SUUNTO Hosts Vertical Week 2026: Achieves Over 136 Million Meters in Vertical Gain, Donates 10,000 Euros to POW Europe

SUUNTO Japan LLC (1-11-4 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) is pleased to report the results of the 2026 "Suunto Vertical Week," an annual global event held since its inception in 2014, where adventure enthusiasts worldwide challenge their limits and share their passion for vertical pursuits.

This year's "Suunto Vertical Week" took place from February 23 to March 1, 2026. The global outdoor community united to record a cumulative vertical gain of 136 million meters through human-powered activities, a new record equivalent to approximately 15,000 ascents of Mount Everest.

This achievement significantly surpassed the initial target of 10 million meters. In recognition of this success, Suunto donated 10,000 euros to the environmental organization "Protect Our Winters Europe (POW Europe)" to support climate action.

Vertical Week is a key annual campaign for Suunto, and for the past two years, it has continuously supported POW Europe in raising awareness for climate change initiatives.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2026, Suunto is committed to transparent initiatives based on internationally recognized frameworks, visualizing the environmental impact throughout its products' lifecycles. This initiative, ongoing for over a decade, once again demonstrated high participation in human-powered outdoor activities and a growing interest in climate action within the community.

Through its strong partnership with POW Europe, Suunto will continue its efforts to protect the natural environment through sports.

【Key Results for 2026】

・ Total Vertical Gain: Approximately 136 million meters

・ Number of Participants: Approximately 189,000 people

・ Popular Activities: 1st Running / 2nd Walking / 3rd Cycling

【Partnership with POW Europe Enters Second Year】

POW Europe connects the outdoor community with climate action. Vertical Week serves to bring the organization's activities to over 189,000 participants, promoting understanding and engagement in climate change.

Benjamin Aidan, Partnership Director at POW Europe, stated: "This campaign once again demonstrated the immense power the outdoor community can wield when united by a common purpose. The actions of many individuals are translating into concrete support for the winter environments we strive to protect."

Founded in 1936, Suunto will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026. In recent years, the company's sustainability efforts have focused on quantifying environmental impact and ensuring data reliability through internationally verified frameworks.

Suunto voluntarily implements carbon offsetting, calculating and compensating for CO₂ emissions across the entire lifecycle (material sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal) of its sold outdoor watches and field compasses through certified projects.

Furthermore, Suunto identifies "extending product lifespan" as the most crucial factor in reducing environmental impact. In addition to designing high-quality, durable products, it offers repair services where technically feasible. Simultaneously, it continuously works to identify and improve impacts across its entire value chain.

By the end of 2025, Suunto announced its commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). In 2026, it plans to formulate short-term emission reduction targets and submit them for SBTi validation and certification.

@AyakoNiki

【Comment from Ayako Onozuka】

Ayako Onozuka, POW Japan Ambassador and Suunto Brand Ambassador, commented as follows:

"POW Japan advocates with the slogan 'The Earth Needs Winter,' delivering voices from the outdoor community. As athletes, we experience the effects of climate change daily while challenging our limits in nature. Suunto's support of 10,000 euros, the highest amount ever, for POW Europe's awareness activities through Vertical Week 2026 is highly significant. I hope this initiative encourages people not only to enjoy the outdoors but also to take an interest in climate change and environmental considerations. And I look forward to continuing to enjoy the outdoors in nature with the Suunto family for a sustainable future."

【Upright Analysis Shows Positive Overall Impact】

According to an evaluation conducted by The Upright Project at the end of 2025, Suunto has an overall positive impact across "Society," "Knowledge," "Health," and "Environment" aspects, with negative impacts being on average 36% less than positive impacts. This places Suunto in the top 36% among approximately 9,000 companies worldwide.

This analysis is based on over 200 million scientific papers and databases from organizations such as OECD, WHO, IPCC, IMF, and the World Bank.

【Towards the Next 90 Years】

Suunto will continue to prioritize measurable reduction of environmental impact, extension of product lifespan, and science-based climate action. The 90th anniversary milestone serves as an opportunity to further strengthen its commitment to creating products durable for outdoor use and its long-term efforts to reduce environmental impact.

◆About SUUNTO

SUUNTO, an outdoor and dive watch brand from Finland, celebrates its 90th anniversary since its founding in 1936.

In 1936, Finnish inventor Tuomas Vohlonen set a new standard for precise navigation with his self-developed field compass. This compass was more powerful, stable, and accurate than any handheld navigation tool of its time. This marked the first step in a line of products designed to withstand the harsh Finnish natural environment.

Ninety years later, Tuomas's spirit of innovation continues to drive Suunto's evolution. From historic diving computers and high-altitude wrist-worn altimeters to modern GPS watches, Suunto remains a trusted partner for outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. Our mission is to support explorers, athletes, and weekend adventurers, providing them with the tools to dive deep, climb high, and challenge human limits.

Website: https://apac.suunto.com/ja-jp/