency and improved Circular Economy) initiated by the Lower Austrian ecoplus Plastics Cluster. The cooperation project aims to create the basis for large-scale recycling of discarded shredded winter sports equipment. In addition to FISCHER, research partners such as the University of Leoben, industrial partners and competitors are also taking part in the project. The discarded skis, bindings, poles, helmets and ski boots for this pilot project come from waste collection centers in the Pongau and Pinzgau regions of Salzburg.

FISCHER cross-country bindings can be disassembled into individual components, which are largely made of homogeneous materials. We want to enable our customers to return their bindings to specialist retailers at the end of their useful life and thus make the recycling potential usable.

Both Alpine and Nordic ski boots can, in principle, be disassembled into their individual components, but the effort involved is disproportionately high. We therefore see it as our responsibility to adapt the design of this product group in line with eco-design requirements so that they can be recycled in the future.

Information on the reparability of our products, which is also an element of the circular economy, can be found in the chapter DurabilityandRepairService (p. 115). The chapter CorporateWasteManagement (p. 68) provides information on our measures to reduce production waste and packaging material.

9 Titanal® is a brand name of our supplier AMAG for a high-strength aluminum alloy

10 cf. https://www.amag-al4u.com/unserewerte/nachhaltigkeit/verantwortungsbewusste-wertschoepfungskette

Life Cycle Assessment and Product Carbon Footprint

Relevance and Impact

A well-informed decision to buy an environmentally friendly product requires reliable knowledge of the environmental impacts it causes throughout its entire life cycle. It also requires that this is equally known for similar products so that comparisons can be made and considered.

The life cycle assessment (LCA), also known as a life cycle analysis, is an established method for the systematic analysis and quantitative evaluation of the environmental impacts of products, processes and services. In general, an LCA must take into account all relevant potential adverse effects on the environment that arise from the extraction and use of resources on the one hand and the emission of pollutants on the other. These include, for example, the greenhouse potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential and human toxicity. One challenge is the weighting, summarization and interpretation of the various environmental impacts. The specifications of the ISO standard are very general in this regard and allow a great deal of leeway, which limits the direct comparability of results.

The EU wants to solve this problem and standardize the methods of life cycle assessment as part of the Environmental Footprint Initiative. However, in the draft of the Green Claims Directive published in 2023, the EU Commission has moved away from allowing the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) as the only method for

11 According to Pekny, it is more of an “estimate” than a “calculation”, especially since life cycle assessments of complex products always involve assumptions, approximations and estimates. In his view, the term “calculation” would suggest

substantiating environmental claims (see also Transparency andLabeling; p. 119). It therefore remains to be seen whether companies in the EU will have to provide comprehensive and largely standardized life cycle assessments of their products in the future.

Less complex and already widespread are climate assessments – so-called carbon footprints – which are used to show the greenhouse gas emissions of companies, products and services. Methodically, these are limited life cycle assessments that only analyze the greenhouse gas potential. In 2023, FISCHER had a corporate carbon footprint (CCF) and product carbon footprints (PCF) estimated for the first time for two ski models by Wolfgang Pekny – an experienced LCA practitioner and founder of footprint-consult e.U.11

This chapter focuses on the PCFs. The greenhouse gas balance for the entire company (CCF) is presented in the chapter Emissions and Climate Protection (p. 59).

Methodological Principles and Standards

The Product Carbon Footprint of the two types of skis was estimated in the same way as the Corporate Carbon Footprint of FISCHER, using the life cycle assessment methods described in the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. All four phases of the life cycle assessment were carried out, but only the greenhouse potential was analyzed and evaluated. The study thus also met the requirements of ISO 14067 for quantifying and reporting the carbon footprint of products in terms of the procedure.

a level of accuracy that can hardly be achieved with the methods of life cycle assessment at present. Thefourphasesoflifecycleassessment(ownrepresentation

Target and Scope of the Study

FISCHER wanted to create a basis for comparing different materials and production sites by estimating the product carbon footprint of two similar ski models – the Curv GT 85, which is manufactured in Ukraine, and the Curv GT Redefine, which is manufactured in Ried. The aim was to identify potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus find starting points for optimizing the eco-design.

The project also served to develop the basic procedure for creating specific product footprints and to establish it at FISCHER. The company wanted to use this to create the basis for future product-related environmental labels. These include, for example, an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) according to ISO 14025.

“at factory gate” was chosen as the system boundary. Accordingly, the climate impact was only determined up to the point where the products leave the factory. The effects of distribution logistics, the usage phase, and expenses or LCA credits 12 at the end of the service life were not taken into account. The system boundary was chosen because, on the one hand, the data and methodologies for the effects in the usage phase and end-of-life phase are not yet complete or fully developed and, on the other hand, because the productspecific differences between the two ski types can be best represented within this boundary.

Comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory with Limited Data Availability

The life cycle inventory (LCI) is the second step in creating an LCA. It consists of quantitatively recording as many inputs (material and energy consumption) and outputs (emissions into the air, soil and water) as possible.

12 Life Cycle Assessment credits are potential environmental benefits that arise from the reuse, recovery or recycling of products at the end of their life cycle (e.g. savings in raw materials, energy or emissions).

The data for the life cycle inventories of the two Fischer skis was collected in an iterative process by an internal project team according to the specifications and in consultation with the external expert. The approach was deliberately designed to be method-open so that, in addition to the carbon footprint, an estimate of all other environmental impacts is possible in the future if all the requested data is fully recorded.

On the one hand, the LCI included the inputs and outputs directly attributable to the products – such as the raw materials and components required for them or the energy required for production – in the balance. On the other hand, the so-called overheads (comparable to the overhead costs in cost accounting) were also included in the balance and allocated to the products on a pro-rata basis using allocation procedures. Examples include capital goods such as machines and buildings, commuting and business trips by employees, or FISCHER's marketing activities.

The extent to which certain overheads are to be considered in estimating the product carbon footprint of sporting goods is not regulated in the existing ISO standards and there are currently no product category rules that provide guidance on this. Despite the additional effort involved and the foreseeable higher PCFs, FISCHER has decided to comprehensively account for the overheads.

For the first-time creation of life cycle inventories by FISCHER, an extremely large amount of data had to be collected from a wide variety of sources.

Despite the high level of commitment of the employees involved, some data could not be determined or could only be approximated. We have therefore set ourselves the goal of improving the physical data in the life cycle assessments, especially in the areas relevant to the results, in order to increase the informative value of future life cycle assessments and carbon footprints.

Impact Assessment with Modelling Variability

The impact assessment of a life cycle assessment assigns the results of the life cycle inventory to different impact categories according to scientifically based criteria.

When calculating a carbon footprint, this is limited to climate impacts. These are estimated for each input and output of the life cycle inventory, using greenhouse gas emission factors from the life cycle assessor.

In the impact assessment, Wolfgang Pekny evaluated data gaps in the life cycle inventory with regard to their relevance for the results and modeled them in the case of a high greenhouse gas potential in order to obtain the most realistic results possible.

The following example shows that not only data gaps in the life cycle assessment, but also different assessments of climate impact, affect the overall result and make it difficult to compare different life cycle assessments.

Challenge: Eco-Assessment of Wood

The view that burning wood is CO2-neutral is the subject of heated debate in the scientific community. According to the prevailing opinion, a CO2 molecule from the combustion of biomass is no different in its climate-damaging effect from one from the combustion of fossil fuels.

However, according to the currently applicable guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, biogenic emissions must not be included in the greenhouse gas balance.

Therefore, the emissions from wood combustion were assessed as zero in the estimation of the Scope 1 emissions of FISCHER.

In order to get an increasingly realistic picture of the climatic effects of our material and energy consumption and to

13 According to the CO2 calculator of the German Federal Environment Agency, the figure is 32.9 kilograms of CO2e. By contrast, the same distance traveled by

prepare for possible changes in the regulations, we want to improve the database in the future in connection with the supply chain of the wood purchased.

Evaluation and Findings

Since there are still uncertainties regarding the system boundaries, the life cycle inventories still have some gaps and the different approaches in the impact assessment can lead to significant shifts in the results, FISCHER has decided not to publish detailed results for the Product Carbon Footprint of the two ski types.

In the following, we report only on the findings that are considered certain regarding conditions and savings potential, which enable us to make targeted improvements in the interest of climate protection.

Notably: The Ski Is Not the Main Problem

The carbon footprint of a ski is minimal in relation to the overall climate impact caused by practicing the sport. A car journey of 150 kilometers at an average consumption of eight liters of petrol per 100 kilometers causes approximately as many greenhouse gas emissions13 as the production of a conventional pair of skis.

FISCHER was already aware of this from other studies before the carbon footprints of the two ski models were estimated. However, it is also clear that we have little or no influence over the emissions associated with the use of our sports equipment.

The project has shown us where we need to take action to effectively minimize the greenhouse gas emissions associated with ski production and make our contribution to reducing global warming.

train would only produce 1.8 kilograms of CO2 per passenger. (https://secure.umweltbundesamt.at/co2mon/co2mon.html)

Results

The carbon footprint of the two skis is determined to about 85 percent by the source materials and preliminary products (44% to 61%) and the energy demand (22% to 42%). The share of overhead emissions was 10 to 12 percent and thus significantly higher than the sum of emissions caused by all incoming shipments, including material and transport packaging.

The Curv GT Redefine is manufactured in Ried, where the required process heat comes from natural gas. FISCHER produces the Curv GT 85 in Mukachevo. The process heat there comes mainly from the combustion of wood, mostly wood waste from our production preparation. Since the emission factor used for wood is significantly lower than that for gas, the greenhouse gas emissions from the process energy for the production of the Curv GT Redefine are significantly higher than for the Curv GT 85. However, this locational advantage of production in Ukraine is not undisputed. This is because, according to many scientists, the current emission factors for wood combustion underestimate the associated climate impact (see Impact AssessmentwithModellingVariability; p. 110).

The Curv GT Redefine more than makes up for the disadvantage in terms of energy in the materials.

All in all, our development teams have managed to save 36% of material-related greenhouse gas emissions compared to the reference ski by using an innovative material composition and eliminating the need for a binding plate. The greatest impact in terms of greenhouse gas savings comes from the aluminum alloy. The Curv GT Redefine uses AL4®everTitanal, a resource-saving variant of the high-strength aluminum alloy from the Austrian company AMAG. According to the supplier, the product causes significantly fewer greenhouse gases during production than the standard product AMAG Titanal®, which is used in the Curv GT 85. The emission saving based on Titanal is 51 percent. FISCHER has also succeeded in reducing emissions from the composite materials used in the Curv GT Redefine by around

25 percent. This is mainly due to the use of flax fibers instead of glass or carbon fibers.

Room for Improvement

Since the product carbon footprints of both ski types are largely dependent on the material composition and energy input during production, these two areas also offer the greatest potential for savings.

Energy: It is clear that we have to get away from natural gas as an energy source at the main plant in Ried. FISCHER will examine the options in the next few years, for example, whether and under what technical conditions alternative energy sources could be used to provide process heat.

The presumed potential for reducing emissions in the power supply in Mukachevo will not be realizable for the time being due to the war.

Materials: In the course of the project, we have gained a great deal of knowledge about the greenhouse gas potential of different materials. FISCHER will incorporate this knowledge into product development and work with suppliers of materials and components to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of its products. The prerequisite for this is that we obtain reliable data on the climate impact and other environmental impacts of purchased raw materials and semifinished products. The aim here is to work with suppliers to close data gaps and improve data quality.

Circular product design: The fact that we have set the system boundary “at factory gate” does not change the fact that products should be recyclable at the end of their useful life. The challenge for manufacturers is to design products that can be taken apart as far as possible so that their materials can be recycled. The greenhouse gas potential or other environmental impacts of a product at the end of its life, or whether it should even receive a credit in terms of its life cycle assessment because secondary resources can be obtained from it, is difficult to predict for many goods produced today. This is because it generally depends on the

development of waste management and, in particular, on the disposal or recycling process used.

FISCHER participates in initiatives and projects that contribute to the promotion of a circular economy.

Participation in the “WINTRUST” recycling project (see From aLineartoaCircularEconomy; p. 107) is an example of this.

In the future, we would like to give central importance to the disassembly and recyclability of FISCHER products in new product designs.

Customer Health and Safety

Relevance and Impact

Professional athletes are limit testers who not only push themselves to their physical limits, but usually also push materials to their limits in order to get the most out of themselves and their sports equipment.

As a manufacturer and retailer of sports equipment, FISCHER has a responsibility to offer competitive athletes, as well as the masses of casual athletes, products that are highly durable, safe and harmless to health.

Our responsibility is based on strict compliance with all legal requirements and standards. In addition, we also adhere to internal factory standards and norms when developing and testing the quality of our products.

When participating in sports, the quality of the equipment contributes significantly to protection against injuries. This is another reason why FISCHER places a high value on excellent product quality. In this way, we contribute to the health and safety of consumers and strengthen their trust in our brand.

Accountability and Responsibility within the Company

As a sporting goods manufacturer, FISCHER is subject to laws and numerous technical standards to ensure the health and safety of consumers.

The product managers of the respective divisions are primarily responsible for compliance with external and internal product-related requirements. However, in addition

to product management, other functions and departments in the company also have tasks.

Our quality management is based on the principles of total quality management (TQM) and the KAIZEN management philosophy (see chapter QualityManagement; p. 18). In line with this approach, all affected departments and employees are involved in the continuous improvement of the quality of processes and products. For example, the safe use of chemicals and compliance with legal limits and requirements falls within the scope of responsibility of occupational safety management, together with purchasing, product management and product development – with the support of quality management.

For Safety: Laws, Norms and Standards

In the Alpine sector in particular, there are many safetyrelated standards designed to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries when practicing the sport. For example, the ski shape and screw strength values are specified for attaching binding plates and ski bindings. Other standards define the release function of ski bindings, and yet others relate to the safety aspects of ski boots.

To ensure that our products conform to all specifications, they are subjected to extensive testing by FISCHER or our suppliers, sometimes with the involvement of external testing facilities.

The ski product group at Fischer is subject to a so-called “full ski test”. This consists of over twenty different individual tests, for example, alternating bending tests, screw pull-out strength tests and bending stiffness, with which we ensure compliance with external requirements and internal quality criteria.

FISCHER develops standardized tests for poles and Hockey sticks, sometimes together with product or component suppliers. These are either carried out by the suppliers themselves or commissioned externally.

Despite all the tests and inspections, it may happen that we receive information about a defect in a product that has already been delivered, for example from customers, from retailers or from our own employees. Should we determine that a product we have brought to market could pose a health or safety risk to users, FISCHER will immediately initiate a recall. During the reporting period (March 2021 to February 2024), the company carried out three voluntary recalls:

• In February 2022, a touring ski boot was affected because its carbon shaft was at risk of cracking.

• In April 2023, there was a precautionary recall of a heatable ski boot bag because in exceptional cases, heat build-up could cause deformation and a fire hazard could not be ruled out 100%.

• And in January 2024, FISCHER proactively recalled a youth ski boot model due to a weakness in the ski boot shaft to prevent possible safety risks.

REACH and Other Legally Binding Requirements

In production, FISCHER uses chemicals and materials with properties that could potentially be harmful to health. We therefore fall within the scope of the EU REACH regulation. The acronym stands for “Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals”. The purpose of the regulation is to prevent harmful effects of chemicals on human health and the environment.

Adherence to the REACH requirements serves to protect our own employees and suppliers, as well as customers and consumers who come into contact with our products.

At FISCHER, standardized processes ensure compliance with the REACH requirements in our own production as well as in the purchased raw materials, semi-finished products and merchandise.

All suppliers must confirm the REACH conformity of the goods they purchase in writing once a year. Since 2023, the query has also included PFAS (see chapter Problematic Chemicals and Materials; p. 105).

In addition, we select one item from each product category, the individual materials of which are analyzed by an accredited body with regard to possible hazardous ingredients. In the event of non-conformity, our product management and product development work together with the supplier to develop measures to eliminate the problematic substances in the future and ensure compliance with the regulations.

For its part, FISCHER is regularly reviewed by its larger business customers with regard to REACH conformity. Some of them also require that FISCHER adheres to the specifications of a so-called Restricted Substances List (RSL), especially since some sales countries have different legal regulations than those in the EU.

In the USA and Canada, for example, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulates the use of formaldehyde more strictly than the REACH regulation. For this reason, FISCHER has the compliance with formaldehyde limits continuously monitored at its Ukrainian plant, where wooden Hockey sticks are also produced. To this end, weekly samples of the glued plywood panels used as raw material are sent to an external laboratory for analysis. In addition, we have the raw material tested quarterly in Germany by the independent Fraunhofer Institute. Based on this double test, FISCHER is issued a certificate for compliance with the prescribed formaldehyde limits, which is attached to the relevant products when they are exported.

FISCHER's compliance with the Restricted Substances List is also regularly checked by retail partners, who carry out random laboratory analyses of the articles.

During the reporting period, FISCHER complied with all requirements and there were no violations.

Objectives

• Reduction of energy consumption in the manufacturing of products

• Forward-looking life cycle assessment calculations for new product developments

• Reduction of “problematic” chemicals in the entire product range

Measures

• Specific recording of energy consumption per ski

• Creating life cycle assessments to gain knowledge about the effects of materials and processes on people and the environment and to identify potential for improvement (standardized life cycle assessment calculation).

• Prioritization of products with the greatest negative impact on people and the environment in each product category

• Comprehensive screening of purchased materials with regard to existing chemical substances

• Reduction and early elimination of chemical substances or materials that will be banned in the future

Durability and Repair Service

Relevance and Impact

In the EU, there are initiatives and draft directives that aim to oblige companies to provide more detailed information about their products. This potentially includes information about the reparability and lifespan of products. However, the specific requirements vary depending on the product category, and concrete criteria for reliable statements about the reparability and technical lifespan of sporting goods are not yet available (as of November 2024).

While the regulatory requirements are still uncertain, it is undisputed that high product quality geared towards durability contributes to sustainability. If, as with skis and many other sporting goods, there is a functioning secondary market, it also ensures that the products not only theoretically last a long time, but are actually used for a long time.

The basic options and existing offers for having products repaired can contribute to an extension of the life cycle and to a circular economy. While the lifespan of many products from a wide range of industries is getting shorter and shorter and premature obsolescence is being planned into product design, FISCHER has always focused on the high quality and durability of its own products and on an established repair service.

Product Lifespan

Fischer develops high-quality products that are not only extremely durable, as confirmed by numerous victories in top-level sports, but also technically long-lasting. In addition to product management, QualityManagement (p. 18) also plays an important role in this context.

Various tests, such as the alternating bending test for skis or the flex test for cross-country ski boots, as well as reports from customers and athletes, suggest that many of our products, such as our cross-country skis, also score well in terms of durability.

The actual lifespan of sports equipment depends not only on its composition but also on how intensively it is used and whether it is treated with care. As a rule, skiing equipment that is high-tech and therefore not cheap to buy is handled with care. The equipment is only disposed of when its technical lifespan has come to an end, for example because the ski base is worn out or has been destroyed by stones, or in the case of cross-country skis, the climbing aid is worn out.

In the case of Hockey sticks, the market has developed over the last ten years – driven by the market leaders – towards ever lighter models made of composite materials. Although the modern materials, geometries and designs result in better stick handling, they have a negative impact on their durability.

Particularly in professional sports, FISCHER cannot escape this development in the ice Hockey market. Professional players need between 15 and 25 units of high-quality composite sticks per season under normal circumstances, regardless of the brand of Hockey stick.

Sticks made of wood or wood/ABS are only bought by recreational and amateur players, and even these players are increasingly turning to the lighter but shorter-lasting composite sticks.

FISCHER will only be able to make specific statements about the technical lifespan of its products once it is clear which criteria will be used to determine this in the forthcoming EU regulations. We do not want to pre-empt the regulations here in the interests of comparability.

Trend: Renting Ski Equipment Instead of Buying

A recognizable “rent instead of buy” trend is leading to a steady increase in the proportion of rented Alpine skis on the slopes. In most larger ski resorts, there are rental offers for complete ski equipment, including avalanche probes and backpacks. For those ski enthusiasts who primarily pursue their passion on vacation, this option offers significant advantages when traveling. This also makes offers for traveling by public transport more attractive.

In Europe, this development is well advanced and also covers high-quality segments. Meanwhile, at least two out of three skiers on Austria's slopes are using rental skis. This corresponds to a rental rate of over 60%, and in France this figure is even higher. In the US, on the other hand, the market is still a buyer's market. Nevertheless, a trend towards rental can also be seen there.

The rental rate for cross-country skis is lower than for Alpine skis. In the Nordic segment, around 80 percent of items are still purchased by athletes worldwide.

According to feedback from Alpine ski rental, a pair of skis is used by at least ten people. For ski schools, ski lift operators, hotels, specialist retailers and others, ski equipment rental is part of their business model. These companies prefer to use brands whose products, despite intensive use, last a long time, wear out little, can be repaired if necessary and can be resold as second-hand goods at the end of the season.

FISCHER's high-quality products and services meet these requirements, which is not only a sales argument but also in line with the principle of sustainability.

It is not only rental skis that usually get a “second life”, but also privately owned equipment that is still functional is often resold person-to-person or via online platforms.

Repairability

The repairability of Fischer products varies: products that can be disassembled into their components can generally be repaired. These include, for example, Alpine and Nordic bindings, ski poles and Alpine ski boots. The repairability of products that consist of materials that are firmly bonded together, e.g. skis, is limited to attached parts, such as the tip cap on skis. In the area of accessories, e.g. bags, small replacement parts can be replaced.

We strive to construct new developments in terms of ecodesign in order to gradually optimize the reparability of our range.

Repairs are carried out by FISCHER under the warranty. Outside the warranty period, customers can repair damaged FISCHER items themselves or have them repaired by their dealer. If necessary, dealers can request the required spare parts from FISCHER. For this purpose, the company stocks a large range of spare parts, which is even comprehensive for some products. We are constantly expanding this range.

The following two examples describe our activities with regard to individual product groups and illustrate the different starting situations:

Boots (Nordic and Alpine)

FISCHER is able to replace the classic wear parts in both Alpine and Nordic ski boots and guarantees to do so for up to ten years from the date of purchase of the boots, thanks to the spare parts service.

For this purpose, we keep hundreds of different individual parts in our warehouses. In order to be able to guarantee economical warehousing with a full spare parts service, FISCHER has decided to reduce its ski boot range. We were able to reduce the number of necessary replacement items even further by switching to neutral colors. Replacement sole plates, for example, are now exclusively black and match every ski boot color.

Bindings and Poles

Bindings and poles can also be repaired. They can be disassembled into their individual components and worn parts can be replaced. The repair and spare parts logistics required for this are continuously being developed by FISCHER.

Handling of Claims

The satisfaction of our customers with FISCHER products is of great importance to us. If, despite strict quality controls, a defective product reaches a customer, they have the right to make a claim within the statutory warranty period.

The claim must generally be submitted where the product was purchased, usually at the local or with an online retailer.

In Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, the retailer contacts FISCHER to assess and process the claim. In all other countries, the nearest FISCHER sales office or the general importer are the direct points of contact for the retailer.

In order to avoid unnecessary transportation of irreparable products, the initial assessment is carried out in most cases on the basis of photos sent in.

Clear warranty claims should be processed quickly and efficiently and follow the following procedure:

1. First, it is checked whether the product can be repaired or the defective part replaced. In addition to technical feasibility, economic, ecological and logistical considerations also play a role here.

2. If this is not the case, FISCHER will replace the defective product.

3. If this is also not possible, customers receive a credit note from the company

If there is no clear warranty claim, FISCHER often makes its customers a goodwill offer, i.e. a new replacement product is offered at a reduced price.

Innovation and Product Collection Cycles

New technical developments or fashion trends can motivate consumers to make replacement purchases before the end of the possible useful life. In terms of sustainability, longer innovation and collection cycles, i.e. longer periods between new developments or new designs being brought to market, would be advantageous.

The trend towards fast fashion, which has led to ever shorter collection cycles in the textile industry and fueled the throwaway mentality of many consumers, is not as pronounced in the sporting goods industry. Nevertheless, FISCHER is also exposed to market pressure to develop ever new models and designs. In addition to market pressure in the field of Hockey for composite sticks, the Alpine division in particular is also driven by trends – in recent years mainly in the freeride and touring segments.

Even though FISCHER, as an innovative company, is always looking for new, better technologies, core technologies (e.g. carving skis) usually remain relatively unchanged for several years. We try to extend the periods between the market launch of modified collections with technological optimizations or new designs – with moderation and purpose. Longer collection cycles serve sustainability and reduce internal costs.

One long-term development focus that is already established in the company is on improving durability in order to match the technical lifespan of our products. For example, in the 2024/25 collection, we are increasing the scratch resistance of skis by adding structured surfaces.

In the Nordic division, FISCHER has already managed to extend the interval between new collections from two to three years.

For Hockey sticks with a wooden shaft and an ABS plastic blade, which are used primarily by amateur athletes, we change the range, including the graphic decoration, at longer intervals.

For new collections and new graphic designs for composite sticks, we have been able to limit ourselves to a two-year replacement cycle.

Longer cycles have ecological and economic advantages that overlap: They lead to a potentially longer useful life of our products for consumers. They reduce the adaptation effort in our production lines, reduce the need for staff to be retrained and simplify our repair logistics by reducing the need for spare parts in storage.

Objectives

• Increasing the longevity of products

• Creating a comprehensive repair service for all products

Measure

• Adjusting the composition of the product (design) to achieve improvements in terms of longevity, reusability, reparability, recyclability and material use.

Transparency and Labeling

Relevance and Impact

The growing demand for sustainable products has been matched by a growing interest among companies in promoting their products and merchandise as environmentally friendly. However, this is often nothing more than 'greenwashing', as shown by a study published by the European Commission in 2020, according to which 40% of the environmental claims made by companies were 'completely unfounded' and more than half were 'vague, misleading or unsubstantiated'. This problem is addressed by some current initiatives and planned regulations of the European Union.

The aim is to enable customers to make sustainable purchasing decisions. To do this, they depend on fair and responsible marketing and communication measures. It is the responsibility of companies to provide transparent and active information about how products were made, what they are made of, what to look out for when using them, how to care for them and, if necessary, repair them, and how they and the packaging in which they are delivered should be properly disposed of or recycled at the end of the product's life cycle.

FISCHER relies on authentic, responsible marketing and transparent communication. By providing honest and factual information about our products and our company, we build trust and enable consumers to make informed decisions.

Information and Communication

We use a variety of communication channels to reach our stakeholders. Online, we reach them through our website www.fischersports.com, various social media channels and our regularly sent newsletters.

We keep the information about the company and its products on our website and other online platforms up to date and make sure that it is as easy to understand and accessible as possible. Visitors to our website can order and pay for items online and have them delivered to selected countries. Detailed product information makes it easier to choose the right item and at the same time reduces the rate of returns and exchanges. For the many customers who appreciate personal contact with a retailer, we offer a detailed retailer search and product availability information in our online shop.

At the point of sale, consumers are provided with expert information about the features of our products. We regularly train the sales staff in specialist shops for this purpose. We are happy to invite retailers who would like to see our production facilities for themselves to our main factory in Ried, where we give them a tour.

Those interested can find more information about FISCHER and FISCHER products in the trade press and other media. We maintain contact with journalists and keep them informed about new products and current developments in the company via press releases.

Because communication is not a one-way street, both retailers and end customers can contact us by phone, email or using the contact form on our website to obtain information on sustainability issues, for example. The whistleblower contact form on our website offers the option of confidentially reporting perceived irregularities.

Transparent Sustainability

Communication

With the publication of this first FISCHER Sustainability Report, we have expanded and professionalized our internal and external communication on the subject of sustainability. With this report, we are laying the foundation for comprehensive and transparent communication about our ecological, social and economic achievements, the goals we have set ourselves, the measures we are planning and the key figures we use to measure our progress. In summary, we are disclosing where we stand and where we are headed. The report is available online on our website.

We have set up a separate sustainability section on our website where interested parties can get an overview of our most important sustainability successes and highlights (www.fischersports.com/sustainability-at-fischer-sports).

As a final gesture, we try to raise awareness of conscious, environmentally friendly and safe behavior in nature and in the mountains through our communication.

We Practice What We Preach

We attach great importance to only making promises in marketing and advertising that we can keep.

FISCHER values authenticity in its marketing activities. In our film and photo projects, we aim to convey realistic images of skiing and hockey. Content productions are implemented in local partner areas and tourist destinations wherever possible. We practice car sharing at events, photo shoots and other functions, and we speak out against environmentally harmful behavior.

Our motto is “Practice what you preach”. When we postulate that “our products help athletes achieve top performance and unforgettable moments”, we want to be able to back this up. We do this, for example, by focusing on top performance. In this context, ski racing is an important marketing tool for us.

FISCHER outfits European Cup and World Cup athletes – in both Nordic and Alpine skiing – with equipment. Through their performance and success, the professional athletes provide credible proof that we develop and manufacture products at the highest level. In addition, FISCHER also provides support for young athletes.

In ice hockey, we have contracts with individual top athletes and teams and supply them with our sticks. This is to make it clear that FISCHER makes professional equipment that is the equal of any of the market leaders.

However, we serve the diverse market of casual athletes to a much greater extent with our products. We therefore also focus on diversity in our marketing and attach great importance to not excluding anyone in terms of ethnic origin, gender or other diversity characteristics.

Product Labeling

We either enclose instructions for use, assembly and care with our products or make them available online on our website.

For selected items, we provide information directly on the product about the measures taken for that particular product to improve its environmental compatibility. Examples include the use of renewable raw materials or recycled source materials, local production, the efficient recycling of materials or the use of renewable energy.

We use a variety of technologies for our product labeling where we can provide sustainability information in the future.

For ski boots, we integrate the information using RFID chips. For skis, a QR code is integrated into the design, which can be used to access sustainability information. End consumers can use the information provided, as can disposal companies at the end of the product's life.

We are currently providing the sustainability-related product information voluntarily, as there is not yet a uniform legal basis for it. At the same time, we are already preparing for

the requirements that the planned EU-wide Digital Product Passport will bring with it.

Equally voluntary is the disclosure of the exact composition of our new Alpine ski model Curv GT Redefine in the product catalog.

So far, legal requirements for labeling have mainly applied to product packaging. Depending on the export country and product, FISCHER has to meet different requirements. For deliveries to Italy, the company must provide consumers with information on the packaging material and its disposal on the packaging. Spain and France also now have labeling requirements regarding disposal. FISCHER applies the required codes to the packaging of its entire product range. By the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year, we had already implemented this for the majority of our items.

During the reporting period, FISCHER did not violate any existing regulations regarding product labeling. We also did not receive any complaints from stakeholders in this regard.

Future Demands

The requirements for transparency and labeling will increase as a result of expected EU regulations. At the beginning of 2024, the EU Parliament adopted the directive “Empowering consumers for the ecological transition by improving protection against unfair practices and providing better information”, which is to be supplemented in certain areas by the planned “Green Claims Directive (GCD)”. The latter will define requirements for the justification and communication of environmental labels and specific environmental claims.

In addition, the proposal for the expected EU Ecodesign Directive stipulates that information on the sustainability aspects of products must be affixed to them. This information is to be provided in the form of a “digital product passport” on a label.

FISCHER is reviewing the expected EU regulations and preparing to fully comply with them – for example, by raising awareness of the future “Green Claims Directive” among our departments responsible for communication, including marketing.

Appendix

About this Report

This is the first Sustainability Report published by FISCHER Sports. It is addressed to all our stakeholders. Their trust and our good relationship with them form the basis of our success. The report discloses comprehensively and transparently how FISCHER meets its corporate responsibility and contains all the essential information and data to present the management approaches, activities, performance and targets of FISCHER for sustainable development.

Reporting Organization and Included Entities

The reporting organization is Fischer Sports GmbH, based in Ried im Innkreis, Austria, where it also has a production site. The scope of the report also includes the subsidiaries (see CompanySize,Structure,andLocations; p. 5) including the second Fischer production site in Mukachevo, Ukraine.

The data of Fischer Sports GmbH and its subsidiaries are reported on a consolidated basis, even if this is not provided for under company law. The parent company of FISCHER, which is required to prepare the consolidated financial statements in accordance with § 244 of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB), is Fischer Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH (FN 114802b).

However, for a complete picture of FISCHER, we consider it essential to also report on the activities and performance of the subsidiaries, provided that there are significant effects associated with them, and to integrate these into the key

figures. Therefore, for this report, we have carried out a fictitious consolidation of the FISCHER subgroup. Where individual data and information deviate from this reporting limit, this is noted at the appropriate place in the report.

When the report refers to “FISCHER”, “FISCHER Sports” or the “company”, it usually refers to the entire FISCHER subgroup. This also applies to the personal pronoun “we” and the possessive pronoun “our”. Information or data that do not refer to the subgroup but to individual companies are explicitly specified by mentioning the respective company name.

Reporting Period and Frequency

The fiscal year of FISCHER Sports GmbH runs from the beginning of March to the end of February. The reporting period covers the fiscal years 2021/22 to 2023/24. The report was published in January 2025.

The report also serves as preparation for the future mandatory annual reporting according to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which applies to the parent company FISCHER Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH from the 2025/26 fiscal year. FISCHER will therefore not prepare any further separate sustainability report. From then on, the data and information that is material in connection with the ESG-related impacts, risks and opportunities of FISCHER will be integrated into the annual sustainability statement to be disclosed in the management report of the parent company.

Standards and External Assurance

The report was prepared in accordance with the Sustainability Reporting Standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The GRI Standards are a globally used and recognized framework for transparent and comparable sustainability reporting. The GRI-Table of Contents (p. 130) provides a detailed overview of which GRI Standards are covered in the report and where the respective information can be found.

In preparing the report, FISCHER was supported by an external expert in sustainability reporting. He ensured that the GRI Standards were correctly applied in the reporting process and correctly implemented in the report.

No audit of the information and data published in the report by auditors or other providers of auditing services was commissioned. There is therefore no external audit report.

Language and Grammar

Gender-inclusive language is important to us. When personal designations in this report do not refer exclusively to one gender, we want to make this visible in the language by using gender-neutral formulations, the pair form or the gender colon (in German). In some cases, we deviate from this – for example, in the interest of readability – which means that the masculine form of an expression can refer to all genders.

Determining the Material Topics

This report contains information on topics that are material in the context of FISCHER's impact on the economy, the environment and people. These can be direct impacts that are directly related to our business activities, as well as indirect impacts that arise through our business relationships in upstream and downstream areas of the value chain or in the life cycle of our products. A central task of FISCHER's sustainability management (see SustainabilityManagement andOrganization; p. 20) is to continuously evaluate the direct and indirect impacts and assess the opportunities and risks associated with sustainability issues. This results in those topics for which we subsequently develop effective management approaches to improve our performance. The demands and interests of our stakeholders (see Our Stakeholders – Our Partners; p. 27) are taken into account in this process, and, depending on the task at hand, we also directly involve representatives of the various stakeholder groups.

In addition to this continuous process of identifying and evaluating impacts and topics, which is managed by the internal sustainability coordinator, FISCHER carried out a comprehensive and systematic materiality analysis in advance of the preparation of this report. This quantitative and qualitative analysis identified the topics that are central to sustainability management and sustainability reporting.

Materiality Analysis

The materiality analysis described below was carried out at the end of 2021. We identified, evaluated and approved the economic, ecological and social impacts of the company in three steps.

1. Identification of Relevant Topics

In the first step, the FISCHER project team, with the involvement of an external expert in sustainability management and reporting, identified those topics that are relevant in view of the company's specific business activities. The starting point for this was the 31 topic-specific standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

A standard was deemed relevant if one or more of the disclosures covered by the standard was material to FISCHER's business activities. The experiences from the ongoing process of identifying and assessing impacts and topics were incorporated into this.

Some of the relevant GRI standards were grouped into overarching topics. In addition, the project team added several specific topics that are not covered by the GRI topic standards. The result was a list of 23 relevant topics that we assigned to the following fields of activity in our sustainability strategy:

• Economic performance

• Environmentally friendly producer

• Attractive employer

• Innovative products

The following table contains the 23 relevant topics and provides an overview of which GRI topic standards have been assigned to them.

2.

Evaluation of the Topics Using Online Surveys

In the second step, the topics were evaluated. To do this, we conducted an online survey of our managers in December 2021 on the impact of the company, as well as an online survey of our stakeholders on the importance they attach to the individual topics. In addition to the quantitative assessment, which is described in more detail below, the managers and stakeholders were also able to provide a qualitative description of what is particularly important to them in connection with the individual topics and what FISCHER should therefore pay attention to.

The qualitative feedback on the individual topics has been incorporated into the development of the goals and measures published in this report.

Impact of FISCHER

In the second step, the managers and works councils of FISCHER were asked about the company's impact in connection with the individual topics. 27 people took part in the survey and gave an impact rating between 1 and 9 for each of the 23 topics. 1 means that FISCHER's activities and decisions have no impact in connection with this topic, and 9 means that there is potentially a very large impact associated with it. Positive impacts and negative impacts had to be assessed separately. The higher value in each case was later incorporated into the basic evaluation in the quantitative evaluation.

In addition, the respondents had to rate performance for each topic using the school grade principle and also had the opportunity to suggest ideas or measures that could help improve FISCHER's performance in relation to the individual topics.

In order to establish clear priorities, at the end of the survey the managers were asked to select a maximum of eight of the 23 topics where FISCHER has the greatest leverage to contribute to sustainable development. The frequency with which the individual topics were mentioned is reflected in the so-called “impact of prioritization”. This bonus was calculated mathematically as follows: The basic evaluation of the topic multiplied by the percentage of mentions as one of the topics with the greatest leverage.

For example, if the mean value of the basic evaluation of a topic is 7 and 50% of the respondents have selected this topic as one of those with the greatest leverage for sustainability, the total evaluation is 10.5 (7 + 0.5 * 7 = 10.5).

The values determined in this way define the x-coordinate of the individual topics in the materiality matrix.

Importance for Stakeholders

815 people from the following stakeholder groups took part in the stakeholder survey:

• Owners and supervisory board members

• Employees

• Freelancers

• Retailers

• Suppliers

• Brand ambassadors

• End customers

Stakeholders were asked how important they considered the performance of FISCHER Sports in connection with the 23

topics to be on a scale of 1 (not important) to 9 (very important).

Finally, the stakeholders were asked to select the maximum of eight topics that are particularly important to them.

The overall rating of each topic was calculated from the basic rating and the premium through prioritization, as described for the executives. The values determined in this way define the y-coordinate of the individual topics in the materiality matrix.

When evaluating the quantitative questions on the importance of the individual topics, the imbalance caused by the different numbers of participants in the stakeholder groups was compensated for by calculating an average value for each stakeholder group and topic from all the evaluations submitted. The quantitative evaluation of the individual topics corresponds to the average of the mean values of the seven stakeholder groups.

3. Validation and Approval of the Material Topics

The results of the two evaluation steps were presented to the managers in a workshop. The quantitative evaluations were visualized in advance using a materiality matrix and discussed by the participants at the workshop. During the course of the workshop, the participants also determined where the inclusion threshold (= arc in the materiality matrix) should be set. The inclusion threshold was set based on a consideration of the two GRI principles of materiality and completeness and was approved by the management.

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Fischer Sports GmbH

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INFORMATION / REPORTING TEAM

Dipl.-Sportl. Univ. Thomas Drindl

Mag. Christian Egger

Mag. Franz Föttinger

Mag. Mario Gutenbrunner

Daniel Jaudl

DI (FH) Peter Manhartsgruber MBA

Sascha Niedersüß

Mag. Jan Weiss

CONTACT FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

DI (FH) Peter Manhartsgruber MBA

Mag. Mario Gutenbrunner

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E-Mail: info@fischersports.com

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DI Harald Reisinger

Mag. Gudrun Troppmann

www.harald-reisinger.at

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DESIGN, TYPESETTING, GRAPHICS & DIAGRAMS

Fischer Sports GmbH

Fischerstraße 8, 4910 Ried im Innkreis, AUSTRIA

PHOTOGRAPHS

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