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Kathmandu Holdings Ltd

kmd · ASX Communication Services
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FY2023 Annual Report · Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
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Annual Integrated Report
2023

CONTENTS

  2  OUR JOURNEY
  2  Reporting approach 
  3  Our purpose and vision 
  4  Our brands 
  6  Highlights and lowlights for FY23 
  8  Our world 

  10  LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE 
  10  Report from the Chair
  12  Group CEO report 
  14  Governance at KMD Brands 
  16  Our board  
  17  Our management team 

  18  WHAT MATTERS MOST 
  18  Materiality approach
  20  Our material issues 

  22  STRATEGY  
  22  How we create value  
  24  Our strategic pillars 

  26  BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS 

  39  ELEVATING DIGITAL 

  48  OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

  58  LEAD IN ESG
  60  Communities
  84  Climate
  96  Circularity 

 118  FINANCING OUR IMPACT 
 119  Group CFO report 
 122  Financial statements 
 168  Auditors report 

 172  ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 172  Corporate Governance Statement  
 184  Statutory information 
 189  Directory 
 190  GRI index 
 198  SASB index 
 202  Our partners

1

KMD Brands acknowledges Tangata Whenua, the 
Indigenous Nations, First Peoples, and Custodians of the 
lands and waterways on which our brand head offices 
reside in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

OUR JOURNEY  
Reporting approach 

Our purpose and vision

ABOUT THIS REPORT 

This integrated report is a review of 
our financial, economic, social and 
environmental performance for the 
year ending 31 July 2023. This is our 
second year of integrated reporting. 

We have prepared this report using 
the International  Framework, 
which aims to communicate the 
full range of factors that affect 
an organisation’s ability to create 
value over time. It requires a 
high level of transparency and a 
commitment to robust disclosure 
around Environmental, Social and 
Governance (ESG) commitments. 

KPMG has audited the financial 
statements in this report. Financial 
information has been prepared 
in accordance with New Zealand 
Equivalents to International Financial 
Reporting Standards (NZ IFRS) and 
International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRS). Non-financial 
information is reported with reference 
to the Global Reporting Initiative 
(GRI) Universal Standards. 

This year, we have built on our climate 
disclosures, referring to the structure 
of the Aotearoa New Zealand 
Climate Standards (NZ CS) as we 
build towards our first disclosure 
under the NZ CS for FY24. We will 
continue to improve and increase our 
reporting of our climate-related risks 
and opportunities and how they are 
reflected in our business strategy 
as we prepare for the reporting 
requirements under the NZ CS. 

This report also includes our 
Group carbon emissions data, 
with assurance provided by Toitū 
Envirocare, a New Zealand-based 
company helping businesses reduce 
their carbon footprint. Apart from 
our carbon emissions data, external 
assurance on non-financial data or 
information has not been obtained. 

This report constitutes KMD Brands' 
2023 Annual Report to shareholders 
and covers the requirements of 
the NZX Corporate Governance 
Code (version 1 April 2023).

2

OUR BUSINESS 

WHAT DRIVES US

KMD Brands is a global outdoor 
lifestyle and sports company and 
certified B Corporation. The Group 
consists of three iconic brands: 
Kathmandu, Oboz and Rip Curl.

Kathmandu was founded in 1987 
in New Zealand to equip people 
for travel and adventure. Outdoor 
footwear brand Oboz joined the 
group in 2018 and is based in 
Bozeman, Montana USA, the gateway 
to Yellowstone National Park. Rip 
Curl, acquired in 2019, is a leading 
global surf brand born in Bells 
Beach, Victoria, Australia, in 1969.

KMD Brands Limited is publicly listed 
on the NZX and ASX, initially listing 
in 2009 as Kathmandu Holdings 
Limited. The name changed to 
KMD Brands Limited in 2022 to 
reflect the multi-brand nature of the 
company and its future strategy, 
while still acknowledging our history. 

KMD Brands is a family of outdoor 
brands that designs products for 
purpose, is driven by innovation 
and is best for people and planet. 
All products in the KMD Brands 
family are made specifically for 
the outdoors and are tested 
by experts in the elements. 

As the parent company, KMD 
Brands brings vision and strategic 
guidance that make Kathmandu, 
Oboz and Rip Curl much more than 
the sum of their parts. By sharing 
expertise in technology, research 
and development and by leveraging 
operational excellence in sourcing, 
supply chain and systems, we are 
able to deliver the best customer 
experience across our brands. 

Our purpose and vision are motivated 
by our love of the outdoors and 
a commitment to protecting our 
natural environment and the 
people touched by our brands.

We are proud to be part of an 
accelerating global cultural shift 
to redefine success, build a more 
inclusive and sustainable economy 
and use business as a force for good.

By pushing for responsible 
practices across all three of our 
brands, we protect the experience 
and exhilaration offered by the 
outdoors that means so much 
to us and our customers. 

PURPOSE 
Inspiring people to 
explore and love  
the outdoors. 

VISION 
To be the leading 
family of global 
outdoor brands – 
designed for 
purpose, driven by 
innovation, best for 
people and planet. 

GRI 2-1

3

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESOur brands 

Kathmandu’s journey began in 
Aotearoa New Zealand more than 
30 years ago. We’re on a mission 
to improve the wellbeing of the 
world by getting more people 
outdoors – because nature has a 
positive transformative effect on 
us all. Getting outside makes us 
more happy, open, free and fun. 
Kathmandu’s vision is to be the 
world’s most loved outdoor brand. 

Born in the legendary Greater 
Yellowstone Ecosystem right outside 
our front door, the mountains just 
outside Bozeman beckon us. It’s 
in this 10-million-acre laboratory 
where we test our designs and 
find inspiration for our ideas. It’s 
where we just soak it all in. It 
even inspired our name “Oboz” 
(Outside + Bozeman = Oboz).

Rip Curl, the ultimate surfing 
company, was founded in 1969 in 
Bells Beach, Australia. For more 
than 50 years, Rip Curl has been 
a market leader in surfing and 
synonymous within surf culture. 
‘The Search’ is the driving force that 
led to the creation of Rip Curl and 
it lives in the spirit of everything we 
do. Our vision is to be the ultimate 
surfing company in all that we do.

4

5
5

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  HIGHS
FINANCIAL

$1,103m  

Group sales

59.1%  

Gross margin 

$105.9m  

Underlying EBITDA1  

$43.3m  

Underlying NPAT1  

$55.7m  

Net debt balance

$42.7m  

FY23 dividends declared 
to shareholders

w

Highlights and Lowlights for FY22
Highlights and lowlights for FY23

FY23 vs FY22

12.6%  

increase

LOWS

Softening consumer 
sentiment in Q4 

Elevated levels of inventory

HIGHS

BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS

LOWS

International launches in Europe and Canada

Launch of high-growth fast trail category

Release of the innovative FlashBomb Fusion wetsuit

Rising cost of living impacts on 
consumer spending

North American and European 
outdoor, footwear, and surf 
industries all impacted by 
industry over-stocking

20

increase

basis points 
(0.2% of sales)

ELEVATING DIGITAL

15.1% 

increase

8.6% 

increase

1. Statutory results include the impact of IFRS 
16 leases. For comparability, the impacts of 
IFRS 16, restructuring, and the notional 
amortisation of Rip Curl and Oboz customer 
relationships are excluded from Underlying 
results. Refer to Appendix 1 of the FY23 
Results Presentation for a reconciliation of 
Statutory to Underlying results.

Launch of French, German and Canadian websites

Oboz direct-to-consumer website sales increased 
>350% year-on-year

Launch of Club Rip Curl in Australasia

Online penetration normalised 
following pandemic highs to 
13.2% of direct-to-consumer sales

Significant resource invested in 
mitigating the impact and risk of 
scam websites for Kathmandu 
and Oboz

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Working capital 
management

19.9%

of sales

Gross margin 

59.1%

of sales

Improved from

21.1% 

of sales in FY22

Improved from

58.9% 

of sales in FY22

Impact on working capital from 
elevated levels of inventory

Increase in customer 
aggression in store towards 
our retail employees

Global transactional banking consolidation 

LEAD IN ESG

Group B Corp Certification

Science-based targets approved by SBTi

2nd anniversary of Sustainability Linked Loan – all targets met

KMD Brands wins Deloitte New Zealand Top 200 Sustainable 
Business Leadership award

Winner, Best First Time Entry Australasian Reporting Awards 

Increase in Scope 1 and 2 
emissions year-on-year due to 
return of travel and full store 
network operation

Complexities of scaling 
circularity programs within 
a linear business model 

6

7

OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Our world

NORTH AMERICA
Owned stores

Licensed stores

Wholesale doors

TOTAL
31

20

+4,200

Materials sourcing

USA , Mexico

Factories

1

Global Office Locations

EUROPE
Owned stores

Licensed stores

Wholesale doors

TOTAL
24

14

+2,000

Materials sourcing

Italy, France 

Factories

6

ASIA
Licensed and JV stores

Wholesale doors

TOTAL
75

+600

Materials sourcing

Vietnam, China, 
Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, 
Indonesia, South Korea, 
Bangladesh, India 

Factories

162

CANADA

Vancouver

USA

San Clemente

Bozeman

FRANCE

Hossegor

JAPAN

Fujisawa

SOUTH AMERICA
Owned stores

Licensed stores

Wholesale doors

Factories

Materials sourcing

TOTAL
5

96

+800

13

Brazil 

NATIONALITIES OF OUR TEAM *

American,  Argentine,  Australian,  Austrian,  Bangladeshi,  Brazilian, 
British, Canadian, Chilean, Chinese, Colombian, Croatian, Cuban, Dutch, 
Ecuadorian, English, Filipino, Fijian, French, German, Greek, Honduran, 
Indian,  Indonesian,  Iranian,  Iraqi,  Irish,  Italian,  Japanese,  Korean, 
Lebanese,  Malaysian,  Maltese,  Mexican,  Nepalese,  New  Zealander, 
Pakistani, Peruvian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Salvadorian, Scottish, 
South  African,  Spanish,  Sri  Lankan,  Swedish,  Thai,  Tongan,  Turkish, 
Vietnamese, Welsh, and Zimbabwean.

BRAZIL

Sao Paulo

* Sourced from Gallup Q12 Engagement survey conducted during FY23 and is based on responses received from respondents

8

Chiang Mai

THAILAND

Bangkok

INDONESIA

AFRICA &  
MIDDLE EAST
Licensed stores

Factories

TOTAL

Bali

35

1

AUSTRALASIA
Owned stores

Licensed stores

Wholesale doors

TOTAL
267

23 

+1,000

Materials sourcing

Australia, New Zealand 

Factories

6

AUSTRALIA

Torquay

Melbourne

NEW ZEALAND

Christchurch

GRI 2-1

9

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESLEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE  
Report from the Chair 

In this report, you will find a holistic 
overview of our business, including 
how we create value for all our 
stakeholders, the material issues 
that we have encountered this 
year, and how we are addressing 
these. We have again organised 
this report around our strategic 
pillars which are unchanged. 

We manage reporting and track our 
metrics at a Group, rather than at an 
individual brand level. This year we 
have built on the foundation created 
in our FY22 report by providing 
more depth in our reporting on 
important topics. We will continue 
to develop our reporting content 
under the  framework in 
subsequent reporting periods.

In FY23 we have continued our 
progress from a single ANZ 
retailer to a global group of iconic 
brands. This evolution brings with 

David Kirk 

Chairman

I am pleased to present the 
Financial Year ‘23 Annual 
Integrated Report for KMD 
Brands. FY23 was a year of 
consolidation and setting of solid 
foundations that will position the 
Group and brands for growth in 
the next fiscal year and beyond. 

it increased complexity in our 
operational footprints. The Board 
and I are pleased by the progress 
the company has made in FY23.  

STRATEGY, PURPOSE 
AND VISION 

In FY22 we focused on bringing the 
brands together as a Group with 
a new vision and purpose. In FY23 
we continued that momentum and 
further consolidated Group-wide 
operating initiatives in support of 
our strategic pillars. We remain 
relentlessly focused on our four 
strategic pillars: Building Global 
Brands, Elevating Digital, Operational 
Excellence and Lead in ESG.

We are guided by our vision – to 
be the leading family of global 
outdoor brands – designed for 
purpose, driven by innovation, 
best for people and planet. This 
vision requires us to balance profit 
with purpose and accordingly our 
strategic pillar to Lead In ESG.

This year, as reported by the media 
in ANZ and abroad, KMD Brands 
proudly certified as a B Corporation 
(B Corp). B Corp Certification is a 
significant achievement for the Group. 
The Group has been independently 
verified to meet globally recognised 
high standards of social and 
environmental performance, public 
transparency and accountability. 

The entire Group and its many 
functions, both globally and 
locally, came together to achieve 
this goal. The Kathmandu brand 
recertified and Rip Curl and Oboz 
certified for the first time after 
several years of preparation. KMD 
Brands is one of only 45 publicly 
traded companies globally that are 
certified B Corps – a significant 

also won the award for ‘Best First 
Time Entry’ and was an overall 
runner-up in the Integrated Reporting 
category, a significant achievement 
for our first AIR. The Australian 
Investor Relations Association also 
acknowledged KMD Brands with 
a nomination for Best Investor 
Relations by a New Zealand company.

THANK YOU 

I would like to record the Board’s 
sincere thanks to Group CEO and 
Managing Director, Michael Daly, for 
his commitment this year. Michael 
led the Kathmandu brand very 
capably at the same time as leading 
the Group. I would also like to thank 
Chris Kinraid, Group CFO, for his 
nine years of tenure at both KMD 
Brands and Kathmandu. Chris leaves 
to take up a chief executive officer 
role at the end of this calendar year.

I also thank my fellow Board members 
for all their hard and insightful work in 
a challenging year, the management 
teams at Group and in the brands 
and each of the almost 5,000 KMD 
Brands employees. We are well 
positioned for continued growth 
in profitability and value thanks to 
your hard work and dedication. 

Finally I would also like to thank our 
shareholders for their continued 
support in these more challenging 
times for consumer spending.

achievement for a listed company 
of our size, complexity, and scale. 

PEOPLE 

FY23 was Michael Daly’s second 
year as Group CEO. For much of the 
year, Michael was also Acting CEO 
for Kathmandu, as we embarked on 
a global search for a new leader. We 
were delighted to appoint Megan 
Welch as CEO of Kathmandu from 
FY24. Her brand-building expertise 
and experience in retail, wholesale 
and digital sales channels in multiple 
international markets including the 
US, Europe and Asia, is perfectly 
suited for Kathmandu at this time. 

Last December, we farewelled John 
Harvey after more than 12 years of 
excellent service to KMD Brands 
and Zion Armstrong was appointed 
as a new non-executive director. 
Zion has had a very successful 30 
year career in the global branded 
sportswear industry. Zion spent 24 
years with adidas, stepping down as 
President – North America in early 
2022 to return to New Zealand. 

FINANCIAL

The first full financial year of 
uninterrupted trade since the 
pandemic was focused on managing 
our cost base in a period of higher 
interest rates and inflation and 
dampened consumer sentiment. We 
have adjusted cost bases, focused 
distribution channels, continued to 
invest in our brands and worked 
hard on distinctive, fit-for-purpose 
products. We achieved record sales 
of $1.1 billion for the first time, with 
an underlying EBITDA of $105.9m.

 All our iconic brands grew sales year-
on-year. Rip Curl achieved record 
sales, growing sales year-on-year in 
all major geographies. Kathmandu 
achieved strong sales and profit 
growth year-on-year, benefiting 
from 12 months of uninterrupted 
trade. Oboz sales improved sharply, 
recovering from significant supply 
constraints in the prior year. 

In the second half of FY23 we 
performed solidly despite a 
significant deterioration in global 
market conditions for consumer-
facing businesses. Our balance 
sheet is strong, our strategy is 
clear and our businesses are leaner 
as we move into FY24. We have 
good reason to feel confident in 
our capacity to deliver improved 
performance in the year ahead. 

DIVIDEND  

We have maintained the previous 
year’s record dividend payout, 
declaring $42.7 million dividends in 
FY23. The directors have declared a 
final dividend of 3 cents per share. 
Combined with the 3 cents per share 
interim dividend, this delivers a total 
payout for the 2023 financial year of 
6 cents per share. The final dividend 
will not be franked for Australian 
shareholders, and not imputed 
for New Zealand shareholders.

INVESTOR RELATIONS

KMD Brands has been recognised 
for its excellent engagement with 
investors in FY23. The Group was 
recognised at the Australasian 
Reporting Awards (ARA) for our 2022 
Annual Integrated Report (AIR). The 
Group won a Gold Award for overall 
excellence in annual reporting and 
a Silver Award for achievement in 
sustainability reporting. The Group 

10

11

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESGroup CEO report

Despite our strong overall 
performance, there is work to 
be done to continue to build 
momentum in our brands. 

regionally focused Kathmandu 
websites and elevate the Oboz 
e-commerce experience, 
delivering triple-digit growth.  

Kathmandu continued to cycle 
through its second phase of 
recovery, with increased incoming 
and outgoing travel presenting 
an opportunity for growth back 
to pre-pandemic levels. 

Rip Curl and Oboz continue to 
drive growth in sales and need to 
balance that with increased EBITDA 
margins. Reduced working capital 
for these brands is also a focus, as 
we transition away from strategic 
inventory builds in wetsuits and 
footwear through the pandemic.

The Group remains committed 
to improving our EBITDA margin 
across all brands towards 
our target of 15% of sales.

Ultimately, FY23 was a year of great 
achievements for KMD Brands 
and we’re encouraged by the 
gains made across the Group.

STRATEGY 

Our strategy and plan remained 
unchanged and kept us on a steady 
path in FY23. Our commitment to 
Building Global Brands allowed us 
to achieve key strategic priorities, 
including the soft launch of 
Kathmandu in Europe and Canada, 
the global release of Rip Curl’s 
breakthrough wetsuit innovation 
the FlashBomb Fusion, and the 
extension of Oboz both into 
new markets and categories. 

Elevating Digital saw the Group 
collaborate with brands to launch 
Rip Curl’s unique new customer 
loyalty platform Club Rip Curl, 
develop and deploy several new 

We continue to leverage Operational 
Excellence across the Group by 
bringing the power of our brands 
together. This year we saw strong 
benefits derived from leveraging 
our purchasing power across 
brands with service providers. We 
will continue to leverage the power 
of the Group across systems, and 
supply chain in particular, in the 
coming years to deliver further 
benefits and enable us to achieve 
our desired financial targets.

Lead in ESG was an area that 
united our Group – certifying as 
a B Corp; Kathmandu piloting 
industry leading circularity business 
models that drove commercial 
outcomes; launching Rip Curl’s first 
Reconciliation Action Plan; and 
Oboz reaching a milestone of five 
million trees planted on behalf of 
customers. ESG remains at the heart 
of the business, and I feel personally 
honoured to have been a part of 
these achievements for this year. 

Each section of our FY23 Annual 
Integrated Report will dive into 
how we activated these strategic 
pillars, including case studies 
that give greater detail, so please 
continue to read more on this. 

CUSTOMER

Our products are made by 
passionate people, who live 
and breathe the lifestyle of 
their customers. We foster and 
encourage this, ensuring that our 
team can surf when the surf’s up, 
or head home early to spend the 
weekend camping or hitting the 

Michael Daly 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

As Managing Director and Chief 
Executive Officer of KMD Brands, 
it is with great pride that I 
present to you our second annual 
integrated report, and our first 
as a group with B Corporation 
(B Corp) Certification. 

FY23 was a year of significant 
achievement for the Group. 
We delivered a record NZD $1.1 
billion in sales for the first time. 
All of our iconic brands grew 
sales, with Rip Curl and Oboz 
delivering record results. 

In our first year of uninterrupted 
trade post-pandemic, we 
also achieved:

•   Gross margin improvement 
of 20 basis points for the 
Group and all brands

•   Underlying EBITDA $105.9m 

representing a margin 
improvement for the Group 

•   Net working capital as a 

percentage of sales improved 
to under 20% (19.9%), with 
significant reduction in 
inventory at Kathmandu.

12

“
Our team can surf when the surf’s up, or head home early to spend the 
weekend camping or hitting the trail. We are our customers, and like 
our customers, we’ve grown up loving our brands.” 

trail. We are our customers, and 
like our customers, we’ve grown 
up loving our brands. This gives 
us a unique understanding of our 
core target, both the adventures 
they seek and the gear and 
apparel they need to enable that. 

Our customers rely on us for their 
journeys, so it’s important we live in 
their shoes. This shared enthusiasm 
for the outdoors, whether that be 
surfing, hiking or simply getting 
out there, drives us to continuously 
innovate for our customers. 

To strengthen these bonds and 
expand our influence, we’re actively 
growing our loyalty programs. 
Club Rip Curl unites customers, 
encouraging them to share their 
experiences of ‘The Search’ and fully 
engage with our brand. Additionally, 
the reimagined Kathmandu ‘Out 
there rewards', set to launch in early 
FY24, aims to deepen bonds with 
our customers by incentivising 
them to experience what they’re 
passionate about – outdoor 
adventures. As Oboz makes gains on 
building community, we’re already 
seeing the benefits of connecting 
with their core hiker base through 
the Oboz Trail Experience. 

PEOPLE

This year in my role as Acting CEO 
of Kathmandu, I worked closely 
with the leadership team to refine 
the strategic direction of the brand, 
aligning with Group focuses. It was 
important for me to get to know the 
business in greater detail, to make 
sure it was well positioned for its 
next stage of leadership and growth. 

With greater understanding 
of what was required our CEO 
search focused on appointing 
a leader with hands-on brand 
and product experience, from an 
internationally successful business. 
In Megan Welch, we identified 
these important skills, which 
ensure we are well positioned to 
fulfil our international expansion 
aspirations for Kathmandu.   

In addition to this, we continued to 
broaden the depth of our executive 
bench and prioritised our Elevating 
Digital and Operational Excellence 
strategic pillars. This included a 
revised and expanded Group Chief 
Information Officer role, and the 
newly created Chief Digital Officer 
role, which will focus on digital 
innovation and transformation 
across the Group and brands. Both 
roles are in the process of being 
filled, as is the search for a new 
Chief Financial Officer to replace 
Chris Kinraid. We aim to ensure 
all candidates start in H1 FY24. 

OUTLOOK

This year has been one of many 
milestones. Our focus was to 
consolidate and position the Group 
and our brands for the next stage 
of growth, and we have achieved 
this. Though we ended the year in 
a challenging trading environment, 
it’s important to note our record 
performance, and the strong 
position we find ourselves in for 
FY24. With a strategic focus and 
commitment, we finish FY23 with a 
strong balance sheet, record sales, 
and improved margin. FY24 will 

see us continue the momentum 
and deliver sustainable long-term 
growth to our shareholders.

THANK YOU

I’m proud of the collective efforts 
of the entire team that sit under 
KMD Brands and each of our 
iconic brands. I want to take this 
opportunity to thank you all. Firstly, 
thank you to our retail teams who 
continue to go into stores each 
day and passionately serve our 
customers. To longer tenured team 
members, thank you for trusting us 
with your careers and combining 
your lifelong passion with your 
work. We benefit enormously 
from your commitment. 

A special thanks goes to everyone 
across the entire business – both 
locally and globally – who was 
involved in the B Corp Certification 
of the Group and brands; and the 
recertification of Kathmandu. This 
was a huge task, and we are the 
better for it. I appreciate all the 
hard work and passion that went 
into this fantastic achievement.

A final thanks to Chris Kinraid, 
Chief Financial Officer, for his 
partnership and dedication over 
the years. I wish him well in his next 
role as a chief executive officer. 

13

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Governance at KMD Brands 

At KMD Brands, our purpose 
is to inspire people to explore 
and love the outdoors. It is this 
purpose that drives our vision to 
be the leading family of global 
outdoor brands – designed for 
purpose, driven by innovation, 
best for people and planet.  

KMD Brands is led by a talented 
group of non-executive directors 
supporting an experienced 
management team. The Group, 
through the leadership of the 
Board, has a clear purpose, vision 
and defined corporate strategy. We 
have well-established strategies, 
policies and goals supporting 
sustainable development, 
underpinned by our commitment 
to the B Corp movement. 

Kathmandu first became a certified 
B Corporation in 2019 and recertified 
in 2023. Both Rip Curl and Oboz 
achieved B Corp Certification 
for the first time in 2023. 

A B Corp is a different way of doing 
business. It is a governance structure 
underpinned by a “benefit mindset” 
that considers all stakeholders to 
balance purpose and profit. This 
means that, as a business, we 
consider the impact of our decisions 
on our employees, our customers, the 
wider community, the environment, 
our shareholders, and the workers in 
our global supply chain. We empower 
and direct our employees to make 
decisions with the same principles 
of wider stakeholder consideration. 

B Corps are a rapidly growing 
community driving a global 
movement of people working towards 
a more inclusive, equitable and 
regenerative economic system. 

B Corp Certification - and 
recertification every three years – 

guides KMD Brands’ Environmental, 
Social and Governance (ESG) impact 
strategy and provides a framework 
for continuous improvement.

The process to become B Corp 
certified is different to other ESG 
reporting frameworks, as it provides a 
vehicle for transparent reporting and 
disclosure, and also evaluates and 
validates a company’s performance. 
This enhances accountability 
and transparency and gives us a 
pathway to continually shape our 
business practices to reduce our 
negative impacts and create new 
value for people and planet.

Our Group Code of Ethics embeds 
the benefit mindset into our 
expectations of all employees. We 
have taken this further by adding 
ESG responsibilities to the job 
descriptions of all employees and 
included ESG-related objectives as 
part of our employee goal-setting 
and performance review processes. 

We are also looking for ways to 
incorporate these expectations when 
assessing our broader relationships 
with manufacturers, licensee 
partners, third-party branded 
suppliers, and other vendors. The 
benefit mindset is also reflected in 
the Group’s policy commitment to 
responsible business conduct.

At KMD Brands, we are committed to 
leading the way by considering our 
impact on people and planet in how 
we do business and our governance 
practices. This is because, by 
doing so, we are protecting the 
business for the long term, making 
it more valuable, supporting the 
future financial success of the 
Group and preparing for future 
regulatory requirements to come.

And these principles align with 
our fundamental purpose and 
vision. Getting people outside and 
enjoying the outdoors is what all 
our brands are about. We are in 
business for profit, but we want 
to be a good and robust business 
for the long term, and B Corp 
Certification positions us for this.

At our Annual Shareholders 
Meeting in November 2023, 
the Board will propose a 
special resolution to amend the 
constitution of KMD Brands to 
embed our purpose provision, 
and to add a requirement for 
the Board to consider relevant 
stakeholder interests when 
making decisions, including 
the interests of shareholders, 
consequences for the 
business in the long term, 
the interests of employees, 
customers, suppliers, impacts 
on the community and the 
environment. These clauses 
reflect the approach we 
already take to governance and 
decision making across our 
organisation. Incorporating this 
provision is a requirement to 
maintain B Corp Certification 
for our Group beyond 2023. 
KMD Brands is committed to 
seeking an overall positive 
impact on society and the 
environment, while delivering 
returns to our shareholders, 
and proposing this change has 
the full support of our Board.

GRI 2-12, 2-22, 2-23, 2-24

14

15

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Our board

Our management team 

The Board provides overall strategic oversight of KMD 
Brands, including adherence to best-practice governance 
principles, maintenance of the highest ethical standards 
and protection of core values so that the Group is managed 
effectively and responsibly. A brief biography of each Board 
member can be found in the “Board and Management” 
section of the company’s investor website. Our full Corporate 
Governance statement, including Director skills matrix, is 
included in the “Additional Disclosures” section of this report.

David Kirk 

Chairman 
Appointed 21 November 2013 

The management team takes care of the day-to-day 
management and operation of KMD Brands, regularly reporting 
to the Board on all aspects of group performance. 

A brief biography of each member of the management team 
can be found in the “Board and Management” section of the 
company’s investor website.

Michael Daly 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 
Joined Rip Curl in 2002 

Brent Scrimshaw 

Non-Executive Director 
Appointed 2 October 2017

Philip Bowman

Non-Executive Director 
Appointed 2 October 2017

Andrea Martens 

Non-Executive Director  
Appointed 1 August 2019 

Chris Kinraid 

Group Chief Financial Officer 
Joined Kathmandu in 2014 

Brooke Farris

Amy Beck

Rip Curl Chief Executive Officer 
Joined Rip Curl in 2010 

President Oboz / KMD Brands North America  
Joined Oboz in 2019 

Michael Daly 

Abby Foote 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 
Appointed 19 May 2021 

Non-Executive Director 
Appointed 15 October 2021

Zion Armstrong 

Non-Executive Director 
Appointed 1 December 2022

Jolann Van Dyk 

Chief Information Officer 
Joined Kathmandu in 2014 

Frances Blundell 

Chief Legal & ESG Officer 
Joined Kathmandu in 2017 

Linda Barlow 

Chief People Officer  
Re-joined Rip Curl in 2019 

John Harvey 

Retired 1 December 2022 

16

Lachlan Farran 

Chief Commercial Officer 
Re-joined Rip Curl in 2016 

Mathieu Lefin  

Megan Welch  

President KMD Brands – Europe 
Joined Rip Curl in 2009 

Kathmandu Chief Executive Officer 
Joined August 2023

17

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESWHAT MATTERS MOST
Materiality approach 

During FY23, we conducted a 
materiality assessment refresh. 
This looked at the relevance 
and importance of the material 
issues identified in 2021, and 
identified emerging issues. 

This process involved extensive 
stakeholder surveys and confidential 
interviews. Selected stakeholders 
completed a comprehensive online 
survey; this was complemented with 
simplified surveys of employees, 
ambassadors and athletes, and 
polls both in-store and across 
social media platforms. We 
integrated specific ESG questions 
into surveys conducted in eight 

supplier locations in Vietnam. We 
also investigated scientific, industry, 
economic and political sources to 
understand emerging trends.

THE MATERIALITY 
ASSESSMENT PROCESS

We received input from a large 
number of stakeholders during this 
materiality refresh process, including 
over 30 interviews with individuals. 

Respondents were asked to examine 
the ESG and non-ESG material 
issues we identified in our FY22 
Annual Integrated Report and to 
provide their perspectives and 
importance of each issue to: 

• KMD Brands’ ongoing business 

success and reputation

• The stakeholders' ongoing 

relationship with KMD Brands, 
either as an individual or as a 
representative of an institution, 
such as an investment manager.

We asked respondents to rate 
the relative importance that they 
think KMD Brands should give to 
each material issue and whether 
they think KMD Brands is meeting 
their expectations on each issue. 

We also asked key stakeholders 
to share their perspectives on: 

18

• Specific ESG sub-issues that 

KMD Brands is currently focusing 
on in our ESG Strategy

• Issues that in the opinion of the 
stakeholder are missing from the 
current material issues list and that 
we should give more attention to 

• Issues “on the horizon” that in 
the opinion of the stakeholder 
have the potential to become 
more material to KMD Brands 
over the next 5-10 years.

The materiality assessment refresh 
demonstrated that, according to 
our stakeholders, we are on the 
right track, and the material issues 
identified in the 2021 materiality 
assessment are still the right ones 
for KMD to focus on in 2023. All 
our stakeholders are unanimous 
in this regard. Both our investors 
and our employees observed that 
we are gaining traction on our 

key ESG issues. In addition, the 
majority of stakeholders indicated 
that KMD Brands’ ESG leadership 
remains important both for ongoing 
business success and to them as 
stakeholders. Our stakeholders 
made some observations around 
nuanced changes in the market 
and emerging issues that we 
need to be aware of and monitor, 
for future incorporation into our 
strategy. We have included the 
topic of biodiversity impact into our 
material issues for our FY23 report, 
and separated out the topics of 
geopolitics and digital transformation.

OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS  

In reviewing our material topics 
for FY23, we consulted with the 
stakeholders that make a substantial 
impact on our Group, or on whom 
we have a substantial impact 
through our business activities: 

• Our shareholders 

• Our board of directors, executive 

and functional leaders

• Our employees

• Our consumers and 
wholesale customers

• Suppliers and workers

• Financiers 

• Regulators

• Community groups including our 
athletes and brand ambassadors.

GRI 2-12, 2-29, 3-1

19

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESOUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Our material issues

Our material issues are defined 
as having the most impact 
on our ability to create value 
for our stakeholders. 

Under this definition we acknowledge 
that there are some trade-offs 
between material issues. 

A material issue may require 
substantial investment, and therefore 
negatively influence KMD Brands' 
value creation, but create value for 
employees or improve customer 
experience. A number of the 
material issues facing our business 
are wholly or partially outside of 
our control. There are actions we 
can take to mitigate the risks to 
our business that these issues 
create. Our business success can 
be adversely or positively affected 
by these issues depending upon 
the degree to which we anticipate, 
prepare for, and respond. We discuss 
the impacts of these material issues 
throughout our report on the capitals 
(resources) we rely on to create 
value, and how our strategic focus 
areas are informed and prioritised 
to respond. Our Board has reviewed 
and approved these material topics 
for the FY23 reporting period. 

GLOBAL ECONOMY

Managing the impacts of the global 
rising cost of inflation is a critically 
important issue for our business as 
we experience inflationary pressures 
on multiple fronts. Inflationary 
pressures and the rising cost of 
living are also impacting consumer 
discretionary spending habits. 
Consumer lifestyles have shifted and 
spending patterns are changing.

GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE

The turbulent geopolitical landscape, 
global conflicts and regional 

20

political instability carry the risk 
of heightened trade tensions, 
regulatory uncertainties, supply chain 
disruptions, potential security threats, 
and potential sanctions for countries. 
All of these issues could impact our 
ability to source input materials, 
lead to market volatility, create 
increased operational complexities, 
and reduce access to key markets.

SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE 

Our ability to effectively and 
efficiently transport products globally 
and reach our end-customers 
can be significantly affected by 
shipping delays, port congestion, 
and access to regional freight 
forwarding. These factors can have 
a substantial impact on the smooth 
flow of goods, making it challenging 
for us to navigate the supply chain 
and deliver products in a timely 
manner. Addressing issues related 
to shipping delays, managing port 
congestion effectively, and ensuring 

reliable access to regional freight 
forwarding are crucial to overcoming 
these obstacles and maintaining 
seamless global operations.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The pressing need for urgent 
transformative change to tackle the 
impacts of climate change and global 
warming represents a significant 
material issue that all businesses 
are facing, encompassing physical, 
regulatory, market and social risks, 
while also presenting opportunities 
for innovation and growth through 
mitigation, adaptation, transparency 
and collaboration. Our commitment 
and plan to reduce the greenhouse 
gas emissions connected with 
our business and our products 
continues to be a key material 
issue for all our stakeholders.

PEOPLE AND WELLBEING 

Attracting talent and retaining 
that talent within our businesses 

in a competitive labour market is 
an ongoing challenge. We need 
skilled resources to drive our 
business strategies and support the 
growth potential of our brands.

The wellbeing of people connected 
with our businesses is a key 
focus. Our stakeholders want us 
to focus beyond just health 
and safety. Wellbeing is about 
resilience, inclusion and recognising 
our responsibility to provide a 
workplace where everyone can 
show up as their true self. 

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The shift towards the digital 
world requires us to keep pace 
with future-fit platforms and tools 

and to operate with agility. Digital 
transformation refers to the ability 
of KMD Brands to harness data 
to drive decision making and 
accelerate growth across our direct-
to-consumer business to elevate 
the customer experience, enhance 
efficiency and support innovation.

BRAND POWER

The strength of each of our 
brands is a core material asset 
and it is fundamental that we 
protect and grow brand awareness 
at a manageable pace. 

To remain relevant and desirable 
to our customers, and ahead 
of our competition, we must 
deliver products, and provide 

MATERIALITY MATRIX

Brand power

People and 
wellbeing

Supply chain 
resilience

Digital 
transformation

Cyber and 
data security

Global 
economy

Climate 
change

Geopolitical 
landscape

Biodiversity 
loss

Change 
management

High

Very High

Importance to me as a stakeholder

i

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g
H
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V

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g
H

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B
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c
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a
t
r
o
p
m

I

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d
M

Mid

a brand experience which is 
relevant and appealing. 

BIODIVERSITY LOSS

Biodiversity loss encompasses 
depletion of natural resources, 
including ecosystem disruption, 
habitat loss, pollution and impacts 
on water quality and availability, 
with systemic consequences 
for human health and planetary 
stability. We are reliant on natural 
resources to create our products 
and need to find ways to minimise 
our impacts on the natural world. 

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Bringing together our family of 
brands to maximise synergies and 
optimise operational and financial 
performance can be complex 
and costly and requires careful 
change management processes.

To achieve success, we need to focus 
on effective communication and 
employee engagement, robust project 
planning and leadership support.

CYBER AND DATA 
SECURITY

The risk and sophistication of cyber 
threats is ever increasing, requiring 
investment in infrastructure which 
is resilient and well protected.

We need to respect and protect the 
privacy of our customers and the 
data assets we hold and use that 
data responsibly and effectively.

GRI 2-14, 3-2

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGY 
How we create value

THE RESOURCES WE RELY ON  

OUR VALUE CHAIN  

FY23 OUTPUTS

OUTCOMES FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS

OUR FUNDING

Over 10k shareholders 
$310m syndicated debt facility

OUR PRODUCTS 
AND CHANNELS

Over 9,000 total doorways 
(owned, licensed, wholesale)

OUR CREATIVE POWER

Product development, design 
and innovation

OUR PEOPLE

4,843 employees 
x

OUR PARTNERSHIPS

189 Tier 1 factories making 
our products

OUR ENVIRONMENT

16 countries we source 
materials from

Our material issues 
(see pages 20-21)

TIER 4 
Raw material 
production

TIER 2 and 3 
Raw material processing 
and fabric mills

TIER 1 
Final stage manufacturing

Freight, distribution centres 
and third party logistics

Retail and wholesale network

INSPIRING PEOPLE TO 
EXPLORE AND LOVE 
THE OUTDOORS

Take-back, repair, resale, 
recycling programs

22

419
Tonnage of waste diverted 
from landfill

29%
Scope 1 & 2 location-based 
emissions 
reduction since FY19

FOR THE PLANET
Striving for a positive impact on 
the environment across the  
whole life cycle of our products

NZD $1,103m
Total revenue

FOR CUSTOMERS
Designing innovative, technical outdoor 
lifestyle and sports products

4.3 YEARS
Average tenure of 
permanent employees

FOR EMPLOYEES
Providing a place for all people to realise 
their full potential

NZD $42.7m
Dividends declared

FOR INVESTORS
Paying total shareholder returns. Providing a 
sustainable investment option

NZD $1.14m
Total community 
investment

FOR THE COMMUNITY
Creating positive change in the communities 
we impact

40
Supplier partnerships  
> 10 years

FOR SUPPLIERS
Providing long-term partnerships, 
supporting strong worker wellbeing

OUR VISION
To be the leading family 
of global outdoor brands 
– designed for purpose, 
driven by innovation, best 
for people and planet.

BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS

ELEVATING DIGITAL

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

LEAD IN ESG

GRI 2-6

23

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
Our strategic pillars

This year, we have continued to 
build on our Group corporate 
strategy to support our future 
as a global, outdoor family 
of brands that creates high-
quality products designed for 
purpose, driven by innovation, 
and best for people and planet. 

Our strategy consists of four key 
pillars: Building Global Brands, 
Elevating Digital, Leveraging 
Operational Excellence, and 
Leadership in ESG. These pillars are 
designed to support KMD Brands' 
growth as a global, multi-channel 
business and address the material 
issues that we face. As we manage 
our way through challenging and 
disruptive global conditions, we 
are focused on having a flexible 
balance sheet that allows for capital 
returns and future acquisitions. 

Each pillar is addressed in more 
detail in the following sections, where 
we discuss our observations and 
response to the relevant material 
issues experienced during the 
year and how our strategic pillars 
address the strategic risks to KMD 
Brands, together with the challenges 
and opportunities ahead. Through 
the consideration of our material 
issues across each of our strategic 
pillars, we review and disclose the 
most material impacts we have on 
value creation, preservation and 
erosion across each of the resources 
we rely on to create value for our 
stakeholders that are essential for our 
success. The resources described 
on the previous page are our 
interpretation of the capitals under 
the Integrated Reporting Framework.

SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT GOALS

We acknowledge the impact of our 
businesses on people and planet 
and accept our responsibility 
to advance the United Nations 
Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs). We consider the SDGs in 
our strategy and our reporting, 
which underpins all our business 
activities. The goals where we have 
the most impact are shown below: 

Promote sustained, inclusive and 
sustainable economic growth, full  
and productive employment and 
decent work for all 

Reduce inequality within and among 
countries 

Ensure sustainable consumption and 
production patterns 

Take urgent action to combat 
climate change and its impacts

BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS 

We are actively building our brands to have global appeal, presence and 
reach through investing in world class brand and customer experiences. 
We are focused on extending awareness of the Rip Curl brand in North 
America, growing brand recognition in Europe to a top three position, and 
being the top surf brand in Australasia. We have launched Kathmandu into 
Canada and Europe, highlighting its New Zealand origins and will continue 
to build on the brand’s presence in these markets while maintaining its 
market dominance throughout Australasia. We are leveraging Oboz’ 
position as a leader of hike footwear to grow in the key North American 
market, to re-launch the brand in ANZ and expand distribution in Europe. 

ELEVATING DIGITAL 

Elevating and enhancing our digital execution is a key feature of the 
KMD Brands’ strategy. We are investing in Group digital platforms 
to deliver a truly world-class experience to consumers, wholesale 
customers, suppliers, and our employees. Through these platforms 
we support a unified customer experience, accelerating brand 
growth, and provide commerce operations for the whole Group.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

To support the growth of our global brands, we are focusing on collaboration 
across our businesses. We are investing in programmes that accelerate 
cross-brand opportunities through supply chain efficiencies and core-
system capabilities. We are collaborating on product innovation to enable the 
products of each brand to continue to lead in their respective categories. 

LEAD IN ESG

By integrating our ESG pillars of Communities, Climate and Circularity into our 
business practices, we are aligning the KMD Brands Group with sustainable 
development goals and demonstrating our leadership in ESG within our 
sector. Through collaboration, transparency and adherence to B Corp 
Certification standards, we make a positive social and environmental impact 
while also achieving long-term business success. 

24

25

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS 
Metrics that matter

FY23 SALES GROWTH YEAR ON YEAR %

  Oboz
+61.8%

BY  
BRAND

+8.3%
Rip Curl

+17.5%
Retail

+9.6%
Australia

+10.6% 
Kathmandu

Wholesale 
+11.0%

Licensing / Royalties
 +9.8%

BY  
CHANNEL

-8.2% 
Online

Europe
+5.6%

Rest of World
+11.2%

North
America
+24.4%

BY  
REGION

+12.5% 
New Zealand

26

27

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  How we are building global brands

MATERIAL ISSUES: GLOBAL ECONOMY  •  GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE  •  DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 
SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE  •  BRAND POWER

OUR OBSERVATIONS

Our Group consists of three iconic 
brands: Kathmandu, Rip Curl and 
Oboz. Our brands are iconic not only 
because they represent innovative, 
high-performance products for the 
outdoor consumer, but because of 
the values that underpin them. Strong 
brand equity is our material asset 
and it is fundamental that we grow 
our brands strategically and steadily. 

Building global brands requires 
a purpose-driven approach, a 
motivated, engaged and talented 
team, and a deep understanding of 
our customers’ needs. Our brands 
have strong foundations built around 
activities in the outdoors and our 
purposefully designed, innovative 
products allow our customers 
to thrive in their adventures. By 
enhancing customer experiences in 
store and online through our multi-
channel strategy, we can continue to 
build our brands on a global scale.

To maintain our relevance and 
appeal to our customers, while 
staying ahead of our competitors, 
we must consistently deliver 
desirable products that are 
innovative, responsibly sourced 
and made, and enhance the 
outdoor experience. Our brands 
must make the outdoor experience 
more enjoyable, comfortable and 
inspiring for our customers.

We remain true to our mission and 
pricing strategies, despite inflationary 
pressures, driven by global economic 
conditions and geopolitical 
uncertainties, that have continued 
to increase production costs. The 
current economic environment 
remains challenging for many 
businesses, with many apparel goods 
retailers carrying excess inventory. 
We have observed examples 

28

of aggressive and deep price 
discounting from some competitors, 
adding to the challenge of driving 
sales growth and maintaining margin 
without losing our market share. 
In the last few months of FY23, 
we started to see a softening in 
wholesale and consumer demand in 
some markets. However, each of our 
brands’ positioning remains strong, 
all showing growth during the year 
despite the economic headwinds.

OUR ACTIONS

We are investing in the long-term 
success of each of our brands 
through new initiatives, leadership 
in product innovation, multi-channel 
offerings and by expanding into new 
geographies. We continue to bring 
our brands to life through relevant, 
targeted, consumer-driven content.

During FY23, we continued to 
invest in the Rip Curl brand in the 
US and global surf market through 
ongoing sponsorship of the Rip 
Curl World Surf League Finals and 
by expanding the Hawaii retail 
footprint. Product development at 
Rip Curl is relentlessly committed 
to quality, sustainability, innovation 
and creativity, focusing on our core 
product categories of wetsuits, 
boardshorts and swimwear. The 
FlashBomb Fusion with seams that 
don’t leak is already making waves, 
having launched in Australia and 
New Zealand in March 2023. Rip 
Curl is enhancing our engagement 
with female customers by creating 
more inclusive content and 
expanding the wholesale presence 
of our women’s range. During FY23, 
Rip Curl launched the Club Rip 
Curl loyalty program in Australia.  
Strong growth in membership was 
achieved in the program’s first 
year, the program placing runner 

up at the World Loyalty Awards 
in the category of Best Customer 
Experience. Online, Rip Curl pushed 
into European marketplaces 
with strong initial success. 

Kathmandu commenced building 
new customer relationships in 
Europe, the UK and Canada during 
FY23, highlighting the New Zealand 
origins of the brand, while leveraging 
existing Rip Curl relationships, 
team members and infrastructure. 
New direct-to-consumer websites 
were launched in Canada, France 
and Germany in September 2022. 
Kathmandu continued to bring to 
life our new brand purpose and 
vision through ‘We’re Out There’ 
campaigns, which were nominated 
for several global marketing awards. 
During FY23, Kathmandu focused 
on refining and understanding our 
core target customer, and built 
brand equity through community 
engagement, strong partnerships 
and brand ambassadors. Product 
innovation has always been central 
to the Kathmandu business and 
that continued in FY23 with 
the launch of the Heli R – a 
reinvention of the flagship Heli 
jacket – and its digital product ID.

During FY23, Oboz focused on 
elevating the retail experience of 
our customers to increase brand 
awareness. Our integrated marketing 
campaigns used storytelling, events 
and experiences to emphasise Oboz’ 
key points of differentiation including 
the out-of-the-box fit and our B Corp 
Certification. Oboz is committed 
to promoting inclusiveness in the 
outdoors, with several initiatives 
spanning community outreach and 
education, and through support 
for partners including Black Folks 
Camp Too. Oboz expanded its 
product offering during the year, 

launching the much-anticipated 
Katabatic range, which is already 
demonstrating success in the 
important Fast and Light category. 

Our certification as a B Corp during 
FY23 further demonstrates our 
commitment to build the global 
reputation of our brands as we sit 
amongst an esteemed group of 
only 45 publicly traded companies 
worldwide to have achieved this. 
B Corp Certification is not just a 
brand differentiator. It also reinforces 
each brand’s purpose and values, 
enhances brand reputation, attracts 
socially conscious customers 
and investors, and separates 
us from our competitors.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

In the short term, our brands 
face challenges with geopolitical 
uncertainty, economic volatility, 
market competition, supply chain 
disruptions, and cost-of-living 
impacts on consumer spending. 
Our competitors are pricing 
aggressively to shift high levels 
of inventory and challenging our 
market share. However, there are 
opportunities for each brand to 
grow. Some competitors will pivot 
towards strategies that reduce 
investment in brand development, 
which presents clear opportunities 
to establish our brands in key 
locations and new markets and to 
expand our points of differentiation.

The shift towards wellness is one 
we are watching closely. More 
customers are seeking healthier 
and more active lifestyles, and are 
looking for products that align with 
this trend. By responding to this shift, 
we can tap into a larger customer 
base and cater to their needs for 
balance, active living and wellbeing. 

To capitalise, our brands will focus 
on product development, brand 
licensing opportunities, marketing 
and messaging, education and 
content creation, partnerships and 
collaborations, as well as customer 
engagement. By incorporating these 
strategies, we can position our 
brands as leaders in the wellness 
space, offering products that support 
healthy and active lifestyles.

There is immediate opportunity 
for growth of the Rip Curl brand 
through the expansion of Club Rip 
Curl, including launching in additional 
regions, with a longer-term target 
of one million members. Growth 
will also be supported by digital 
transformation, including launches 
on key marketplaces, improvements 
to the website experience, and 
expansion of valuable wholesale 
partnerships. In the medium term, 
Rip Curl will continue to explore 
opportunities to open women’s-
specific stores. We will continue 
to grow the brand by opening 10 
new stores each year while also 
expanding key flagship stores and 
identifying key wave pool locations 
and opportunities to connect the 
brand with all levels of surfer.

The relaunch of the Kathmandu 
Summit Club as ‘Out there rewards’ 
in early FY24 provides an immediate 
and exciting growth opportunity 
that engages customers and creates 
new value. By resetting core lines 
to reduce range volume and align 
product offerings with the current 
target customer, focusing on “best 
at” products including insulation, 
bottoms and packs Kathmandu can 
strengthen our brand presence in 
priority markets. This will provide a 
solid platform for international growth. 
We will also focus on extending 
Kathmandu’s presence in Europe 
and Canada, with the initial low-risk 

“Our certification as a 
B Corp during FY23 
further demonstrates 
our commitment to 
build the global 
reputation of 
our brands.”

Michael Daly 
Managing Director and 
Chief Executive Officer

soft launch in FY23 expanding to 
a full scale, multi-channel strategy 
in the medium term. Kathmandu 
is refreshing the look and feel of 
our store fitouts to enhance the 
presentation of our brand image 
and ethos across the store network, 
and to create unique and engaging 
customer experiences. Additions 
to the store network in key growth 
corridors appeal to new customer 
demographics while retaining our 
existing, loyal customer base.

For Oboz, there is significant 
opportunity in the global marketplace 
to grow the brand to the size of key 
competitors. Oboz has the capacity 
to take market share by continuing to 
expand our product categories and 
by demonstrating product innovation 
and a clear sustainability roadmap. 
For FY24, Oboz will focus on new key 
wholesale accounts and accelerate 
our marketplace presence and 
e-commerce experience. Dedicated 
resources to drive the Oboz brand 
momentum in Australia and Europe 
has been established. The longer-
term opportunity of an Oboz concept 
store will be explored to further build 
brand awareness. A relaunch of the 
brand in Australia and New Zealand 
is planned for FY24, with expansion in 
Europe a longer-term target into FY25.

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCASE  
STUDY

A new era of growth  
and exploration 

Kathmandu is embarking on 
an exciting journey of global 
growth. That’s why we cast 
our net far and wide to find 
the next leader for our brand. 
After a year-long search, we 
were excited to announce the 
appointment of Megan Welch 
as Kathmandu’s next CEO.

Megan takes the reins from Group 
CEO and Managing Director of 
KMD Brands, Michael Daly, who had 
stepped into a caretaker role while 
the executive search was underway.

recently as Senior Vice President 
and General Manager of Crocs 
Asia Pacific. Joining Crocs when 
it was a three-year-old company, 
Megan played a pivotal role in 
the brand’s remarkable growth 
trajectory, holding roles in product 
development, merchandising, 
marketing and commercial strategies.

Megan takes on her new role, 
based in Christchurch, from August 
2023. Reporting directly to Michael 
Daly, Megan will work alongside 
brand CEOs Brooke Farris from Rip 
Curl and Amy Beck from Oboz.

Megan brings a wealth of experience 
and leadership to our team. With 
an impressive track record in global 
brand and product management, 
Megan spent 18 years at Crocs, most 

As Megan told the Australian 
Financial Review in May 2023: 
“With the brand leading in the ANZ 
market, but new to Europe and North 
America, I’m looking forward to 

Megan Welch  

Kathmandu CEO

partnering with Michael and my new 
team to accelerate the momentum”.

With expertise spanning retail, 
wholesale and digital channels, and 
international experience across 
the US, Europe and Asia, Megan is 
the right leader to take Kathmandu 
to new heights and inspire new 
adventurers around the world.

Metrics that matter

Improve the wellbeing of the 
world through the outdoors.

FINANCIAL

CHANNELS

NZD  
$422.2m   

Total sales

158  

Retail stores

Almost 100   

Wholesale doors

NZD  
$58.8m   

Online sales
Representing 14.0% of 
direct-to-consumer sales

BRAND

1.9 million  

Active Summit Club members

74   

Net Promoter Score

SALES MIX

Online 
14%

Wholesale 
1%

BY  
BY  
CHANNEL
CHANNEL

New Zealand 
27%

International 
1%

BY 
REGION

85% 
Retail stores

72%  
Australia

30

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Scaling for success

CASE  
STUDY

Metrics that matter

Empower the people of the 
world to blaze their own trail.

FINANCIAL

CHANNELS

NZD  
$99.3m   

Total sales

NZD  
$5.6m   

Online sales
>350% online sales growth  
year on year

SALES MIX

Online 
6%

BY  
CHANNEL

94% 
Wholesale

Over 2,000   

Wholesale doors

1  

Direct-to-consumer website

International 
7%

Canada 
7%

BY 
REGION

86%  
USA

33

Paris Fashion Week made 
the perfect launch pad for 
Kathmandu’s entry into the 
European, Canadian and 
United Kingdom markets. On 
30 September 2022, more 
than 75 media influencers and 
fashion tastemakers joined us 
at specialty boutique Leclaireur 
in Paris to debut our Autumn 
and Winter ‘22 range.

President, KMD Brands Europe, 
Mathieu Lefin told the packed 
crowd that the new venture was in 
response to growing demand from 
global consumers. “Kathmandu 
is Australia and New Zealand’s 

32

favourite outdoor brand, and 
we look forward to seeing local 
outdoor enthusiasts discover our 
innovative and sustainable gear.”

Among the eco-conscious 
showstoppers in the Autumn and 
Winter ’22 range, the NXT-Level 
jacket earned plenty of praise. 
Condé Nast Traveller applauded the 
“ultimate winter-weekend jacket for 
anyone who loves to travel light”. 

KMD Brands leveraged Rip Curl’s 
long established global operations, 
including our distribution centres, 
and expert regional teams, to 
scale Kathmandu for success.

Almost 100 doorways now stock 
Kathmandu in Europe, Canada 

and the United Kingdom. Four 
websites cater to customers in the 
UK and Ireland, French and German 
speakers in Europe, and English and 
French speakers in Canada. Our 
presence on Instagram, Facebook 
and TikTok continues to grow and 
bring us closer to customers.

Our dedicated teams in each market 
are now busy hosting seasonal 
previews and engaging in proactive 
marketing and media relations 
to boost the Kathmandu brand. 
Following the initial soft launch, we 
are now considering our pathways 
to accelerating the channel growth 
in these markets for execution 
through 2024 and beyond.

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  A better kind of fast

CASE  
STUDY

Blazing a B Corp trail

CASE  
STUDY

In 2022, we launched our first 
foray into the global ‘fast 
trail’ category with the Oboz 
Katabatic, a collection of 
shoes that hits the sweet spot 
between running and hiking.

Named after a Katabatic wind that 
gathers speed as it blows down the 
slope of a mountain, our footwear 
helps customers move faster and 
travel further on their trails.

The Katabatic line signifies a new 
direction for Oboz – one that 
taps into a global trend that is 

a fast-growing and high-growth 
category in outdoor footwear.

The fast trail line is built on 
thousands of kilometres of underfoot 
insight engineered into transformative 
footwear. The Katabatic adapts 
to the terrain and the natural 
biomechanics of the foot, and does 
so without sacrificing traction, 
cushioning, support or quality.

The Katabatic collection has 
attracted rave reviews. Outside 
magazine, the global authority for 
the outdoors industry, voted the 

Oboz Katabatic Low men’s shoe the 
“best day hiking boot”. “I’m a very 
heavy-heeled hiker, and these were 
like walking with springs in my heels,” 
reported Alabama-based tester, Seth 
Kromis, after hiking 16-kilometres 
in them with a day pack. 

The fast trail category is a natural 
brand extension for Oboz and the 
Katabatic range of products has 
attracted new customers, grown 
our market share and delivered 
better foot health, better adventures 
and a better kind of fast. 

Since our very first pair of 
Oboz were sold in 2007, we 
have planted a tree for every 
pair sold – that’s five million 
trees and counting. It’s because 
of this passion for the planet 
and the people on it that we 
are always looking for better 
ways to do business. 

In early 2023, Oboz was certified as a 
B Corporation. Oboz is now counted 
among a global community of 
businesses – including Rip Curl and 
Kathmandu – that are championing 
an inclusive, equitable and 
regenerative economy.

Because the outdoors is important to 
us, Oboz balances profit with our 
impact on the planet and the people 
that our brand touches. We have 
bold environmental, social and 
governance targets, and our new B 
Corp Certification means that we 
meet stringent standards for positive 
social and environmental impact.  

But this is just the beginning. To help 
us continue to serve the wellbeing of 
all, we utilise the B Corp movement 
to strengthen our commitment to our 
three areas of focus: Communities, 
Climate and Circularity.

B Corp certification is something few 
footwear companies obtain, which is 

significant in the competitive 
outdoors market. For adventurers 
and trailblazers out there, this 
stringent certification confirms we 
are constantly improving our 
standards for positive social and 
environmental impact. B Corp 
Certification isn’t an end goal for 
Oboz. The steps we have taken to 
reach this point are the first on a 
long trail. With B Corp recertification 
every three years, we will continue to 
meet high standards of social and 
environmental performance, 
transparency and accountability. 
Now we do so with an international 
movement behind us.

34

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Metrics that matter

The swell of success

CASE  
STUDY

Many surfers pick the Californian 
surf break of Lower Trestles as 
the wave they'd most like to surf, 
and the pristine four-to -six-foot 
peaks didn’t disappoint fans of 
the 2022 Rip Curl World Surf 
League Finals.

Rip Curl is a company built 
by surfers for surfers. Our 
determination to be front and 
centre during the ultimate day 
in surfing led us to establish a 
three-year partnership with the 
World Surf League in 2021.

In 2022, our second year of the 
partnership, the Rip Curl WSL Finals 
attracted a global audience. Fans 

flocked to social channels to watch 
and celebrate Stephanie Gilmore 
secure a record-setting eighth 
world title and assert her position as 
the greatest women’s competitive 
surfer. Filipe Toledo took home his 
first and long-sought world title 
in front of his hometown crowd 
and millions more fans online.

For the second year in a row, Rip 
Curl was the most visible brand 
on WSL channels. We reached the 
most fans pre-event in WSL history, 
with 16.7 million pre-event video-
on-demand views. The live and 
video-on-demand coverage of the 
Rip Curl WSL finals attracted more 
than 10.5 million views, and the 

410 million impressions on social 
handles was up 5% year-on-year.

The winner-takes-all final attracted 
the largest single day live audience 
in the competition’s history – a 22% 
increase on 2021. We amassed 93 
million social impressions in just 
one day – not to mention more 
than six thousand press articles 
before and after the event.

Rip Curl first sponsored a 
professional surfing event in 1973, 
the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. With 
our commitment to the Rip Curl WSL 
Finals, we continue the tradition of 
supporting and showcasing the best 
surfing to fans across the globe.

To be regarded as the 
ultimate surfing company 
in all that we do.

FINANCIAL

CHANNELS

Total sales

NZD  
$581.5m   
NZD  
$34.9m   

Online sales
Representing 10.6% of 
direct-to-consumer sales

SALES MIX FY23

Online  
6%

BY  
BY  
CHANNEL
CHANNEL

Wholesale  
41%

2% 
Other

Rest of world 
12%

BY 
REGION

Europe 
18%

169  

Owned stores

232   

Licensed stores

31   

JV stores

Over 6,000  

Wholesale doors 

BRAND

Retail 
stores  
51%

Over 220k   

Active Club Rip Curl members

Net Promoter Score 

77  

Across Australasian stores

25% 
North America

45%  
AU & NZ 

36

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CASE  
STUDY

50 years of innovation  
in one wetsuit

ELEVATING DIGITAL
Metrics that matter

NZD  
$99.3m   

Total online sales

13.2%   

Online penetration as a % of 
direct-to-consumer sales

In 1969, Rip Curl began to 
revolutionise the surfing wetsuit 
to help surfers stay out for 
longer in the cold southern 
waters off Australia’s Bells 
Beach. Our team has invested 
more than 50 years of research, 
development and innovation into 
a product that has redefined 
the possibilities of wetsuits.

In March 2023 we launched the 
FlashBomb Fusion – a wetsuit that 
is warm, flexible, durable and 96% 
stitch-free. Our Global Product 
Manager of Wetsuits, Adam 
Brissenden, hails this as a “new mark 
in the sand” for surfing equipment.

Most wetsuits are made from 
neoprene, a synthetic rubber material 
known for its flexibility, durability, 
insulation and resistance to water. “As 
neoprene has become stretchier and 
stretchier, and because that’s where 
a lot of the movement is, the seams 
have become the weak point of many 
suits,” Adam explains. “This leads 
to cold water leaking into the suit, 
and the surfer becoming cold.” Rip 
Curl’s Fusion Dry Seam Technology 
solves the age-old issue of wetsuits 
leaking at the seams, without 
resorting to using stiff liquid tape 
or stitching that can compromise a 
suit’s performance and integrity.

This breakthrough innovation – our 
most technically advanced seam 

construction yet – uses a unique 
bonding technique that doesn’t 
require stitching (the source of 
the pinholes that let cold water 
leak in). Combined with 100% 
E7 Flash Lining, E7 Flash Lining 
Tape, a zip-free entry and sealed 
cuffs, the FlashBomb Fusion is 
the ultimate in surfing comfort. 

The FlashBomb Fusion has been 
well received by Rip Curl’s core 
surfer target audience, with robust 
sales across retail, e-commerce 
and wholesale channels. And 
there’s plenty of growth ahead 
for this wetsuit that blows all 
others out of the icy water.

38

39

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  How we are elevating digital

MATERIAL ISSUES: GLOBAL ECONOMY  •  DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION  •  CYBER AND DATA SECURITY 
CHANGE MANAGEMENT  •  BRAND POWER  •  CLIMATE CHANGE

OUR OBSERVATIONS

Consumer spending patterns have 
undergone a significant shift in 
response to economic conditions 
and the transformative impact of 
COVID-19. Today’s customers are 
more discerning than ever before, 
seeking personalised and inspiring 
shopping experiences. They now 
expect seamless, omni-channel 
access to a unified offering. In the 
last 12 months, consumers have 
returned to shopping in stores, 
and our omni-channel offering 
supports this consumer choice.

To safeguard our brands’ reputations 
and recognition, we continue to invest 
in a strong digital presence. Our 
customers want to engage with our 
brands through a range of channels, 
and this is driving an evolution 
in how we communicate with 
customers and conduct transactions. 

To grow our direct-to-consumer 
business, we are using data-driven 
insights to inform decision-making 
and provide a rich, personalised 
customer shopping experience.

To remain agile and fit for the future, 
we must continuously review, adapt 
and evolve our platforms and tools. 
To carefully manage change, we 
engage all relevant stakeholders and 
then verify the impact of change on 
interconnected business procedures.

OUR ACTIONS

For FY23, our priority has been to 
embed and amplify the systems, 
tools and processes implemented 
in prior years. In FY22, we made 
significant investment in customer-
facing, best-in-class digital 
platforms to support our unified 
commerce objectives. Our point-
of-sale, e-commerce, and insights 

40

and personalisation platforms, 
enable us to present a fully unified 
commerce capability in our direct-
to-consumer offerings. During FY23 
we consolidated that functionality 
to leverage these investments.

By integrating our personalisation 
engine with our loyalty platforms 
we can gather data insights, better 
understand customer preferences 
and unlock further sales growth 
potential. During FY23, we 
implemented several personalisation 
use cases which drove great results 
and delivered a return on investment 
that has exceeded our expectations. 

Expanding on user experience 
and customer centricity during the 
year, Kathmandu has implemented 
shoppable user generated content 
to further increase acquisition. 
We optimised the speed of the 
Kathmandu website to enhance its 
reliability and experience. We also 
introduced personalised product 
pages and recommendations 
for every customer to drive 
engagement and revenue. 

Rip Curl launched a new loyalty 
program, Club Rip Curl, in early FY23 
connecting customers to the Group’s 
loyalty ecosystem for the first time 
and giving us a single view of each 
customer to create personalised 
communications. The program 
leverages the same technology 
platform currently used to manage 
Kathmandu’s loyalty club members. 
Club Rip Curl launched in Australia 
and New Zealand in September 
2022 and has already amassed 
more than 220,000 members.

Oboz continued to build a direct-to-
consumer online trading site during 
FY23 that delivered consistent 

growth and exceeded performance 
expectations. Oboz maintains 
channels on Amazon, Backcountry 
and Zappos marketplaces 
expanding brand recognition 
and offering greater choice and 
convenience to customers.

The Group has an established set 
of security standards that detail the 
steps taken to secure our systems 
and information from people, process 
and technology perspectives. 
This framework aligns with the 
CIS (Center of Internet Security) 
framework for Information Security 
Management Systems (ISMS) 
and Risk Management. During the 
first half of FY23, Rip Curl made a 
voluntary notification to a limited 
number of European customers 
following an incident of unauthorised 
access to its European website in 
2022. This involved basic customer 
information and Rip Curl notified 
the relevant European regulatory 
authorities and impacted customers. 
No further action was taken by the 
regulatory bodies. No other Rip 
Curl systems, networks or entities 
were affected by the incident.  

In early FY23 Kathmandu launched 
two new European direct-to-
consumer websites in Germany and 
France, and both Kathmandu and Rip 
Curl launched new sites in Canada, 
supporting the future growth of the 
brands in these emerging markets. 

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

A key and immediate growth 
opportunity lies in expansion of the 
Group’s loyalty programs. Rip Curl 
will launch Club Rip Curl online in 
the US in early FY24, Kathmandu will 
relaunch the Summit Club program 

as ‘Out there rewards’ in early FY24, 
engaging with customers in new 
ways and transforming a discount 
club into a mechanism that unlocks 
brand loyalty and awareness.

During FY24, we will continue to 
improve our digital execution by 
extending the enterprise resource 
planning platforms from ANZ 
into the USA to support a unified 
customer experience and commerce 
operations. By accelerating 
integration of these platforms for 
the North American market we can 
support omnichannel delivery and 
expand our loyalty programs. 

The Elastic suite of tools was a 
key foundational workstream for 
FY23 rolling out in Australasia in 
early FY24. This will enhance our 
business-to-business purchasing 
capability for our wholesale 
channel and digitise our wholesale 
merchandising process. These tools 
will help our brands to reduce the 
use of physical samples in favour of 
digital samples over time, and reduce 
paper consumption through digital 
catalogues for wholesale customers.

Expanding on our D365 and 
e-commerce platforms will enable Rip 
Curl to introduce click-and-collect 
in Australia early FY24, followed by 
more advanced options later in the 
year. This strategic move will harness 
the strength of our store network 
for fulfilling online orders, improving 
the customer experience, increasing 
store inventory sell-through and 
contributing to our sustainability goals 
by reducing waste and emissions.

Rip Curl is making strides in digital 
revenue growth by online customer 
experience and expanding into online 
marketplaces. By prioritising these 
enhancements, Rip Curl moves closer 

“

With the changing 
needs of our 
customers and 
technology 
advancements, 
we continue to 
re-imagine the 
future of Unified 
Commerce.”
Jolann Van Dyk  
Chief Information Officer

to the long term goal of online sales 
accounting for 25% of direct-to-
consumer revenue – a goal that each 
of our brands is working towards.

The ever-evolving landscape of cyber 
threats and sophisticated threat 
actors remains a critical risk. We 
remain vigilant and invest in top-of-
the-line security tools. We continue to 
embed risk-based processes across 
our operations in relation to data 
protection is aligned with global 
best practices.

With the changing needs of 
our customers and technology 
advancements, we continue to 
reimagine the future of Unified 
Commerce. This will mean keeping 
pace with evolving consumer 
expectations for technology, 
products and brand experiences. 
Rip Curl continues to innovate with 
the evolution of the Search GPS 
ecosystem. Search GPS connects Rip 
Curl with our core surfer community 
in the most authentic way, something 
we continue to strive for across our 
group of brands.

GRI 418

41

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESClimate action in a click

CASE  
STUDY

CASE  
STUDY

Kathmandu’s digital  
IDs debut

Kathmandu customers in 
Australia and New Zealand 
can now offset part of their 
carbon impact at checkout.

With the help of CarbonClick, 
Kathmandu customers can add $2 
to their transaction to contribute 
directly to carbon offsetting projects 
in Australia and New Zealand 
– with each $2 offset capturing 
carbon from the atmosphere 
and protecting ecosystems.

Launched in May 2023, the offsetting 
option is the result of Kathmandu’s 
new technology partnership with 
CarbonClick, an Auckland-based 

envirotech company with a mission 
to make carbon offsets simple, 
trustworthy and cost effective.

Like KMD Brands, Kathmandu, 
Rip Curl and Oboz, CarbonClick 
is B Corp certified, which means 
it meets high standards of social 
and environmental performance, 
accountability and transparency. 

By harnessing digital technology, 
this partnership will promote 
reforestation projects in 
Australia and New Zealand. 

Australian customers can contribute 
to the Everdale Native Regeneration 
project in New South Wales, a 

project registered under the 
Australian Emissions Reduction 
Fund that is regenerating more 
than 5,000 hectares of acacia 
woodland and eucalypt forest.

In New Zealand’s Kaikōura, the 
Flax Hills Forever Forest project  
is regenerating 69 hectares 
of retired grazing land and is 
recognised by the New Zealand 
Emissions Trading Scheme. 

CarbonClick Chief Executive Officer 
Dave Rouse says the partnership 
“sets an example for the sector, 
and in doing so makes a tangible, 
positive impact on the planet”.

In May 2023, Kathmandu proudly 
launched an innovative new 
product with a groundbreaking 
addition – a unique Digital ID.

Kathmandu’s Heli R jacket – which 
uses 100% recycled materials 
everywhere possible, including face, 
liner and zipper fabrics, trims and 
labels – was the perfect product 
to start our Digital ID journey.

A Digital ID is sewn into every 
Kathmandu Heli R product. 
Customers can use their smartphone 
to scan their jacket’s stitched-in 
QR code to discover its unique 
sustainability story. They can 
learn more about the product’s 
design and manufacturing process, 
the factory it was made in, the 
materials used to make it, repair 
information and, eventually, resale 
and recycle recommendations.

Kathmandu’s launch of Digital IDs 
is the first in Australia and New 
Zealand, and follows a region-

leading partnership with global 
technology platform EON.

EON’s technology, which is leveraged 
by some of the apparel industry’s 
largest brands, is helping Kathmandu 
to bridge the gap between the 
digital and physical worlds.

Speaking to Ragtrader, Kathmandu’s 
General Manager of Product, Robert 
Fry, said partnering with EON “is 
an innovative step towards our 
circularity ambitions, helping shift 
customer mindset to think circular”.

Our launch of Digital IDs strengthens 
Kathmandu’s digital capabilities 
as we connect and communicate 
with our customers in new ways. 
Our elevated digital offerings will 
help us to harness data-driven 
insights that enhance customer 
expectations, build traceability into 
every product, drive efficiencies and 
support even more innovation.

43

Flax Hills Forever Forest

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Club Rip Curl launch

CASE  
STUDY

Riding the digital wave 

CASE  
STUDY

Club Rip Curl is building 
the world's largest surfing 
community with a membership 
program that rewards customers 
for doing what they love best 
– being one with the waves.

Launched in 2022, Club Rip Curl 
connects and rewards people with a 
passion for all things surf. Members 
of the club can earn rewards from 
purchases and catching a wave.

are able to be spent on products, 
and as the program evolves, can be 
donated to initiatives that protect 
the environment through Rip 
Curl’s partnership with SurfAid.

Our world-first pilot program at 
five stores last year was expanded 
to 77 stores, including online, in 
Australia and New Zealand in 
FY23. The rollout will continue 
in USA and Canada next year.

Customers with a Rip Curl SearchGPS 
Surf Watch can upload their data to 
the app on waves caught, top speed 
and distance to earn points. Points 

Club Rip Curl has attracted 
more than 220,000 members 
so far and is responsible for a 
growing proportion of sales. 

Connecting all customer data in 
one ecosystem elevates our digital 
offering and creates an end-to-
end surfing experience. Club Rip 
Curl will help us uncover fresh 
data-driven insights, create new 
synergies and economies of scale, 
and, best of all, deliver even better 
experiences for Rip Curl customers.

In March 2023 we hosted 
the world’s first digital surf 
competition. We teamed up with 
Tourism Fiji to present the Rip 
Curl Virtual Pro competition 
from 4 to 14 March. Everyone 
with a Rip Curl SearchGPS watch 
that tracked their surfing over 
the 10-day period was eligible 
to enter the competition to win 
the ultimate surfing holiday on 
Fiji’s beautiful Namotu Island. 

Every time competitors surfed, we 
analysed the data from their Rip 
Curl SearchGPS and scored it in 
real time. Our unique algorithm 
assessed the distance paddled, 
surf time, total waves surfed, top 
speed, longest waves and number 
of surfs, and allocated bonus points 
for surfing in a new location. 

The winner? A Copacabana Beach 
local in New South Wales, Australia, 
who caught 126 waves in 10 surfs, 
spent nearly 12 hours in the water and 
paddled an impressive 37 kilometres.

The Rip Curl SearchGPS watch, 
which we launched in 2014, has 
recorded more than 50,000 surfers 
across 76 countries, recording 25 
million waves at 2,400 beaches.

The data sets created by each 
contestant formed the foundation 
for a unique video visualisation 
that they could download and 
share – and every surfer found a 

story behind their data. Take pro 
Australian surfer Owen Wright, who 
was at Bells Beach training for the 
last competitive surfing event of 
his career. With a wavelength of 
166 metres, and a wave speed of 
35 kilometres an hour across two 
locations, Owen gained an impressive 
5,183 points and a special story to 
share with his social followers.

The Rip Curl Virtual Pro competition 
is “another display of leadership 
in a rapidly changing surfing 
landscape,” says Rip Curl’s Head 
of Brand and Marketing, James 
Taylor, and demonstrates our 
commitment to create digital 
experiences that are just as exciting 
as catching the next wave.

44

45

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CASE  
STUDY

E-commerce exceeds  
expectations

Since Oboz officially launched 
a direct-to-consumer online 
offering in 2022 it has 
outperformed our expectations. 
We are on track to meet 
our goal of 10% direct-to-
consumer sales by 2026. 

Our e-commerce site has been 
designed to drive conversion and 
complements the Oboz brand 
experience on site, where customers

can learn more about the products 
they love. 

Our agile e-commerce team has 
embraced a ‘test and learn’ 
approach which allows us to make 
small adjustments to our online 
marketing to convert browsers into 
buyers, and to showcase the range 
of Oboz products to new customers.

This year we launched the Oboz 
Shoe Finder to help online shoppers 
pick the perfect pair of boots, shoes 

or sandals for their next outdoor 
adventure. After answering seven 
questions, customers receive a 
personalised list of recommended 
hiking boots and shoes, winter boots 
and sandals. 

The Oboz Shoe Finder helps us 
maintain our reputation for great  
‘out of the box fit’. Oboz customers 
agree – with a return rate of less 
than 20% positive proof that our 
digital platform is helping them 
choose the perfect fit.

CASE  
STUDY

Growing forests and  
online communities

Oboz customers don’t need 
encouragement to enjoy the 
outdoors. But we gave them 
an extra incentive in May 
2023 when we launched the 
inaugural Fast Trail Challenge.

For 10 days in May, Oboz challenged 
hikers, runners and people using 
mobility devices to take to the trail. 
Competitors tracked their hikes with 
the help of GPS technology, and for 
every hike that was more than a mile 
long, we planted a tree. For further 
bragging rights, we planted bonus 
trees when competitors completed 
their 11th and 12th hike within the 
allotted time.

“We have planted more than five 
million trees and we are on a mission 
to plant five million more,” says Oboz 

President Amy Beck. “We hope that 
the Fast Trail Challenge will inspire 
more people to get out and get 
moving and help us achieve our goal.”

The first Fast Trail Challenge certainly 
hit the target. The 1,072 hikers who 
took part hailed from 17 countries 
around the world, from Mexico to 
Mongolia, Switzerland to the Solomon 
Islands. Participants hiked a 
combined 16,119 miles, or nearly 
26,000 kilometres, across 5,019 hikes. 
Their efforts were rewarded with 
5,403 trees planted on their behalf.

The gamified experience created a 
healthy sense of competition and 
helped us to engage our community 
of hikers across new digital platforms. 
Challenge participants connected 
through our social media channels, 

sharing their hiking stories and 
cheering on their fellow competitors.

Oboz is growing its online community 
as quickly as its Tanzanian forest 
gardens. We followed up the Fast Trail 
Challenge with the Oboz Trail 
Experience. This year, 10-plus 
regional events across the United 
States saw participants take on new 
or lesser-known local trails to push 
their limits, log their achievements 
online and celebrate their successes 
with a community of people that are 
True to the Trail.

46

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE 
Metrics that matter

Short-term working capital  

19.9% of sales

How we leverage operational excellence

MATERIAL ISSUES: GLOBAL ECONOMY  •  GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE  •  SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE  •  CHANGE MANAGEMENT  
•  PEOPLE AND WELLBEING  •  CLIMATE CHANGE  •  DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

OUR OBSERVATIONS

To support the growth of our global 
brands, we are leveraging the 
synergies within our Group through 
shared knowledge and collaboration. 
We achieve this through programs 
that accelerate cross-brand 
opportunities that optimise our 
supply chain, invest in core system 
upgrades and collaborate on product 
innovation. This year, continued 
inflationary pressures and supply 
chain challenges have made these 
efforts even more important. 

An emerging industry-wide issue 
for FY23 is excess finished goods 
inventory, both within our businesses 
and those of our competitors. For us, 
this ties up working capital, leads to 
escalated storage costs and creates 
the risk that inventory will become 
outdated and therefore harder to sell. 

High levels of excess inventory held 
by our competitors have encouraged 
aggressive discount pricing 
strategies in some key markets. 

We have observed an increase 
in health and safety incident  
reporting in FY23, reflecting greater 
awareness and compliance among 
employees. This positive trend 
demonstrates employees’ increased 
recognition of potential hazards 
and incidents, contributing to 
safer work environments overall. 
However, the rise in injuries 
can also be partly attributed to 
increased inventory and therefore 
an increase in manual handling 
risks and consequent injuries. In 
response, we are strengthening 
training and ergonomic measures to 
mitigate risks. Additionally, we have 
observed an increase in customer 
aggression in store towards our 

retail employees. This emphasises 
the need for comprehensive training 
programs that foster respect 
and understanding among both 
employees and customers. We 
remain committed to maintaining 
safe and harmonious workplaces 
while delivering exceptional 
service to our valued customers.

The impacts of COVID-19 continue 
to affect our business, even though 
the key risks of the pandemic have 
passed. Post FY22 and COVID-
induced factory closures, we 
have observed our manufacturer 
suppliers rapidly scaling to return 
to full operating capacity. This 
created a new issue, with some 
new suppliers falling short of our 
quality assurance standards. This 
was largely due to process failures 
around training and upskilling of 
workers as factories came back 

Gross margin  

59.1%   

Increase of 20 basis points 
(0.2% of sales)

Underlying EBTIDA margin 1 

9.6% of sales

1. The impacts of IFRS 16 leases and restructuring are excluded 

from Underlying EBITDA. Refer to Appendix 1 of the FY23 Results 
Presentation for a reconciliation of Statutory to Underlying results.

48

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESOUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  online. This required product re-work 
and additional inspection times on 
receiving goods, which impacted 
the on-time delivery of key stock. 

OUR ACTIONS

In response to the prevailing global 
economic conditions, our focus in 
FY23 has been on opportunities 
that enhance and optimise the 
underlying operational and financial 
performance of the Group. With a 
keen eye on efficiently managing 
costs and maximising productivity, 
we embarked on strategic initiatives 
to drive our EBITDA margin.

One of our key steps was to explore 
opportunities to consolidate our 
suppliers and streamline the network 
to improve efficiency and cost-
effectiveness. Additionally, we made 
a concerted effort to reduce the 
number of styles and Stock Keeping 
Units (SKUs) to streamline inventory 
management and improve margins. 

In line with global markets, container 
freight costs fell substantially.

We continue to work towards ISO 
45001 for the wider group.

To preserve and enhance profitability, 
we strategically considered the depth 
of discounting, ensuring that we 
balance the needs of our customers 
while maintaining healthy margins. 
In line with this approach, we also 
moderated our marketing spend, 
carefully optimising our expenditures 
to effectively maintain our brand 
presence and customer outreach.

During FY23, our owned and 
operated wetsuit manufacturing 
facility, OnSmooth Thai, became 
B Corp certified. The facility also 
achieved International Safety 
Standard (ISO) 14001:2015 and 
ISO 45001:2018 certification for 
Environmental and Occupational 
Health and Safety Management 
Systems, which demonstrates 
high standards of environmental 
sustainability and workplace safety. 

We achieved a step-change 
in inventory management for 
Kathmandu during the reporting 
period with new, enduring processes 
to streamline inventory levels for 
the future. Inventory levels for both 
Rip Curl and Oboz are moderating, 
following investment in greater 
holdings in the wetsuit categories 
and key Oboz product lines. Record 
demand for these products last 
year has since softened, leaving 
us with higher inventory levels 
than expected. We have a steady 
path planned for our holdings in 
these inventory categories, which 
can be held and sold efficiently.

With the softening of consumer 
demand, particularly for wetsuits, 
we have reviewed our workforce 
structures across some business 
units, particularly the requirements 

for wetsuit production in line with 
forward orders, to ensure we drive 
operational and labour efficiency. 
Reducing our workforce is not a 
decision we make lightly but is a 
necessary step to rightsize our 
business in line with future demand 
planning requirements. In making 
decisions like these, as a B Corp, we 
consider the impacts of our decision 
on all stakeholders, including the 
long-term profitability and needs 
of the business and the impacts on 
employees, both those whose roles 
are no longer needed and the wider 
impacts on the people remaining. 
We support any employees whose 
positions are no longer required with 
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
support beyond their final day of 
employment, additional payments 
over and above those required by 
law, such as pay in lieu of notice and 
13th month salary and full payout 
of provident fund (where relevant) 

to all employees regardless of 
eligibility. Making these decisions 
is never easy for any business but 
it is important we revisit workforce 
requirements to provide a stable 
foundation for future growth.

We continue to actively manage 
our property portfolio growing 
our portfolio by 11 stores to 327 
owned stores. We closely scrutinise 
underperforming stores, including 
in some locations rebranding within 
the portfolio to optimise financial 
performance. We continue to 
monitor that any new stores do not 
cannibalise sales from the existing 
store network or other channels 
and drive earnings growth overall.

Leveraging the scale of our store 
portfolio and infrastructure enables 
us to efficiently manage fixed costs, 
including for new market expansion 
in the medium term. Additionally, 
by pooling our brand spend we 

50

can unlock substantial production 
savings. Managing leases at a Group 
level allows us to negotiate more 
favourable terms, leading to cost 
savings and improving flexibility. 
Leveraging our purchasing power, 
both in terms of inventory and non-
inventory items, enables us to achieve 
better deals and economies of scale.

Our Group legal team has been 
reshaped during the reporting period 
to form a solid support function to 
assist all our brands globally. During 
the reporting period there were 
no instances of significant non-
compliance with laws or regulations 
across the Group. There was one 
fine (compared with none in 2022) 
with a total monetary value of USD 
$2,270 (NZD $3,720) for instances of 
non-compliance with laws relating 
to an instance of mislabelled pricing 
under the Weights and Measures 
requirements of the City of Santa 
Monica, California. KMD Brands 
defines a significant instance of 
non-compliance to be a fine or 
sanction of $1 million or more.

Throughout FY23, these strategic 
actions were driven by our 
commitment to strengthen the 
Group's financial performance and 
ensure sustainable growth amid 
challenging economic conditions. We 
remained agile and forward-thinking, 
positioning ourselves for success 
in an ever-evolving landscape.

GRI 2-27, 401, 403, 404 

51

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Looking ahead, a multitude of short, 
medium and long-term opportunities 
can support growth and efficiency 
across our organisation and 
improve our working capital. In the 
short term, our focus is on supply 
chain efficiency in distribution and 
sourcing. We will also continue to 
optimise supply chain logistics by 
aligning our factories across brands 
to achieve significant gross margin 
benefits. We will look at a greater 
mix of origin third party logistics 
suppliers in our supply chain. 

We will continue geographic 
diversification of our supplier 
factories to reduce concentration 
risk and supply chain disruptions. 
This approach spreads reliance 
across different regions, reducing 
the impact of localised challenges 
such as natural disasters or 
geopolitical conflicts. 

Recognising the significant risk 
and challenge of climate change, 
we are committed to working 
with partners that proactively 
adopt technologies to reduce the 
emissions in our supply chain. 
When considering new suppliers 
of services for the Group, we will 
seek information from potential 
partners about their use of emerging 
technologies to reduce operational 

costs, reduce emissions and 
enhance the resilience of systems.

In FY24 we will revise our buying 
timelines and enhance our demand 
planning processes. Our refined 
buying policies will concentrate 
on the depth of core styles while 
offering a tighter breadth of products, 
ultimately reducing inventory and 
bolstering trade payments.

OUR GROUP FUNCTIONS 
Our shared Group support functions provide centres of excellence, implement common platforms 
and leverage scale across our brands. 

COMMERCIAL

SYSTEMS

FINANCE

PEOPLE

LEGAL

ESG

52

CASE  
STUDY

Localising impact,  
maximising change

An equitable, inclusive workplace 
that represents the diversity of 
our communities and amplifies 
their professional development… 
This is KMD Brands’ 
commitment to our people. 

We continue to invest in training 
and experiences that reinforce our 
commitments. With teams across 
multiple time zones and speaking a 
multitude of languages, we are always 
looking for creative ways to localise 
our efforts to maximise our impact. 

This year, the KMD Brands People 
team worked on consolidating best 
practice training and development 
that already existed at a brand 
level. This included consolidating 
Kathmandu, Rip Curl and Oboz onto 
the same Learning Management 
System, RedSeed, globally in May. 

Giving all our employees access to 
a single learning and development 
platform will ensure ongoing 

consistency of the employee 
development experience at KMD 
Brands. On top of this, Kathmandu 
and Oboz employees were given 
access to a full course content 
library that was previously only 
accessible to Rip Curl employees.  

To complement the courses offered 
through RedSeed, employees 
embraced a wide range of training 
opportunities conducted by external 
experts with the aim to educate 
and upskill, from leadership to 
corporate governance, media 
and presentation skills to digital 
marketing, cyber security to 
environmental and social governance, 
financial literacy, copyright, safe 
driving, and much more.

The wellbeing of our people, 
diversity and inclusion, and 
ESG are key focus areas of 
our strategy, so we conducted 
targeted training in these areas. 

We used internal experts to 
train our people on climate and 
the Science-Based Targets 
initiative, greenwashing, employee 
entitlements, discrimination, 
bullying, diversity and inclusion, 
and safety awareness and mental 
health in the workplace.

In Australia, we complemented 
internal training on our Reconciliation 
Action Plan and our journey to 
reconciliation, with celebrations 
for NAIDOC Week to honour the 
history, culture and achievements 
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait 
Islander peoples. We were joined by 
proud Adnyamathanha woman and 
Aboriginal entrepreneur, Marsha 
Uppill, who shared stories and 
reflected on the NAIDOC theme 
‘For Our Elders’. All ANZ employees 
were invited, with many of our New 
Zealand based team joining to gain 
an understanding of their Australian 
colleagues’ cultural history. 

In the United States, Oboz partnered 
with the Continental Divide Trail 
Coalition, one of the country’s largest 
conservation efforts, to host half-day 
training with equity, diversity and 
inclusion strategist Parker McMullen 
Bushman. Our people and partners 
gained powerful insights from Parker 
as she used her personal experiences 
to unpack the unequal representation 
of people of colour in outdoor spaces. 

KMD Brands partnered with 
LGBTQI+ youth charity Minus18 
to mark International Day 
Against Homophobia, Biphobia 
and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). 
Employees across Australia, 
New Zealand and North America 
gathered virtually to learn how they 

Continued overleaf...

53

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CASE  
STUDY

Localising impact,  
maximising change continued

CASE  
STUDY

A proactive, people-centred  
health and safety culture

could be active allies. Oboz also 
extended this invite to third-party 
sales representatives of the brand, 
who were keen to gain a better 
understanding of gender inclusivity.  

Kathmandu recognised Mental 
Health Awareness Month in October, 
working with not-for-profit partner 
Beyond Blue to deliver a presentation 
to help people recognise if they 
are experiencing mental health 
challenges. Rip Curl ran a series of 

educational sessions with a mental 
health advocate in September and 
also recognised R U Okay Day. Mental 
health advocate Matt Runnalls was 
our guest speaker at two education 
sessions, during which he shared his 
lived experience and encouraged 
others to manage their wellbeing.

Kathmandu was also recognised by 
Mental Health First Aid Australia as a 
‘Skilled’ workplace, with accreditation 
that acknowledges the brand’s 

efforts to train 60-plus employees 
to act as mental health first-aiders in 
Australia. As part of this accreditation, 
Kathmandu implemented eight 
wellbeing initiatives including a 
mental health first aid policy.  

As the KMD Brands People 
team continues to consolidate 
and streamline efforts, we hope 
to extend our efforts to reach 
more employees each year.

PERFORMANCE REVIEWS COMPLETED FOR FY23 

Category

Group executive 

Brand executive 

Senior management 

Management 

Non-management 

TOTAL 

TRAINING HOURS IN FY23

Male

100%

100%

65%

92%

82%

83%

Female

Another gender

100%

100%

70%

98%

80%

82%

N/A

N/A

N/A

100%

69%

69%

Total

100%

100%

67%

95%

81%

80%

Average hours of online training 
per employee*

Male 

Female 

4 hours 

4.4 hours 

Another gender 

3.3 hours

* Based on training modules completed 
through RedSeed learning platform

2110

additional training hours 
delivered in person*

* Participant attendance is determined by 

accepted calendar invitations or attendance 
record. Total training hours calculated based 
on average training session length of 1 hour

GRI 404

54

The health and safety of 
our team is a top priority, 
which is why our People 
team spent the year auditing 
and updating our processes, 
procedures and policies to 
enhance our safety culture.

We introduced new systems to 
ensure our people and customers 
stay safe and healthy. When incidents 
do occur, we have processes in place 
to learn, reflect and prevent these 
incidents from happening again.

All new employees complete an 
induction module and on-site safety 
walk-through upon commencement. 

Rip Curl uses the SafetyCulture 
app to report hazards, This enables 
us to capture consistent data and 
identify areas where we can improve. 
Kathmandu uses the Noggin platform.

The earlier an employee can return 
to work, the faster their recovery. 
Most people who have been injured 
in our workplaces have returned 
in a timely manner, thanks to the 
structured processes that support 
their return to work. These processes 
include immediate response, medical 
attention and incident management; 
we equip the employee with 
information about their injury to 
share with their doctor, and work with 
them to determine potential work 
modifications when they return.

Expanding on Kathmandu’s well-
established process, we have 
introduced a quarterly group safety 
governance meeting, during which 
time a group of employees unpack 
each incident or injury and look 
for ways to improve. The Health 
and Safety team complete monthly 
meetings with regional managers 

to ensure timeliness of hazard 
identification and risk assessments.

We regularly audit our sites for safety, 
but as we strengthen our processes, 
we have introduced a formal tracking 
system. In FY23 we completed 23 
audits across Australia, New Zealand, 
North America and Brazil for health 
and safety regulatory compliance.

We had 168 cases of recordable 
work-related injuries during the year, 
up from 157 cases in the prior fiscal 
year. The main types of work related 
injuries are contusions, burns, cuts, 
sprains, slips, strains, and soft tissue 
injury. Out of these, four cases (2022: 
two cases) were high-consequence 
requiring the employee to take 
more than six months to recover.

We had two cases (2022: 0 cases) 
of work-related ill-health, where 
the employee took more than six 
months to recover. These cases were 
related to arthritis and anxiety and 
identified through incident reports. 

The increase in work-related 
injury reporting is a result of our 
encouragement of employees to 
report incidents when they do occur.

We had no incidents of non-
compliance with regulations 
or voluntary codes resulting in 
a fine, penalty or warning. We 
had no instances of fatalities 
from work-related ill-health or 
injury. We recorded 43 customer 
injuries, two near misses, and 
seven medical episodes.

55

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Best in class banking 

CASE  
STUDY

Sustainable and streamlined – 
these are the principles that have 
uncovered millions in savings for 
KMD Brands this financial year. 

Our commitment to operational 
excellence means we are always 
looking to streamline the way we 
work. Across the Group globally we 
had 30 different banking relationships 
to manage our transactional banking 
and merchant acquiring. With a 
view to streamline relationships, 
drive consistency and obtain better 
pricing, a treasury project team was 
formed to assess, review and tender 
our relationships globally. A global 
banking tender and change has many 
complexities, but we quickly realised 
the size of the prize was significant. 

“A global business needs a global 
bank”, says Group CFO, Chris Kinraid. 
After gauging the market for interest, 
we reduced the number of banks we 

partner with from 30 to two: ANZ in 
Australasia and HSBC globally. This 
will deliver a cost saving of around 
NZD$1 million each year, strengthen 
and simplify our reporting and 
data analysis, and give us access 
to best-in-class technology. 

Our analysis also found significant 
cost savings by consolidating our 
fragmented merchant acquiring 
relationships across Australia 
and New Zealand. With one bank 
appointed in each region now our 
preference, we are looking to save 
NZ$1.5 million over three years and 
offer leading point of sale technology 
for our customers. This consolidation 
will also save our team time that we 
can spend on projects to strengthen 
our business and deliver better 
experiences to our customers.

This year, we also successfully closed 
a NZ$310 million debt refinancing 

deal tied to sustainability. This builds 
on KMD Brands’ first sustainability 
linked loan, which we secured in 2021. 
With the new transactional banking 
relationships in place the Group can 
more aggressively pool cash globally 
and reduce working capital debt. 

Tying this loan to our unique 
environmental, social and governance 
(ESG) targets acts as an additional 
financial incentive. If we hit our ESG 
targets – which include reducing 
our emissions, maintaining our B 
Corp Certification and improving 
supply chain transparency – the 
interest rate on the loan decreases. 

The dollar value of meeting the 
targets tied to the loan is just one 
benefit. By making ESG a key pillar 
of our Group strategy, we reduce our 
financial and regulatory risks, drive 
value for our business today and 
protect people and planet tomorrow.

Other health and safety training 
we provide our workers include:

health first aid officers, and we plan 
to expand the training globally.

• Loss prevention training (includes 

deescalation with customers)

• Manual handling training

• First aid training

• Emergency warden training

• Mental health first aid training

• Manager and supervisor 

awareness training. 

We know mental health is just as 
important as physical health. This 
year 32 employees in Australia and 
New Zealand were trained as mental 

Our brands also delivered targeted 
training and wellbeing sessions to 
their people. Oboz hosted stress 
management classes and hired a 
wellness coach. Rip Curl Europe 
used World Mental Health Day as 
a chance to share information and 
insights about good mental health. 
Kathmandu and Rip Curl ANZ took 
part in a webinar with sport scientists 
who explored evidence-based tools 
to help people thrive through life.

We also rolled out a global employee 
assistance program across our 
brands. Converge International 
helps us provide access to legal 
advice, counselling, personal and 
work-related issues, nutrition and 
more. All full-time and part-time 
employees, and their immediate 
families, have access to Converge, 
and can use the app to monitor 
their health goals and progress.

With a commitment to continuous 
improvement, proactive systems 
and a culture of care, we strive for 
operational excellence that delivers 
safe and healthy workplaces.

GRI 403, 416

56

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  LEAD IN ESG

In this section, we report on our overall impact on society and the environment, within the context of our strategic 
objective to Lead in ESG. This section is structured to align with the KMD Brands ESG Strategy and is organised 
around our focus areas of Communities, Climate and Circularity. We have described our goals in each focus area, 
reported on the baseline data where possible, and integrated our reporting to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and 
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) requirements where applicable.

KMD Brands ESG Strategy

OUR VISION is to be the leading family of global outdoor brands – designed for purpose, driven by 
innovation, best for people and planet.

OUR PILLARS

OUR FOCUS AREAS

Provide a people-centred culture and workplace that 
fosters health, safety, wellbeing and inclusiveness. 

Protect human rights and dignity by addressing 
modern slavery in our value chain through 
collaboration and transparency.

Positively impact the wellbeing 
of people and places touched 
by our brands

Engage, inspire and protect the communities 
where we operate and impact.

Reduce emissions in line with the 
Paris Agreement goals.

Transition to a low carbon future
Transition to a low carbon future

Foster and invest in circular business models across  
our businesses.

Increase responsible material content in our products.

Reduce the waste footprint created across 
our businesses.

Eliminate the linear take-make-
waste approach to business

58

OUR TARGETS

PROGRESS FOR FY23

An equitable, inclusive workplace representative of the diversity within 
our communities including:

- 40:40:20 gender representation in leadership positions  

(Board, Executive and Management). 

SOME PROGRESS

- Increased representation in employment of local Indigenous  

PLANNING STAGE

Peoples and people from ethnic or racial minorities.

Genuine transparency of, and effective worker voice 
communications with, strategic suppliers for each brand.

Supported local community projects, through donations, fundraising 
and paid employee time, to create a positive impact for the wellbeing  
of people and planet.

ON TRACK

ON TRACK

Reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by a minimum of 47% by 
2030, from a FY19 base year (4.2% per annum emissions reduction).

SOME PROGRESS

Reduced absolute Scope 3 emissions by a minimum of 28% by 
2030, from a FY19 base year (2.5% reduction per annum). 

PLANNING STAGE

Commercialised brand-led circular business models for product 
take-back, renewal, repair, re-commerce or recycling. 

Dedicated to our own-brand products being responsibly sourced. 

ON TRACK

ON TRACK

Reduced operational and packaging waste including:

- Diversion of 90% of waste to landfill from our direct operations  

SOME PROGRESS

by 2030.

- All primary and secondary packaging and promotional material 

SOME PROGRESS

is recyclable or made using recycled materials by 2030.

  PLANNING STAGE     

  SOME PROGRESS     

  ON TRACK     

  HIT A ROADBLOCK    

  NEARLY THERE    

  DELIVERED 

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCOMMUNITIES

GOALS

An equitable, inclusive workplace 
representative of the diversity within 
our communities including: 

• 40:40:20 gender representation 
in leadership positions (Board, 
Executive and management).

• Increased representation in employment 
of local Indigenous Peoples and people 
from ethnic or racial minorities.

OUR  PEOPLE 
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

FY23 PERFORMANCE

GENDER DIVERSITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES  
As at 31 July, sourced from employee payroll data

Total employees:

4,843 

2022: 4,887

36% 

Male

2022: 35%

60

63% 

Female

2022: 64%

1% 

Another gender or prefer not to say 

2022: 1%

MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN OUR TEAM

6% 

10% 

of our team identify as belonging to an  
ethnic minority

of our team identify as LGBTQIA+  
2022: 14% 

2% 

8% 

of our team Identify as belonging to a local 
Indigenous group

of our team are living with a health condition or disability  
2022: 12% 

*Sourced from Gallup Q12 Engagement survey conducted during FY23 and is based on responses received from respondents

GENDER DIVERSITY BY CATEGORY 

  Male    

  Female    

  Other/prefer not to say 

FY23

FY22

% CHANGE FY22 VS FY23

Board

71%

29%

0%

71%

29%

0%

No change

Group Executive

50%

50%

0%

56%

44%

0%

6% increase in female leadership

Brand Executive

71%

29%

0%

71%

29%

0%

No change

Senior Management

56%

44%

0%

59%

41%

0%

3% increase in female leadership

Management

42%

58%

0%

42%

58%

0%

No change

Non-Management

35%

64%

1%

33%

66%

1%

2% decrease in female representation

GRI 405

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MATERIAL ISSUES: PEOPLE AND WELLBEING  •  GLOBAL ECONOMY  •  CHANGE MANAGEMENT

OUR OBSERVATIONS

We are focused on positively 
impacting the wellbeing of people 
and places touched by our brands. 
We want to be the best for our people 
by providing a people-centric culture 
and workplace that fosters health, 
safety, wellbeing and inclusiveness. 

As we navigated FY23, attracting and 
retaining top talent was an ongoing 
challenge in the fiercely competitive 
labour market. With job seekers 
having a wide range of options, it 
was crucial that our brands fortified 
their employer value proposition 
(EVP) and elevate our already strong 
presence in the job market. We 
use available data from various job 
boards to understand the current 
trends and demands of potential 
candidates and tailor our EVP and 
recruitment strategies accordingly.

In the pursuit of the best talent, 
one of our significant advantages 
is our B Corporation Certification. 
This demonstrates that we are part 
of a community of businesses that 
meet high standards of social and 
environmental impact, and this 
resonates with job seekers. The B 
Corp Certification enhances our 
reputation as a socially conscious 
and sustainable employer, making 
our EVP even more attractive to 
prospective candidates who align 
with these values. Emphasising our 
B Corp status in the employment 
landscape further sets us apart 
from competitors, giving us a unique 
advantage in talent acquisition. 

KMD Brands also attracts talented 
individuals who share a passion 
for what our brands stand for. Rip 
Curl is made for surfers, by surfers, 

62

so our offices are located next to 
some of the world’s best surf breaks. 
Our ‘crew’, as we call them, have 
the flexibility to take advantage of 
this and go surfing during business 
hours. At Kathmandu, employees can 
work longer hours during the week 
to access ‘Fri-Yay’ - a half day to 
explore the foothills of Christchurch. 
As well as being based in the Greater 
Yellowstone Ecosystem, Oboz team 
members have access to trails right 
at their doorstep and are encouraged 
to get out there as much as possible.

The pandemic drove a shift in 
our team's ways of working, with 
extended periods of remote work 
changing the way many think about 
work-life balance. We recognise the 
value of in-person interactions in 
fostering company culture, especially 
as we tend to be in communities 
that are so close to the nature that 
inspires our brands and customers. 
Because of this, we’ve encouraged 
employees in our head office teams 
to return to our physical offices. 
Striking a balance, we've adopted a 
hybrid work model underpinned by 
flexibility and trust. We have three 
set days during which all employees 
are expected to come into the office. 
Employees can choose to work in 
the office or remotely for the other 
days, based on their tasks and 
preferences. In the current landscape 
of remote work, maintaining and 
nurturing organisational culture 
has become a central challenge, 
requiring us to think differently 
about how we preserve our 
company values, traditions and 
core principles despite the physical 
separation of people. The return of 
travel elevated team engagement, 

innovation and osmosis learning 
as team members reconnected 
across the Tasman and the globe. 

In recent times, we have observed 
an increase in employees seeking 
counselling services for mental health 
through our Employee Assistance 
Program (EAP). This trend may 
be partly as a consequence of our 
successful educational programs to 
raise awareness about the available 
resources. However, it also indicates 
a positive shift in attitudes towards 
mental health, where employees are 
more aware and more likely to seek 
help when they need it. This is an 
essential step for our brands as we 
promote a healthy work environment. 
The demand for initiatives that 
support the wellbeing of our teams 
is greater than ever, emphasising 
the importance of comprehensive 
mental health support and a 
workplace culture that prioritises 
the overall welfare of employees.

OUR ACTIONS

We harness the collective power of 
our team by embracing and valuing 
each team member for who they 
are. We encourage people to grow 
with us. We foster inclusivity and 
diversity across our businesses to 
inspire all people to explore and 
love the outdoors and to provide 

a workplace where everyone can 
show up as their true selves.

We have set specific gender diversity 
goals and we are making good 
progress, with 50% female leadership 
in our group executive team and 
29% in our brand executive teams. 
Rip Curl and Oboz are led by female 
CEOs, with the new Kathmandu CEO 
appointed during FY23 also female. 
We still have work to do in building 
the capability and experience of 
our future female leaders, however 
we know that seeing three women 
lead our iconic brands will inspire 
many to see themselves in these 
roles. In early FY24, we will launch 
our paid parental leave policy in 
Australia and New Zealand which 
aims to support and encourage 
primary caregivers to continue with 
their career paths following the 
addition of a new family member. 

This year, we also revised the wage 
structure of our factory workers 
in our Onsmooth wetsuit factory 
in Thailand. This provided a lift 
in salaries to align with the Anker 
living wage methodology resulting 
in an increased standard of living 
for employees and their families.  
The introduction of a living wage in 
Thailand in August 2022 resulted in 
widespread positivity and instantly 
saw staff retention increase. We also 

recognised some of our longest 
serving team members, including 
John ‘Sparrow’ Pyburne who has 
been designing wetsuits for Rip 
Curl for more than 50 years and is 
integral to the success of the brand.

In FY23, our company has taken 
significant strides towards fostering 
a diverse and inclusive workplace. 
Recognising the immense value 
that different perspectives bring, 
we actively champion diversity in all 
dimensions. We have implemented 
training focused on educating our 
teams about the importance of 
diversity and inclusion. Through 
these initiatives, we aim to raise 
awareness about unconscious 
biases and encourage a more 
empathetic and respectful workplace 
culture, where everyone belongs.

As part of our commitment to 
supporting marginalised communities, 
we proudly rolled out International 
Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia 
and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) 
training to promote understanding 
and acceptance of diverse 
gender identities and sexual 
orientations. This was attended 
by a large cross section of KMD 
Brands, Rip Curl, Kathmandu and 
Oboz employees from Australia, 
New Zealand and beyond. 

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Our people at a glance

BY REGION 

3,000

2,000

1,000

AUS

NZ

THAI

USA

EUR

OTHER

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

KMD Brands is a great place to work, 
but driving engagement in the retail 
sector can be challenging. The nature 
of the tasks, working hours, workforce 
dispersion and customer service 
can lead to higher turnover rates. 
Attracting, developing and retaining 
employees is crucial to our ongoing 
business success. In a tight labour 
market, we continue to articulate 
our EVP to showcase each of our 
brands as an employer of choice.

A key talent program is a strategic 
opportunity to develop our future 
leaders. This program can create 
a pipeline of capable leaders who 
understand the dynamics of our 

industry, and can offer mentoring, 
leadership training, and exposure 
to different aspects of the business. 
As workforce dynamics evolve, we 
can support the skills and talent 
development of our future. 

Another opportunity over the 
medium term is a global mobility 
policy. This will further support 
the development of internal 
leadership, to allow movement 
between brands and geographies. 
A well-structured global mobility 
policy can provide employees 
with international experience, 
enhancing their skills in managing 
diverse teams and understanding 
different markets which can be a 
valuable skill for future leaders.

BY AGE 

50+
7%

30 - 50
34%

<30
59%

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

Full time
42%

Casual
33%

Part time
25%

65

Kathmandu also re-accredited 
as a Rainbow Tick business. The 
Rainbow Tick status tells our 
customers that we are a progressive, 
inclusive and dynamic organisation 
that embraces diverse sexual and 
gender identities and reflects 
the communities we serve.

Rip Curl continued its path of 
reconciliation in Australia by 
working closely with First Nations 
communities, with cultural protocols 
becoming part of events and 
meeting agendas. Our commitment 
to engaging with and supporting 
these communities reflects our 
dedication to acknowledging their 
unique histories and challenges.

During FY23, we completed our 
second global diversity and inclusion 
survey across all our brands. This 
gave us valuable insights about 
the backgrounds of our employees 
so we can support what matters 
most to them. Through the results 
of this survey, we have reported 
some baseline statistics for the 
first time this year in relation to 
Indigenous and ethnic minority 
representation amongst our 
employees. This data will inform 
and shape the specific targets, and 
direct the activities, we will focus 
on in FY24 and beyond, to support 
and increase the representation of 
these groups within our businesses. 

We believe that, by celebrating the 
uniqueness of each individual, we 
are building a stronger and more 
innovative business that welcomes 
everyone to participate. As we 
move forward, we will continue to 
assess and improve our initiatives 
to create a workplace where all 
our team members feel valued, 
respected and empowered to 
make a meaningful impact.

GRI 401, 405

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCOMMUNITIES � OUR PEOPLE

CASE  
STUDY

Walking the path  
to reconciliation

The long stretch of golden 
sand known today as Djarrak 
(Bells Beach), has been home 
to the Wadawurrung people 
for thousands of years. It 
is with this knowledge that 
Rip Curl launched our first 
Reconciliation Action Plan 
(RAP) in January 2023.

The RAP process provides Rip Curl 
with a framework as we grow and 
mature on our reconciliation journey. 
Our first ‘Reflect’ RAP is focused on 
recognition, respect and relationships 
as we expand our understanding 
and knowledge of Aboriginal and 
Torres Strait Islander cultures.

“The RAP process has been a big, 
beautiful learning journey,” says 
Lucy Nakaroti, Rip Curl’s Chair 
of the RAP Working Group.

As a part of the RAP process, 
Rip Curl has introduced cultural 
protocols, like an Acknowledgement 
of Country at the start of meetings.  
We also celebrate NAIDOC Week and 
National Reconciliation Week, using 
both events to educate our crew.

One of the most powerful new 
initiatives is a Walk on Country, 
that all new Torquay based crew 
members undertake as part of their 
induction program. “We take new 
crew out to walk on country with local 
Wadawurrung community members 
who share stories of connection to 
Country. It’s been great to hear new 
crew say how much they appreciate 
the chance to learn about First 
Nations’ culture and Rip Curl’s 
approach to reconciliation,” Lucy says.

Dale Hose, Rip Curl’s Inbound & 
Inventory Manager, is also a member 

of the RAP Working Group. “As a 
First Nations person, the RAP makes 
me proud to work for Rip Curl.” Dale 
calls the RAP a “stepping stone” 
that has sparked new conversations 
and helped people learn more about 
First Nations people and culture. 
With time, Rip Curl’s commitment 
to reconciliation will attract more 
First Nations employees, Dale says.

Rip Curl has achieved the 
deliverables set in the Reflect RAP 
and will soon start work on the next 
stage – an ‘Innovate’ RAP – with 
the goal to engage more Rip Curl 
people in conversations about 
reconciliation. In the meantime, we 
are proud of our progress. As Rip 
Curl’s Team, Event & Partnership 
Manager Mark Flanagan says: “I 
walk taller as a Rip Curl employee 
because we are doing this work.”

For the love of the outdoors

CASE  
STUDY

Surfers, hikers or campers… Our 
people are all different. Some 
have been with us for decades; 
others are just starting their 
careers. But we all have one 
thing in common: a love of the 
outdoors and a commitment to 
brands designed for purpose, 
driven by innovation, best 
for people and planet. 

Take John ‘Sparrow’ Pyburne 
(pictured), who began his quest for 
the “ultimate wetsuit” back in the 
1970s. Sparrow started designing 
wetsuits for Rip Curl when we were 
paying just $10 a week to rent the Old 
Torquay Bakery in Victoria. The brains 
behind Rip Curl’s durable double lined 
neoprene suit, Sparrow developed 
his designs so he could spend 
more time in the surf. Work and 
passions were intertwined. “I can surf, 
develop something, and get direct 
feedback on it,” he once said. It’s a 
philosophy Rip Curl continues today.

Sparrow has made wetsuits for 
professional athletes like Nat Young, 
Tom Curren, Mick Fanning and Tyler 
Wright, and initially joined Rip Curl 
so he could spend his time making 
wetsuits and going surfing in them. 
Sparrow was awarded the prestigious 
Surf and Boardshorts Industry 
Association (SBIA) Service Industry 
Award in 2017 and in 2023 CEO 
Brooke Farris presented him with a 
Rip Curl Gold Card celebrating his 
ongoing contribution to the brand. 

Corey McPherson is part of our Oboz 
team and loves a backpack. Based 
in Montana, Corey has achieved 
the ‘Triple Crown’ of thru-hiking – 
the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and 
Continental Divide trails – across 
nearly 8,000 miles and 22 states. As 

a member of the Oboz development 
team, Corey is helping us to build 
the best products that solve hikers’ 
biggest problems. “I’m always 
looking for ways to make time on 
the trail a little bit easier,” he says. 

Despite running a busy store, she 
never misses a chance to chat to 
customers. “Going above and beyond 
is normal for me. I love to ensure 
every customer has everything they 
need for their next adventure.”

When Fale Maoama isn't hard at work 
at Kathmandu's Christchurch CBD 
store, she may be spotted at Godley 
Head – the spectacular headland 
known to Māori as Awaroa. In her 
25 years with Kathmandu, Fale has 
held many roles, from fabric sorter 
to warehouse assistant, distribution 
supervisor to store manager. 

Every person who works for KMD 
Brands has their own unique 
story. But we have a collective 
passion for our planet and the 
people who live on it – and that 
inspires us to be better, together.

66

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  GOALS

Genuine transparency of, and effective 
worker voice communications with, strategic 
suppliers for each brand including:

ACCOUNTABILITY TO KMD 
BRANDS CODE OF CONDUCT
Tier 1: Suppliers are 100% accountable
Tier 2: Increase by at least one Tier 2 
supplier for each brand per year

TRANSPARENCY
Tier 1: % Increase year on year where 
worker voice survey tools are in place
Tier 2: Trace and publish the input suppliers 
of our strategic Tier 1 suppliers.

OUR  WORKERS 
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

PERFORMANCE:  ACCOUNTABILITY

PERFORMANCE:  TRANSPARENCY

100% 

Tier 1 suppliers independently verified 
by Elevate as accountable to KMD 
Brands Code of Conduct at May 2023 
under our Sustainability Linked Loan. 
2022: 91%

65 

Tier 2 suppliers accountable to 
KMD Brands Code of Conduct 
2022: 3

8 

Ethical Voice worker surveys 
completed, assessing the 
wellbeing of 

2022: 1 survey

4,520 workers 
7 

Worker sentiment surveys 
conducted 
2022: 24

100% 

Tier 1 suppliers traced and 
published on Open Supply Hub

65 

Tier 2 input suppliers traced 
and published on Open Supply 
Hub

68

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OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCOMMUNITIES � OUR WORKERS

MATERIAL ISSUES: PEOPLE AND WELLBEING  •  CLIMATE CHANGE 

OUR OBSERVATIONS

This year we have sharpened our 
focus on business action beyond 
goals and policy statements. We 
continue to gather data and set ESG 
targets, but we are also working 
hard to translate our ambitious 
targets into meaningful impact. 
We are seeing demand for greater 
transparency from consumer-
facing indices. Consumers are 
increasingly concerned with 
the journey of their product, 
which we see as an opportunity 
to highlight the investment we 
and our suppliers are making in 
innovation, green technology, 
preferred fibres and worker wellbeing 
within our supply chains. We 
continue to champion transparency 
and accuracy of disclosures 
to build and maintain trust.

Against a backdrop of political and 
regulatory change, all companies 
must continue to assess and manage 
the social and environmental impact 
of their supply chains – and KMD 
Brands continues to do this. We are 
carefully considering a raft of issues, 
from the proposed modern slavery 
legislation in New Zealand to the 
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention 
Act to the Australian Competition 
and Consumer Commission’s 
scrutiny of sustainability claims. 

OUR ACTIONS

We care about the people our 
suppliers employ and want to 
ensure they are safe, paid fairly 
and make our gear and clothes 
in a positive environment. As the 
world re-opened post-pandemic, 
we enjoyed reconnecting in person 

70

with our partners across the world. 
This commitment to relationships 
is valued by suppliers: 93% of 
supplier respondents to our recent 
engagement survey described 
KMD Brands as a preferred partner. 
We are also starting to bring 
suppliers together and explore 
creating communities of practice to 
enhance social and environmental 
performance. In FY23 we held 
our first workshop with factory 
representatives in Bangladesh 
to share resources, learn from 
and challenge one another.

KMD Brands continues to develop 
our approach to human rights 
due diligence, including through 
our focus on accountability to the 
KMD Brands Code of Conduct in 
FY23, which includes a prohibition 
against forced and child labour.  We 
assessed 176 Tier 1 factories in FY23 
for social impacts. Assessments 
were conducted both internally 
and by third parties. Assessments 
include contractual elements, third-
party audits, site visits, supplier 
engagement, anonymous worker 
surveys and grievance mechanisms. 
We are expanding our understanding 
of human and environmental risks 
beyond Tier 1 suppliers and will 
continue to focus on input and 
raw material suppliers in FY24.

In FY23, four suppliers were found to 
have significant actual or potential 
negative social impacts. Three 
suppliers were located in China 
and one in Indonesia. Impacts 
identified were excessive overtime 
combined with a lack of willingness 
to improve, lack of clarity relating 
to worker compensation and 
potential underpayment of overtime. 

Corrective action plans were agreed 
upon with 75% of suppliers. Two 
of these suppliers were supported 
with additional training relating 
to management records and 
expectations. One relationship was 
terminated due to lack of willingness 
to address excessive overtime.

Transparency continues to 
underpin our relationships with 
suppliers.  We disclose all Tier 1 
and an increasing number of Tier 
2 suppliers on the Open Supply 
Hub. We actively monitor the social 
performance of our suppliers, listen 
to the perspective of suppliers and 
their workers, and support relevant 
training for factory human resource 
managers. According to our recent 
engagement survey, 83% of supplier 
respondents agreed that KMD 
Brands is working consistently 
to improve working conditions 
in facilities in its supply chain. 

Collective action has continued 
to be a key focus. In FY23, KMD 
Brands became a signatory to the 
International Accord to support 
health and safety programs within the 
apparel industry in Bangladesh. We 
maintained our Fair Labor Association 
accreditation, participated in the 
Collaborative Advantage and joined 
the B Corp movement of brands 
seeking to use business as a force 

for good. We also contributed to 
multi-stakeholder initiatives including 
Be Slavery Free and the Mekong 
Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance.

KMD Brands has taken a broad 
approach to addressing modern 
slavery risks. In FY23, we actively 
advocated for legislation that 
encourages transparency, so that 
businesses can work together to 
address systematic causes of modern 
slavery. Our Tier 1 manufacturing 
operations are at low risk due to 
social screening and monitoring. 
Tiers 2 and beyond present a 
higher risk, due to less established 
relationships and monitoring 
systems. Known instances of child 
labour have been reported by the 
US Department of Labor in the 
following countries within our supply 
chain: Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, 
India, China and Bangladesh. We 
consider each of these regions, plus 
Cambodia, Indonesia, Taiwan and 
the United States, to present risk 
beyond Tier 1. For more information 
on our approach to addressing 
modern slavery, please refer to our 
Modern Slavery Statement here.

KMD Brands recognises risks to 
freedom of association and collective 
bargaining in some of the countries 
in which our suppliers are located. 
Just over half of KMD Brands 

suppliers are located in China. We 
recognise the risks that limitation on 
independent unions presents in this 
region. We also consider Bangladesh, 
Indonesia, India, Thailand, Cambodia, 
the United States and Vietnam to 
present increased risk beyond Tier 
1. To support rights to exercise 
freedom of association and 
collective bargaining, KMD Brands 
focuses on supplier relationships 
and emphasises a zero tolerance 
approach to violation of the right 
to exercise freedom of association. 
In FY23, we have prioritised 
worker voices through 4,500-
plus anonymous worker surveys, 
providing a grievance mechanism 
to the majority of workers in our 
Tier 1 factories and supporting the 
International Accord in Bangladesh.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

We set a goal in FY23 to increase 
the use of worker voice survey 
tools in our Tier 1 factories. It 
would be tempting to meet these 
by surveying the workforce of our 
long-term, low-risk suppliers with 
whom we have strong relationships. 
However, in FY24 we are committed 
to deploying these tools based on 
human rights due diligence, to allow 
greater visibility into higher risk 

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Assessments completed by our 
nominated third-party auditor 
2022: 54

4 

Factories identified as having 
significant actual or potential 
negative social impacts

100% 

New Tier 1 suppliers' social 
performance screened against 
KMD Brands Code of Conduct

189

Tier 1 factories making our 
branded product 
2022: 163

110

Tier 1 suppliers we partner with 
2022: 88

26 

factories exited  
2022: 11 

areas of our supply chain. We also 
want to harness the opportunity for 
worker surveys to be a value-add 
for factory management, rather than 
another compliance mechanism.

Minimum wages do not always 
allow for a decent standard of living. 
Addressing low wages of apparel 
supply chain workers is a challenge, 
but not an excuse for inaction. In 
FY24, KMD Brands will promote a 
living wage as an essential aspect 

of decent work.  This will include 
collecting data to assess any gaps 
between current basic pay and 
living wages, providing internal 
training on responsible purchasing 
practices and continuing to consult 
with stakeholders, including 
workers’ representative groups.

In some countries within our supply 
chain, the experience of women 
includes discrimination, violence 
and harassment. We recognise that 

the prevailing model of low-cost 
production within apparel supply 
chains exacerbates the vulnerability 
experienced by many female workers. 
One of our focus areas for FY24 is 
working with suppliers to promote 
gender equality. This will build 
upon the family-friendly workplace 
training funded in FY23. We will 
also support our teams to apply a 
gender lens within procurement 
and supply chain practices.

GRI 2-24, 2-25, 407, 408, 409, 414

72

1,326 

employees completed the B Corp 
Mindset & Human Rights 
Awareness Training

65 

Copy audits accepted 
2022: 109

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023COMMUNITIES � OUR WORKERS

Empowering many voices

CASE  
STUDY

CASE  
STUDY

Engaging with the people who 
make our products

KMD Brands is committed 
to worker wellbeing – and 
that’s why we are listening 
to what workers tell us.

We have engaged New Zealand 
company AskYourTeam to help us 
maintain our commitment to the 
people touched by our brands.

In May, we piloted AskYourTeam’s 
real-time, transparent survey 
system, Ethical Voice, in eight 
factories in our Kathmandu and 
Oboz supply chains. More than 
4,500 office and production workers 
completed the survey, most of 
them on their own smartphones. 

We asked for feedback on a 
range of topics, from human 
rights to workplace health and 
safety, remuneration to worker 
aspirations. The 70% response 
rate was higher than expected and 
all suppliers demonstrated their 
commitment to deploy the survey 
at scale. More than 700 optional 
extra text comments told us that 
workers want to share their views.

GRI 2-25

74

Online conversations with factory 
management complemented 
the survey data, and we gained 
valuable insights to help us create 
safer, fairer work environments.

When we asked what KMD Brands 
could do to make the world a better 
place, the feedback was clear: use 
recycled and durable materials; 
reduce waste; elevate our attention 
on workers’ compensation and 
benefits; support humanitarian 
projects; and focus on high-quality 
products and order stability.

Factory partners told us they 
appreciated the results, with one 
manager in particular noting: 
“The survey tool is valuable to 
our business, and we would 
use it independently.”

The next survey is set to be deployed 
in China in FY24. In the meantime, 

we will continue to refine our survey 
process and work with our partners 
to enhance the value of the data. 

As AskYourTeam’s Head of 
Product Craig Whitcombe notes: 
“AskYourTeam and KMD Brands 
are aligned about making a real 
difference for workers in supply 
chains. We acknowledge that 
existing audits have their place while 
recognising their limitations. We are 
working together to define a new 
approach to building transparency in 
the supply chain, by giving workers 
a voice in expressing how they 
experience their workplace while 
creating products for KMD Brands. 
We want to provide a solution that 
not only provides value to KMD 
Brands but to the suppliers and, 
ultimately, the workers as well.”

KMD Brands seeks not to be 
the best in the world, but the 
best for the world. It’s with this 
attitude that we continue to 
look for ways to improve the 
transparency of our supply 
chains and support the workers 
who make our products.

This year we held our first ESG 
Conference with suppliers in 
Bangladesh to better understand how 
we can work together to enhance 
our social and environmental 
impact. We explored ideas on 
measurement and monitoring, 
worker engagement, traceability, fair 
compensation and gender equality.

We visited workers on the factory 
floor and held our first worker 
committee consultation to listen 
to the views of people who 
understand how one of our largest 
factories in Bangladesh operates.

We funded training for Rip Curl 
and Kathmandu suppliers in 
China to help them improve their 
environmental management and 
develop family-friendly workplaces. 

We also deployed a comprehensive 
survey across our Tier 1 suppliers – 
in countries from India to Indonesia, 
Nepal to New Zealand – for all three 

of our brands. The multi-language 
survey asked suppliers to share their 
views on purchasing and commercial 
practices, and to consider how 
KMD Brands could better support 
them to improve their social and 
environmental impact. We now have 
clear priorities for FY24 as we strive 
to be the best for people and planet.

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OUR OBSERVATIONS

There are many communities 
impacted by, and impacting, our 
brands; but an important impact 
for us is the local environments 
and communities where our 
employees and our customers 
play and explore. We want to 
engage, inspire and protect those 
communities where we operate and 
where we have an impact. It is part 
of what makes each of our brands 
authentic, relevant and appealing.

Each of our brands has a strong 
foundation in the communities 
from which they have grown. Rip 
Curl was founded, and remains 
headquartered, in Torquay, Victoria, 
the Australian home of surfing. 
As the largest employer in a town 
that has grown around it, Rip Curl 
has an enduring connection to 
its community. And because of 
that, we have a responsibility to 
support that local community, and 

to preserve the environment in 
which our team and our customers 
use our products – the ocean.

Oboz was founded in Montana’s 
Yellowstone country; the name 
literally means Outside + Bozeman, 
and community is at the heart of the 
brand. Oboz has a deep connection 
to the mountains where its products 
have been developed, tested and 
refined, and invests significant 
time giving back to the community 
from which it was inspired.

Surrounded by mountains and hill 
trails, Kathmandu was founded in 
Christchurch, New Zealand,  an area 
that is perfect for adventure, and 
which has served as the ultimate 
backdrop for designing and testing 
outdoor gear and apparel. 

Our employees and our 
customers expect our brands 
to take responsibility to support 
the communities which have 
served as their foundation. 

OUR ACTIONS

Each of our brands support 
community partnerships and 
projects that are meaningful to their 
individual purpose and values. Our 
team members’ love for the outdoors 
is what draws them to Kathmandu, 
Rip Curl and Oboz. We support and 
encourage all our team members 
to be a part of our effort to make a 
positive social and environmental 
impact. When considering which 
initiatives to support, we look for 
opportunities that are aligned to 
the values of our respective brands 
and provide opportunities for our 
team members to take part in.

During FY23, we have continued 
to build on the community 
partnerships and programs for each 
of our brands. We have expanded 
our ‘Planet Day’ activities across 
the Group, with the inaugural 
Kathmandu event taking place in 
Christchurch and with overwhelming 

GOAL

Supported local community projects 
through donations, fundraising 
and paid employee time to 
create a positive impact for the 
wellbeing of people and planet.

OUR  
COMMUNITIES 
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

PERFORMANCE

NZD $1.14m *  

invested with our local community 
partners in FY23 including over 

3,405 

volunteer hours

*includes company financial donations, product 
donations, partnership fees, employee donations 
and volunteer hours. Volunteer hours calculated 
using average hourly rate of $28 per hour.

76

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESOUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  support from our head office and 
distribution centre team members. 

Oboz’ Trees for the Future program 
has now planted more than five 
million trees, supporting regenerative 
agriculture in Tanzania. And it doesn’t 
stop there.  As well as an ongoing 
commitment to plant one tree for 
every pair of footwear sold during 
FY23, Oboz launched the Fast 
Trail Challenge which plants a tree 
each time a customer undertakes 
a hike that is over a mile long.

Our brands have also responded 
when disaster strikes. Kathmandu 
supported the Red Cross relief 
appeal following Cyclone Gabrielle 
in New Zealand in January 2023, 
collecting and matching customer 
donations from across its store 
network, and sending much-needed 
product to impacted communities. 
For the second year running, Rip Curl 
also sponsored a hole at the Mick 
Fanning Charity Golf Day, helping 
to raise funds for the communities 

hit by the Northern River floods in 
New South Wales and Queensland. 

This year, despite a challenging 
economic climate, we have 
maintained our level of monetary 
donations year-on-year. Our number 
of paid, voluntary hours also 
increased substantially due to the 
growth of our Planet Day program. 
The Rip Curl Torquay Community 
Golf Day was rescheduled to be a 
Spring event, to take advantage of 
better weather, which impacted our 
overall community contributions.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Each of our brands will further 
embed community partnerships 
and programs to create awareness, 
connect with our customers and 
deliver real impact. Meaningful 
community work provides an 
important opportunity to connect 
with new and existing customers 
and is a key reason why our people 
are proud to work for our brands.

We are presented with a wide range 
of causes, initiatives and programs 
to support and it is challenging to 
make choices which align with our 
values and provide the necessary 
transparency. We will continue to 
work with partners and support 
programs to amplify meaningful 
impact in the communities where 
we operate and play. We are also 
looking at how we involve team 
members from our wider retail 
store teams and target support 
for regional communities, given 
our extensive store network.

Partnerships 

Kathmandu works with youth and mental health focused organisations that align with our purpose to improve 
the wellbeing of the world through the outdoors. We know that being outdoors is transformative. Science has 
shown that it changes our brains for the better. When we spend time in nature our stress levels decrease, our 
empathy increases and we feel happier. And that’s why we’re proud to partner with organisations that help 
people experience all that nature has to offer.

Beyond Blue provides information and support for 
anxiety, depression and suicide prevention in Australia.
Kathmandu is the official partner of #teambeyondblue 
challenge events.

www.beyondblue.org.au

OVER

NZD $402k

Invested in FY23 through partnership fees ($218k), 
customers donations ($155k) from sales of paper 
shopping bags and employee giving matched by 
Kathmandu ($29k).

Graeme Dingle Foundation is a leader in positive child and 
youth development throughout New Zealand. Through 
our partnership, we support a series of wilderness 
adventures, adventure camps, activity days and career 
navigators that empower thousands of young people. 

www.dinglefoundation.org.nz

NZD $205k

Invested in FY23 through partnership fees ($101k), 
customers donations ($85k) from sales of paper 
shopping bags and employee giving matched by 
Kathmandu ($19k).

During FY23 Kathmandu’s funding supported   

6,857  

young people across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kathmandu supported the Red Cross relief appeal 
following Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand in January 
2023, collecting and matching customer donations from 
across its store network.

www.www.redcross.org.nz

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER HOURS 
Planet Day, Christchurch 

Working with the Avon-Heathcote Estuary 
Ihutai Trust

TOTAL 

NZD $66k 

invested through product donations (RRP $40k) and 
customer giving matched by Kathmandu ($26k).

TOTAL 

385  

volunteer hours for FY23

78

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCommunity and care for the environment are embedded into the Rip Curl company policy, crew behaviour 
and daily operations. This means giving back to communities in which we operate as well as protecting the 
environment around those communities.

Oboz partners with individuals, organisations and causes which are aligned to our purpose of empowering 
the people of the world to blaze their own trail. We call these our Compass Partners, and together we focus 
on educating the broader community in two key areas: land conservation and equitable access. We support in 
a variety of ways, including grants, sponsorships, product givebacks, volunteer service and brand advocacy.

SurfAid’s mission is to improve the lives of families in 
isolated corners of the globe connected through surfing. 
SurfAid was selected as Club Rip Curl loyalty program 
charity partner due to its alignment with Rip Curl values.

www.surfaid.org

NZD $38k 

invested in FY23

The Ondas Project is a Civil Society Organisation 
of the two-time Brazilian surfing champion Jojó de 
Olivença, whose mission is to contribute to the integral 
development of children and adolescents in situations 
of socioeconomic vulnerability and their families, 
awakening citizen awareness through surfing.

The Project was selected due to its alignment with 
Rip Curl company values.

www.projetoondas.org.br/ 

NZD $3k  

invested through product donations 
and cash contribution.

The 2023 Mick Fanning Charity Golf Day raised 
AUD$580,000 for flood relief victims still struggling in 
parts of Queensland and New South Wales. Rip Curl’s 
hole sponsorship supported the success of the day. 

NZD $16k  

invested in FY23

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER HOURS 
Planet Day activities included rubbish removal, 
tree planting, weeding and mulching 

TOTAL 

2,690  

volunteer hours for FY23 

Black Folks Camp Too’s (BFCT’s) mission is to increase 
diversity in the outdoors by making it more accessible, 
familiar and fun for Black folks to go camping. Oboz will 
advise BFCT on the footwear segments of its digital 
education initiative, while BFCT will assist and advise 
Oboz with its justice, equity, diversity and inclusion work. 
Oboz continues to sell through the O FIT Insole®️ 'Unity 
Blaze' with a portion of the proceeds supporting BFCT's 
digital education Initiative. 

www.blackfolkscamptoo.com

NZD $32k 

invested in FY23

Together with outdoor brands Osprey and Outdoor 
Research, Oboz launch the 52 Hike Challenge. This is a 
group of women over 50 who commit to hiking 52 times 
a year. The group meets monthly to share experiences, 
encouragement and product feedback.

www.52hikechallenge.com

MORE THAN 

NZD $7k

invested in FY23

150 

women participating

Since 2007, we have planted a tree for every pair of 
Oboz sold. This equates to more than five million trees 
– and counting. Oboz Footwear specifically supports 
the Tabora Forest Garden Project in Tanzania.

www.trees.org

NZD $145k

invested in FY23

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER HOURS
Gallatin Valley Land Trust  
Trail cleanups

Bozeman Forestry Division  
Trail maintenance Continental Divide Trail 
Coalition | Trail maintenance and stewardship

Gallatin Watershed Council  
Community tree planting

TOTAL 

330  

volunteer hours for FY23 

80

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCOMMUNITIES � OUR COMMUNITIES

Planet Day goes global 

CASE  
STUDY

CASE  
STUDY

Changing the world  
one campfire at a time

Inclusion is at the heart of being 
True to the Trail – and Oboz 
has teamed up with Black Folks 
Camp Too (BFCT) to invite 
more people to experience 
the joys of the outdoors.

BFCT was founded in 2019 by 
Earl B. Hunter with a mission to 
remove fear, enhance knowledge 
and raise awareness of the reasons 
why more Black folks don’t 
participate in outdoor activities. 

Most new campers and hikers 
feel a mix of fear, excitement and 
nerves. But many Black people 
have intergenerational fears of 
camping as the woods were unsafe 
places for hundreds of years. 

As Earl says, many Black folks 
will continue to avoid outdoor 
activities until they feel invited and 
welcomed around the campfire.

Last year, Oboz and BFCT released 
our first collaborative product, the 
BFCT + OBOZ O FIT Insole Plus. 
This insole features the Unity 
Blaze – BFCT’s symbol of inclusion 
– in each heel cup. The phrase 
“Put a little soul in your step” is 
featured in the left forefoot. 

This year, we launched Outside 
101, a series of videos that answer 
questions and address concerns 
that people may have about 
any outdoor activity, whether 
that’s hiking, camping or even 
enjoying a family picnic.

Unity Blaze Oboz Trail Experiences 
also echo BFCT’s inclusion 
strategy by encouraging people 
who join to “bring someone 
who doesn’t look like you”.

As Earl says: “The BFCT + Oboz 
Footwear partnership is a prime 
example of two companies starting 
at the toenail of the elephant. 
Together, we discussed and 
developed a plan, we methodically 
and expeditiously moved forward, 
now we are trusting our work as we 
continue to improve our process to 
educate folks about footwear and 
trails. We are changing the world… 
one campfire at a time folks!”

Rip Curl’s team has always kept 
our feet in the sand and our 
hearts in the surf – which is 
why we started Planet Day in 
2000. Over the last 23 years, 
Rip Curl’s people have spent 
more than 3,500 days of work 
– or around 17,500 hours – on 
Planet Day activities that 
celebrate our company values of 
‘community and environment’.  

From planting trees and eradicating 
weeds to removing rubbish that 
threatens local ecosystems, Rip 
Curl’s Planet Day efforts support 
the sustainability of our coastal 
ecosystems on Australia’s Surf 

Coast. But this year, Planet Day went 
global as our teams from Kathmandu 
and Oboz rolled up their sleeves 
to partner with local charities on 
projects in their own backyards. 

More than 110 staff from Kathmandu’s 
head office and distribution centre 
in New Zealand spent a morning 
working hand-in-glove with the 
Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust. 
After weeding, mulching and planting 
native species to restore biodiversity, 
we hope to attract more birdlife to 
Canterbury’s beautiful estuaries.  

In Bozeman, Montana, members 
of the Oboz crew spent a day 
restoring a 6.5-kilometre stretch 

of the Continental Divide Trail that 
we adopted in 2022. Working with 
our partner, the Gallatin Valley Land 
Trust, we cleared brush from water 
bars and drainage dips, carefully 
retreading and restoring parts of 
the trail to ensure more people 
can enjoy the great outdoors. 

“Each year Planet Day gets bigger 
and bigger, as more regions, suppliers, 
customers and partners join us to 
contribute to our local communities 
and environments,” says Rip Curl 
CEO Brooke Farris. “Planet Day is a 
powerful illustration of what it means 
to think globally and act locally.”  

82

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CLIMATE

GOALS

Reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 
a minimum of 47% by 2030, from a FY19 base 
year (4.2% per annum emissions reduction).

Reduced absolute Scope 3 emissions by 
a minimum of 28% by 2030 from a FY19 
base year (2.5% reduction per annum).

Organisation GHG intensity

192 tCO2e

(per $m sales NZD)

GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

44 

Tier 1 and 35 Tier 2 suppliers 
reporting on environmental 
performance   
2022: 72

0 

suppliers identified as having 
significant actual and potential 
negative environmental impacts  
2022: 1

84

PERFORMANCE

SCOPE 1 EMISSIONS

Our direct emissions

FY19 baseline1: 

FY22 Emissions: 

FY23 Emissions3: 

SCOPE 2 EMISSIONS

FY19 Location-based method baseline1: 

FY19 Market-based method baseline1: 

FY22 Location-based method: 

FY23 Location-based method3: 

FY23 Market-based method3: 

SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS

FY19 Reporting boundary baseline1: 

FY19 Target boundary baseline2: 

FY23 Reporting boundary emissions3: 

FY23 Target boundary emissions3: 

+
+

25% 
66% 

increase to baseline   

increase to FY22

+
-

0. 3% 
12% 

increase to baseline (Market-based method)   

reduction to FY22 (Location-based method)   

Tonnes CO�e

662

497

825

Tonnes CO�e
11,904
10,474

9,246

8,149
10,508

Tonnes CO�e
206,253
192,803

202,939
186,590

-
-

1.6% 
3.2% 

reduction from reporting baseline  

reduction from target baseline  

1.  Estimated based upon verified FY19 Kathmandu inventory, verified FY20 Rip Curl inventory, and verified FY21 Oboz inventory and a Scope 3 screening 

including all relevant emissions sources for all brands. Our Scope 1 FY19 baseline has been restated from prior year reporting following the approval and 
validation process with SBTi.

2. Our Scope 3 target baseline boundary represents 70.9% of our Scope 3 reporting baseline boundary. It includes the following GHG Protocol categories: 

purchased goods and services, fuel and energy related activities, upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, 
use of sold products, end of life treatment of sold products, and investments. 

3.  FY23 figures are audited, pre-verified numbers. Previous year's carbon emissions reported were pre-verified estimates and are now updated with final verified 
numbers, aligned with our annual greenhouse gas inventory assurance statements. Scope 1 emissions are our direct emissions. Scope 2 emissions are our 
indirect purchased electricity emissions. Scope 3 are our indirect value chain emissions including all relevant upstream and downstream emissions sources, 
noting that only a subset of these are included within our Science-Based Target boundary. The audit requirements of ISO 14064-1:2018 was 
used to assess conformance. We obtained reasonable assurance over Scope 1 and 2 emissions and limited assurance over Scope 3 emissions. 

4. Emissions from biogenic sources amounted to 50.49 tCO2e.
5. Nitrogen oxide emissions from N2O amounted to 9.5 tCO2e.

GRI 2-4, 2-5, 305, 308

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCLIMATE

MATERIAL ISSUES: CLIMATE CHANGE  •  BRAND POWER  •  BIODIVERSITY IMPACT

OUR OBSERVATIONS

Our brands Kathmandu, Oboz 
and Rip Curl are built on a love for 
the outdoors. All our brands are 
dedicated to supporting, enhancing 
and encouraging activities which get 
people into the outdoors, whether 
its hiking on a trail, catching a wave 
or simply enjoying the open air. We 
seek to inspire our customers to 
share in our connection with the 
outdoors and to respect, protect 
and live in recognition of the 
interdependent relationships we have 
with nature. Demonstrating that we 
take responsibility for the climate 
impact created by our businesses is 
essential to protect the reputation 
of each brand and to meet the 
expectations of our customers. 

The world is already 1.1°C warmer 
than it was in the 1800s and the 
time we have left to limit warming 
to 1.5°C is rapidly running out.1 
The Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) final issue 
of the of the Sixth Assessment 
Report (AR6), published in March 
2023, continues to emphasise 
the potentially catastrophic 
consequences of rising greenhouse 
gas emissions, and cites the 
damaging impacts of climate change 
the world is already experiencing.1

The impacts of climate change 
disproportionately affect the world’s 
most vulnerable communities, 
including those that are essential 
to the apparel sector.2 For example, 
climate scientists suggest that 

climate change likely played a role 
in the unprecedented flooding in 
Pakistan in 2022 which resulted in 
more than 1,500 deaths, displaced 
more than 30 million people and 
destroyed or damaged around 
40% of the nation’s cotton crop.3 

The climate impact of the global 
fashion industry was an estimated 
897 million tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 
2021 — roughly 1.8% of global 
GHG emissions.2 As part of this 
industry, KMD Brands is focused 
on the transition to a low-carbon 
world by reducing greenhouse gas 
emissions in line with global goals.  

OUR ACTIONS

In April 2023 we received our formal 
validation from the Science Based 
Targets initiative (SBTi), confirming 
that our carbon reduction targets 
met its stringent and internationally-
recognised criteria. By 2030, KMD 
Brands commits to reduce absolute 
Scope 1 and 2 emissions - the 
emissions that come directly from 
our company’s owned or controlled 
sources and from our purchased 
electricity – by at least 47% from our 
FY19 baseline. This is in line with 
limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

We also commit to reduce absolute 
Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions 
from purchased goods and services, 
fuel and energy related activities, 
upstream transportation and 
distribution, waste generated in 
operations, use of sold products, end 

of life treatment of sold products, 
and investments by a minimum of 
28% within the same timeframe.

For our Scope 3 emissions, which 
includes all the other indirect 
emissions in our supply chain 
where we have less control, our 
target aligns with keeping global 
warming well below 2°C. Our Scope 
3 target boundary represents 70% 
of our Scope 3 emissions reporting 
boundary, aligned with SBTi’s 
criteria for Scope 3 targets. This 
selection of emissions sources was 
included in our Scope 3 target due 
to its materiality and our ability to 
influence reductions. Emissions 
sources excluded from our Scope 
3 emissions reduction target, but 
still forming part of our reporting 
are: capital goods, business travel, 
employee commuting, downstream 
transportation and distribution 
(retail storage) and licensed stores. 

To set this target, we calculated 
every relevant source of emissions 
for our business under the GHG 
Protocol Corporate Value Chain 
(Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting 
Standard. We now have the most 
complete picture of our emissions 
impact ever and have committed 
to reduce these emissions outside 
our direct control by at least 28% 
by 2030, from our FY19 baseline.

The approval of these targets 
is a significant achievement in 
itself, requiring input from across 
our business and value chain. 
They set out our high-level 

1.  IPCC, 2023: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of 

the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 1-34, doi: 10.59327/IPCC/
AR6-9789291691647.001

2. Apparel Impact Institute: "Taking Stock of Progress Against the Roadmap to Net Zero", 2 June 2023
3. NPR: "Climate change likely helped cause deadly Pakistan floods, scientists find", 19 September 2022

86

decarbonisation requirements, 
but the real challenges lay ahead 
of us. Progressing towards these 
targets will require collaboration 
across the business, but also with 
those we do business with as part 
of the outdoor apparel industry.

FY23 saw us continue our journey 
to understand, track and reduce 
our unique carbon impact. We have 
continued rolling out energy efficient 
LED lighting upgrades across our 
store network. All but a handful of 
stores have been upgraded, and LED 
lighting is now part of the design 
brief for all new sites. The solar array 
at the Onsmooth wetsuit factory in 
Thailand was also energised in April 
2023, and early indications show 
a 5% displacement in electricity 
sourced from the local grid and a 
payback period of less than three 
years. Despite this progress, one of 
our largest solar arrays located at 
our Truganina distribution centre 
was inoperable for the full financial 
year, and at time of reporting is 
being replaced under warranty.

Following energy audits across 
significant parts of our business, 
we are prioritising cost-effective 
onsite solar and energy efficiency 
projects, with significant 
investment planned for FY24. 

In FY23, 100% of new Tier 1 
suppliers (19) were screened using 
environmental criteria, including 
site visits and internal qualitative 
assessment of indicators such as 
investment in green technology, 
preferred fibre use, product and 
facility certifications. The screening 
of 16% of new suppliers included an 
assessment of performance using 
the Higg Index Facility Environmental 
Module (FEM). No critical issues 
were identified during environmental 

monitoring. This financial year 
we extended the coverage of 
our environmental monitoring by 
supporting more suppliers to report 
via the Higg Index FEM, including 
the provision of FEM training. We 
also gathered additional information 
on environmental risks through 
third-party assessments including 
the Elevate responsible sourcing 
assessment tool and SMETA 
(Sedex Members Ethical Trade 
Auditing) 4-pillar assessments.

While the purchase of carbon offsets 
for some unavoidable emissions will 
remain a component of our strategy, 
we are focused on investing in 
reduction policies as the priority. 
Our commitment to science-based 
climate action is an opportunity to 
elevate the distinctiveness of each 
of our brands and build rapport with 
our customer base through product 
design and sustainable innovation.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

We know what must be done. 
Decoupling emissions and economic 
growth is no small task, and the 
challenges, consequences and 
impacts ahead of us are daunting. 
Although the path ahead may not 
be entirely clear, we are committed 
to face into the issues we encounter 
openly; sharing our successes, 
learnings and challenges along the 
way. We can and must continue 
to collaborate, share knowledge 
and experience with our teams, 
customers, other businesses 
and our suppliers, to collectively 
work to address the systemic 
challenges in our industry.

Our commitment to climate action 
is important to stakeholders 
throughout our business – from 

employees to shareholders and, 
ultimately, our customers who want 
responsibly made products, created 
with a focus on positive planetary 
impact. Based on feedback gathered 
during our most recent materiality 
assessment, there is a role for KMD 
Brands to provide more education 
for our stakeholders on what climate 
change means to our business.

To better share this information, 
we’re building on our climate 
related disclosures each year to 
address the impact of climate 
change on our business, how we 
are investing in climate action, and 
how these actions will benefit our 
company while meeting growing 
consumer interest and demand.

In addition to our near-term reduction 
targets, to support our transition to a 
low-carbon future, we are developing 
a Climate Transition Plan to ensure 
our long-term strategy reflects what 
will be required to achieve global 
goals and decarbonise our business. 
We aim to publish our initial Climate 
Transition Plan next calendar year.

Increasing ESG regulation reinforces 
our strategy to showcase leadership 
in ESG, which we believe will set our 
brands up for continued success. 
Recently announced regulations 
that will likely impact our brands 
in the future include the revised 
Waste Framework Directive which 
obliges EU member states to 
separately collect textile waste from 
2025. The Aotearoa New Zealand 
Climate Standards (NZ CS), which 
broadens non-financial reporting 
by requiring and supporting 
the making of climate-related 
disclosures, will apply to the Group 
from the FY24 reporting year.

GRI 305, 308

87

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which includes climate-related issues 
and both officers report directly to 
the Group CEO. Brand CEOs are 
ultimately responsible for driving 
activities within the business units 
comprising their brands. KMD Brands’ 
Executive team are responsible for 
regular assessment and monitoring 
of all risks, including climate- 
related risks and opportunities. The 
wider management team conduct 
regular risk assessments using 
the risk management framework 
and implement appropriate risk 
mitigation strategies and controls. 

KMD Brands has undertaken a 
Group-wide materiality assessment 
and, informed by this assessment, 
has developed a KMD Brands ESG 
Strategy that covers the entire Group. 
As part of implementing this Group- 
wide ESG Strategy, governance 
over climate change-related issues 
is centrally coordinated. The Board 
was involved in the development 
process which led to the formation 
of this Group ESG Strategy and 
approved the final focus areas, 
metrics and targets which include 
the metrics for managing climate-
related risks and opportunities. 

Climate related disclosures

PREPARED WITH 
REFERENCE TO AOTEAROA 
NEW ZEALAND CLIMATE 
STANDARDS (NZ CS)

times each year, and is updated 
on the management and strategic 
risks of climate-related issues on a 
periodic basis during meetings. 

The Board is supported in this 
function by the Audit and Risk 
Committee, which meets five times 
per year, and assists the Board in 
discharging its responsibility for 
strategic risk oversight. KMD Brands 
has a Risk Management Policy 
(available on our investor website at 
kmdbrands.com) which is reviewed 
and updated regularly and a Risk 
Management Framework which 
outlines the assessment process 
for the identification, classification, 
review and control of business risks 
and opportunities. The Audit and 
Risk Committee reviews risk reports 
from management and ensures 
risks are managed in accordance 
with the Risk Management 
policy and Risk Framework.

KMD Brands’ Group Chief Executive 
Officer & Managing Director, Michael 
Daly, has oversight of climate-related 
issues for the Group. The Chief 
Legal & ESG officer, in conjunction 
with the Chief Financial Officer, are 
responsible for overseeing KMD 

Following our initial disclosure 
in our 2022 Annual Integrated 
Report under the Taskforce on 
Climate-related Financial Disclosure 
framework (TCFD), this year we have 
evolved our reporting to refer to 
the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate 
Standards (NZ CS) as we work 
towards  disclosing under the regime 
for FY24. The following disclosures 
summarise our current approach 
to the NZ CS recommendations 
and are structured around four 
areas: Governance, Strategy, Risk 
Management, Metrics and Targets. 
We will continue to expand on 
the depth of our disclosures in 
subsequent reporting periods.

GOVERNANCE 

Objective: To enable primary 
users to understand both the 
role an entity’s governance body 
plays in overseeing climate-
related risks and climate-related 
opportunities, and the role 
management plays in assessing 
and managing those climate-
related risks and opportunities.

The Board of KMD Brands is 
responsible for the overall corporate 
governance and oversight of 
risk for the Group, including the 
company’s response to the risks 
and opportunities presented by 
climate-related issues. The Board 
approves and adopts the appropriate 
policies and procedures to enable 
directors, management and 
employees to fulfil their functions 
effectively and responsibly. The 
Board meets regularly, at least eight 

88

Our Group CEO has ultimate 
oversight over our Group ESG 
Strategy, with regular reporting to 
the Board on strategic performance. 
The Chief Legal & ESG Officer is 
responsible for implementation of 
the strategic plan including climate 
reporting, science-based target 
setting, supply chain engagement, 
and our emissions reduction 
strategy with support from the 
KMD Brands ESG team, including 
our Climate Impact Specialist, 
appointed during FY23. Updates 
are provided at least twice a year to 
the Board on the progress against 
key metrics tied to the Group 
ESG Strategy, including climate-
related risks and opportunities. 

STRATEGY

Objective: To enable primary 
users to understand how climate 
change is currently impacting 
an entity and how it may do so 
in the future. This includes the 
scenario analysis an entity has 
undertaken, the climate-related 
risks and opportunities an entity 
has identified, the anticipated 
impacts and financial impacts 
of these, and how an entity will 
position itself as the global and 
domestic economy transitions 
towards a low-emissions, 
climate-resilient future.

During FY23, we have collaborated 
with other retail industry participants 
to develop relevant sector-level 

climate-related scenarios with 
reference to the requirements of 
the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate 
Standards and other guidance 
that the New Zealand External 
Reporting Board (XRB) has issued. 
Scenarios are not predictions, 
but instead are part of a process 
for systematically exploring the 
effects of a range of plausible and 
challenging future events under 
conditions of uncertainty to build 
a better understanding of the 
potential impacts on our strategy.

As a starting point for our own 
process and to enable us to meet 
the climate-related disclosure 
requirements, the sector group 
chose the following three NGFS 
scenarios as the basis for the 
sector-level scenarios.

Category

Summary

Net Zero 2050 (Orderly 
Category)

Delayed Transition 
(Disorderly Category)

Current Policies (Hot 
House World Category)

An ambitious and 
coordinated transition to 
a low-emissions, climate-
resilient future. Stringent 
climate policies, innovation, 
ambitious investment, 
and medium-to-high 
deployment of carbon 
removal solutions limit 
global warming to 1.6°C in 
2050 and 1.4°C by 2100.

Ambitious action is delayed 
to 2030, followed by 
sudden and uncoordinated 
economic transformation. 
Extensive, stringent 
and punitive but late 
government intervention, 
in combination with  some 
deployment of carbon 
removal solutions limit 
global warming to 1.7°C in 
2050 and 1.6°C by 2100.

Current emissions 
reduction policies are 
implemented. Current 
socio-economic trends 
continue, resulting in 2°C 
global warming by 2050 
and more than 3°C by 2100.

Severity of physical 
impacts

Lowest

Low to moderate

Highest

Severity of transition-
related impacts

Moderate (greatest 
in short term)

Highest (greatest 
in medium term)

Lowest (steadily increasing, 
but also giving businesses 
more time to adapt)

Financial impact of 
supply chain disruptions

Lowest

Low to moderate

Highest

Policy reaction to 
climate change

Immediate and smooth

Delayed

Current policies only

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  We formed a retail sector narrative 
for each scenario identifying the 
critical interactions and key outcomes 
and indicators. We considered 
three different time horizons for 
each scenario: short (2023-2030), 
medium (2031-2040) and long (2041-
2050) and explored the political, 
environmental, societal, technological, 
legal and economic impacts 
across each potential pathway.

During FY24, we will take these 
base assumptions and learnings 
and update them to reflect the 
specifics of the KMD Brands 
business. This will include expanding 
the sector scenarios to cover the 
global footprint of our operations 

with more focus on our specific 
business model (encompassing 
both retail and wholesale channels) 
and by making additional or 
differentiated assumptions where 
needed. These Group-specific 
scenarios will then be used to 
complete our individual scenario 
analysis and model how climate 
change may impact the Group.

We have identified a number 
of climate-related risks and 
opportunities through our existing 
risk management processes, as 
previously reported in our Carbon 
Disclosure Project (CDP) disclosures, 
and our materiality assessment. We 
have assessed these risks to have 

the potential to materially impact 
our business, including on our 
operations, strategy, and financial 
planning if they are not managed 
appropriately. The climate-related 
opportunities, when taken, have the 
potential to improve our financial 
performance, and also reduce our 
impact on the planet. We understand 
there is a lot of uncertainty around 
the timing and severity of these 
risks and opportunities depending 
on how the future unfolds. We will 
leverage the scenario analysis 
work to build a transition plan that 
will support the adaptation of our 
business strategy for the resilient 
business model required as the world 
transitions to a low-carbon future. 

DESCRIPTION 

IMPACT OF RISK/OPPORTUNITY 

POTENTIAL IMPACT 

Transition 

Consumer preference

Investor sentiment

Reduction in sales due to loss 
of customer preference 

Impairment of the carrying value 
of intangible assets (goodwill, 
brand and customer relationships)

Reduction in investor 
confidence and potential 
reduction in share price 

KMD Brands' sustainability values include a 
commitment to minimise our environmental 
footprint. Consumers expect us to address our 
environmental impact, including GHG emissions. 
Failure to uphold this reputation for responsible 
environmental management may damage the 
company’s reputation and lead to a loss of 
consumer confidence. This risk is especially 
relevant to our business given our brands' 
connection to the natural environment as a 
supplier of outdoor apparel and equipment, and 
our customers’ generally high level of awareness 
of environmental sustainability issues.

Our commitment to Lead in ESG is embedded 
in our corporate strategy and is part of what our 
investors expect us to deliver. Many investors 
consider sustainable business processes in 
determining whether to invest in KMD Brands. 
Those investors expect us to address and 
take responsibility for our environmental 
impacts, including GHG emissions. Failure 
to uphold this reputation for responsible 
environmental management may damage our 
reputation with the investor community.

DESCRIPTION 

IMPACT OF RISK/OPPORTUNITY 

POTENTIAL IMPACT 

Transition 

Emerging regulation

Litigation/claims

Carbon pricing 

Access to renewable 
energy

Physical 

Rising temperatures 

To achieve the Paris Agreement, governments will 
need to set more ambitious Nationally Determined 
Contribution targets. This may introduce 
domestic and international policies (e.g. carbon 
taxes, product stewardship legislation) which will 
impact our operations. Regulation for reporting 
and disclosure of climate related impacts also 
brings a compliance cost and risk if we do not 
keep pace with the reporting requirements. 

Government plans to reach net zero emissions 
could also impact our electricity suppliers, and 
the potential for cost-pass through is an area of 
uncertainty which creates risk for our business.

Climate change legislation is increasing globally and 
as a global business we need to keep pace with the 
legislation that we are required to comply with in 
our business operations, or we could be exposed 
to punitive punishments. Public activists have used 
the courts to bring claims against businesses that 
are not taking effective action on climate change.  

The cost to offset carbon emissions is increasing 
with greater demand for carbon credits as 
the number of businesses committing to net 
zero targets grows. While the purchase of 
carbon offsets for our unavoidable emissions 
remains a component of our strategy where 
it makes sense, we are focused on investing 
in reduction policies as the priority. 

Price and availability of renewable energy as a 
commodity, and renewable energy technology 
infrastructure as a capital investment, could 
become a challenge as more businesses 
want to access these energy sources as part 
of commitments to emissions reduction.

Increased indirect (operating) 
costs and impact on margin

Cost of corporate compliance and 
increasing complexity requiring 
allocation of time and resources

Cost of potential fine, 
sanction or claim

Damage to brand reputation

Increase in cost of Directors & 
Officers Liability insurance

Impact on cost to meet or maintain 
carbon reduce certifications 

Higher supply chain costs as 
businesses increase prices to 
reflect a higher carbon price

Increased capital and 
operational expenditure

Increases in heatwaves may lead to increased 
energy consumption through operation of 
air conditioning across our premises during 
peak electricity demand periods. This could 
increase KMD Brands' operational costs and 
emissions. Higher temperatures could reduce 
seasonal need for insulation products. 

Increased capital and 
operational expenditure

Impact on market demand 
for insulation product 

90

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DESCRIPTION 

IMPACT OF RISK/OPPORTUNITY 

POTENTIAL IMPACT 

Physical 

Changing rainfall 
patterns / flooding 

Sea level rise 

Unpredictable and extreme rainfall   

Increases flood risk and severity, risk of 
damage to KMD Brands' owned and operated 
office, store and warehouse network.   

Sea level rise may impact access to shipping 
lines, coastal areas for access for water-based 
recreation activities. This may require KMD 
Brands to reconsider the location of stores 
and whether to execute rights of renewals 
available in our lease agreements.  

Resource scarcity 

Wildfires

Scarcity of resources could lead to declining 
access to raw materials needed to manufacture 
goods at affordable prices as habitat loss 
and soil degradation reduces yield.  

Increase in incidence of uncontrollable wildfires 
raises risk of damage to owned and operated 
office, store and warehouse network. 

Climate-linked 
migration

Migration, either within country, or internationally, 
driven by physical Impacts of climate change, such 
as sea level rise, severe flooding or wildfire, could 
impact employee availability/mobility, population 
growth corridors and ultimately store locations.

Damage to capital assets, 
investment needed in natural 
hazard defences or asset relocation 

Increased cost to obtain 
adequate insurance cover

Impact on supply chains

Increased operational costs

Supply chain disruptions 
resulting in longer lead times, 
increased inventory and potential 
waste for excess inventory 

Impact on market demand 
for water-related products

Increased exposure to impairment 
losses on right of use assets

Higher cost to produce goods 

Disruption to manufacturing 
processes and longer/
uncertain lead times

Impact on capital assets - 
increased investment needed 
in natural hazard defences 
or asset relocation

Loss of jobs for our employees 
and damage to communities 
where we operate

Increased insurance costs 

Loss of sales due to reduced 
workforce availability or sub-
optimal store network locations

Opportunity 

Investor, customer and 
employee attitudes 
and expectations

92

Meeting growing investor and customer 
expectations to demonstrate leadership in 
climate action could drive long term growth for 
KMD Brands and an improve market value.   

Increase share price performance 

Growth in customer base

Attraction and retention 
of key employee talent

Political factors – 
emerging policy

In Australia, Product Stewardship Regulation 
poses a significant opportunity for our 
brands to demonstrate we are taking 
steps to reduce our negative impact and 
embrace more circular business models. 

Increased brand awareness 
and consumer loyalty

DESCRIPTION 

IMPACT OF RISK/OPPORTUNITY 

POTENTIAL IMPACT 

Opportunity 

Financing 

Technology – emerging 
business models 

New product 
development 

Better access to, and more competitive cost 
of debt capital, through financing linked to 
achievement of sustainability goals positions KMD 
Brands to benefit from reduced interest rates.

Lower cost of debt through 
sustainability linked loans

Climate change is a disruptive catalyst driving 
the development of new technologies that 
can enhance the energy efficiency of our 
direct operations, improve the resilience of 
our supply chain and maximise customer 
engagement through responsible sourcing 
of materials, sustainable innovation in our 
product range, and circular business models. 

KMD Brands can develop new products and 
business models in response to changing 
climate conditions, presenting opportunities 
to secure competitive advantage.

Savings in operational costs

Increased brand awareness 
and consumer loyalty

New revenue streams 

Increase in profitability and value 
of the KMD Brands Group

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RISK MANAGEMENT 

Objective: To enable primary 
users to understand how an 
entity’s climate-related risks are 
identified, assessed, and managed 
and how those processes are 
integrated into existing risk 
management processes.

KMD Brands maintains a Group Risk 
register covering all three brands. 
Assigned risk owners are required 
to regularly assess, at least twice 
per year, the potential impact of 
each identified business risk and the 
likelihood of occurrence, in line with 
accepted risk tolerances and the 
organisation risk appetite statements. 
This process involves an assessment 
of the inherent risk, considers the 
controls currently in place, the 
residual risk after application of 
those controls, and establishes 
targets to reduce the severity of 
risks further to a lower level. Risks 
are classified by strategic themes to 
assign responsibility for key actions 
to specific functional managers 
of the business. Risk reporting is 
prepared for the Board six-monthly 
detailing any risks which are outside 
the acceptable tolerance levels, or 
where treatment options require 
Executive and/or Board approval and 
the details of any escalating risks, 
and emerging risk issues considered 
during the reporting period. 

Risk management encompasses all 
areas of the company's activities. 
Once a business risk is identified, 
the risk management processes 
and systems implemented by the 
company are aimed at providing 
the necessary framework to enable 
the business risk to be managed. 
In the application of the controls 

94

processes, opportunities for the 
business are often also identified 
through pro-active risk management. 

Climate change affects various 
aspects of our business and as such 
identification of climate change- 
related risks and opportunities is 
fully integrated into our Group risk 
management approach. Kathmandu, 
Rip Curl and Oboz maintain several 
risk themes within the Group risk 
register relating to product safety, 
service quality, supply chain and 
technology that directly influence 
our approach to supply chain 
operation, retail store management 
and product development, all of 
which impact the climate change- 
related impacts to our businesses. 
The physical and transitional risks 
of climate change, as well as the 
identification of opportunities, are 
assessed at an asset level including 
our physical resources and products, 
which informs not only our asset 
management strategy, but also 
our broader business strategy. 

METRICS AND TARGETS

Objective: To enable primary 
users to understand how an 
entity measures and manages 
its climate-related risks and 
opportunities. Metrics and targets 
also provide a basis upon which 
primary users can compare 
entities within a sector or industry.

As we carry out climate scenario 
analysis we will gain a deeper 
understanding of the risks and 
opportunities for our business. This 
understanding will drive further 
consideration of the metrics we will 
use to both measure and monitor 
climate-related risks across our 
businesses. We have recently 

received validation of our carbon 
reduction targets from Science 
Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Our 
climate emissions targets are:

Reduced absolute Scope 
1 and 2 emissions by a 
minimum of 47% by 
2030, from a FY19 base 
year (4.2% per annum 
emissions reduction) 

Reduced absolute Scope 
3 emissions by a 
minimum of 28% by 2030 
from a FY19 base year 
(2.5% reduction per 
annum)*

*Our Scope 3 target includes the following 
GHG Protocol categories: purchased goods 
and services, fuel and energy related 
activities, upstream transportation and 
distribution, waste generated in operations, 
use of sold products, end of life treatment 
of sold products, and investments.

Our progress on these targets will be 
closely monitored and we will report 
on our successes and challenges 
along our carbon reduction journey. 
Our FY23 gross direct Scope 1 
and 2, and gross indirect Scope 3 
emissions are reported on page 85.

This year, for the first time, we are 
reporting all relevant sources of 
carbon emissions across the Group. 
This expanded reporting boundary 
includes all relevant emissions 
sources categorised by the GHG 
Protocol Corporate Standards and 
supports tracking progress against 
our science-based target. We use an 
operational consolidation approach, 

OUR JOURNEY TO 2030

2017  
Started measuring 
our impact

2022 
B CDP Score

-29% 
scope 1 and 2 
reduction to date 
since 20191

2030 
Achieve reduction 
target

2019 
baseline

1.  Based off location-based method reporting.

and our Group emissions inventory is 
audited annually by Toitū Envirocare 
and is aligned with the Greenhouse 
Gas Protocol’s standards for 
Corporate and Corporate Value Chain 
(Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting.

The large increase in Scope 1 
emissions this year is due to a return 
to normal trading conditions off the 
back of unsustainable reductions 
from COVID-19 related store closures. 

2023  
Approved  
science-based 
Target 

2023-2030 
Reduce emissions 
to limit warming to 
well below 2°C

We have also improved our processes 
for capturing and reporting on our 
emissions data across all Scopes, 
contributing to an overall increase in 
reported emissions. These increases 
were moderated by continued 
LED lighting upgrades across our 
store network group as well as the 
activation of the solar array at our 
wetsuit factory, Onsmooth Thailand, 
contributing to an overall reduction 
in Scope 2 location-based emissions.

Our Scope 3 emissions have 
reduced overall since setting our 
2019 baseline, however, our most 
significant source of Scope 3, our 
Purchased Goods & Services, has 
increased 13%. Until we can uncouple 
the growth of our business and 
emissions, a challenge faced by many 
companies and economies globally, 
we can expect these emissions to 
continue to increase overall in the 
short term. This won’t deter us; we 
have seen reductions since FY19 
in our freight emissions due to 
packing efficiencies and preferencing 
sea-freight over air-freight. To 
continue to drive reductions we 
have identified hotspots and areas 
for focus within Scope 3 and set 
short-term reduction goals:

Category 3: Transmission 
and distribution losses

Category 4: Upstream freight

Category 5: Waste 
generated in operations. 

Equally, we have identified focus 
areas to improve our access 
to Scope 3 data for significant 
emissions sources, such as our 
Category 1: Purchased Goods & 
Services. We’re collecting data from 
factories via the Higg Index Facility 
Environmental Module, but until we 
can integrate this data there are 
likely emissions reduction activities, 
such as our work on responsible 
materials, that are not yet reflected 
in our emissions reporting.

As we collect more representative 
and primary data for our Scope 3 
emissions, we will update calculation 
methodologies, reporting boundaries 
and baselines as required. Where 
we do update our methods, 
we will update our baseline to 
ensure accurate comparison and 
tracking of progress over time. 

GRI 2-5, 305

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CIRCULAR 
BUSINESS 
MODELS 
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

RIP CURL RECYCLE YOUR WETSUIT

24,436 

Kilograms diverted from landfill 
since program launch

Locations involved 
in program  

75  

stores across 5 countries

96

* based off average 1.2kgs per wetsuit.

FY23 REPAIR STATS

10,314 

Rip Curl global wetsuit repairs

30,096 

Rip Curl global watch repairs

1,627 

Kathmandu Australia customer repairs 

546 

Kathmandu NZ customer repairs

GOALS

Commercialised brand-led circular 
business models for product take 
back, renewal, repair, re-commerce 
or recycling. 

20,363 

Number of wetsuits 
recycled to date*

6,507 

Australia

5,544 

USA

8,857 

France, Spain and Portugal

* based off average 1.2 kilograms per wetsuit

KATHMAN-REDU STATS

5 

Months in market for FY23  (March-July 2023)

2 

Stores selling Kathman-REDU

2,931

Units renewed to date

47 

Units deemed as unrepairable

91 hours

Number of quality control hours

1,480 

Units sold

NZD $113k

Sales

Engagement:  

320 

customers donated their old gear and received an 
AUD$10 REDU voucher

GRI 301

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MATERIAL ISS UES: CLIMATE CHANGE  •  BRAND POWER  •  BIODIVERSITY IMPACT

OUR OBSERVATIONS

Global growth of sales in clothing 
and textiles has been driven by 
factors such as fast fashion, the 
introduction of online shopping, 
changing consumer preferences 
and, often, lower prices. But at 
the same time as this growth has 
occurred, there has been a steady 
decline in clothing utilisation. This 
means we aren’t holding on to and 
using our clothes for as long as 
we once did.  While our brands are 
not fast fashion – we build durable, 
technical products over longer lead 
times – we are part of an industry 
that is structured around driving 
consumer appetite to purchase 
goods. The overconsumption and 
rapid turnover of clothing increases 
waste, depletes resources that 
ultimately end up in landfill, and 
generates carbon emissions. This 
linear take-make-waste approach is 
detrimental to the environment and 
contributes to the fashion industry's 
negative ecological footprint. 

As awareness of the apparel and 
footwear industry's environmental 
impact grows, consumers are 
becoming more mindful of their 
purchasing choices. Many individuals 
are now considering factors like 
sustainability, ethical production 
and durability when buying clothing 
and prioritising quality over 
quantity. This shift in consumer 
behaviour is driving demand 
for more responsibly produced 
and longer-lasting garments.

Our responsibility lies not only 
in minimising our waste as a 
business, but by creating new 
ways of moving toward circularity 

98

in how we operate our business 
and, ultimately, the products we 
make and sell – from clothing and 
footwear design right through the 
chain to end-of-life solutions for our 
products. Circularity is about keeping 
resources in use for as long as 
possible and this starts with making 
quality, durable and innovative 
products that last. Circularity 
requires collaboration among 
various stakeholders, including 
designers, manufacturers, wholesale 
customers, retailers, industry, 
regulators and our consumers.

We are focused on embedding 
circular thinking across our 
businesses and we are committed 
to fostering and investing in 
innovation for circular business 
systems throughout our value chain. 
We actively seek opportunities 
wherever possible to eliminate the 
linear take-make-waste approach to 
business and extend the lifespan of 
resources for as long as possible.

Our goal is to increase our 
commercialised brand-led circular 
business model offering to our 
customers. This means we are 
actively pursuing innovation and 
exploring opportunities within 
circularity. Kathmandu and Rip 
Curl have offered repair services 
for more than two decades, with 
textile and wetsuit take-back 
recycling programs launched more 
recently. Testing, exploration and 
commercialisation of programs will 
remain part of our ongoing strategy 
as emerging technology advances 
and as consumer appetites increase. 
We will continue to review our 
circular business models and feed 
our learnings into a continual loop. 

OUR ACTIONS

During FY23, we have invested 
significant time into establishing 
circular models within our business. 
We have expanded our Australian 
wetsuit recycling program in 
partnership with TerraCycle to 
include the United States, France, 
Spain and Portugal. The program 
allows anyone to go into a Rip 
Curl store and hand in a wetsuit 
of any brand to be recycled. The 
uptake of this program – more 
than 20,000 wetsuits have been 
handed in for recycling since it 
began – demonstrates to us that 
customers buying our wetsuits want 
to make a responsible choice when 
a wetsuit reaches its end of life. 

However, we acknowledge that 
recycling is the last step in a circular 
model and in FY23 we continued 
to invest in repair services for our 
customers. Rip Curl has offered 
repairs for wetsuits and watches 
for more than 35 years. Customers 
can go into any brand-owned store 
around the world and have their 
wetsuit or watch repaired. We also 
have a Rip Curl owned and operated 
wetsuit and watch service centres 
in Torquay, California, Hossegor 
and Bali. This year, we repaired 
30,096 watches and prolonged 
the use of 10,314 of our customers’ 
favourite wetsuits. Kathmandu ANZ 
also offers repairs via an external 
partner and this year repaired 1,627 
items in Australia and another 546 
in New Zealand. Over the years our 
repair services have challenged us 
commercially, however we know it is 
the right thing to do to support the 
expected lifespan of our products. 

Beyond these programs, FY23 
saw our brands begin looking at 
opportunities – beyond our existing 
repair services – for refurbishment 
and resale that would keep our 
products in use for longer. 

A significant project that 
demonstrated this commitment in 
FY23 was the launch of Kathman-
REDU, an apparel refurbishment and 
repair program in Victoria, Australia. 
This experimental initiative, which 
was backed by an innovation grant 
from Sustainability Victoria, arose 
from a circular mapping project which 
analysed our current systems to 
identify our textile waste streams and 
potential solutions. This pilot program 
has allowed us to test our customers’ 
appetite for purchasing renewed 
products and will further help us grow 
our repair capabilities and systems.

In June 2023, Rip Curl became a 
founding member of ‘Seamless’ 
alongside David Jones, Lorna Jane, 
R.M. Williams, BIG W and THE 
ICONIC. Seamless is the National 
Clothing Product Stewardship 
Scheme, led by the Australian 
Fashion Council, with funding from 
the Australian Government. The 
scheme aims to make Australian 
fashion and clothing truly circular, 
and to drive the industry towards 
a common solution. Each founding 
member committed AUD$100,000 
to fund a 12-month transition 
phase to establish the scheme. By 
becoming a founding member, Rip 

Curl aims to set a benchmark that 
other like-minded brands can follow.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

As we embed circular thinking 
across our businesses and invest 
in innovation for circular business 
systems throughout our value chain, 
we find significant opportunities to 
demonstrate leadership within our 
industry and beyond. Through our 
investment in resources – both time 
and financial – we’ve shown that 
we are committed to these goals.

As we move into FY24, we will 
commence a circularity model 
discovery project for Oboz, to 
consider what a circular business 
model could look like in footwear. 
Through this project we will 
explore priorities and purpose of 
the model, as well as expectations 
for its performance. We will also 
look to expand repair capabilities 
for Oboz customers in FY24.

In the medium term, there are 
opportunities for us to look at ways to 
expand our care and repair programs, 
broadening the services we currently 
offer, and looking for other innovative 
ways we can help customers to keep 
their products in use for as long as 
possible. Another area of potential 
opportunity in the longer term, 
depending on customer demand and 
scalability, is expanding our rental 
models for key product categories.

Establishing circular business models 
that deliver a commercial return is 
a significant challenge. The cost to 
run repair and recycling programs at 
scale alongside other cost pressures 
is even more challenging, as is a lack 
of infrastructure in Australia and New 
Zealand where a substantial part 
of our operations are located. Our 
focus is to commercialise our current 
initiatives as revenue drivers rather 
than cost centres for our business.

If we do not adopt circular practices 
within our business models, the 
negative impacts on resources, 
the environment and people could 
become a significant risk to the future 
profitability of our industry and our 
business. We also need to keep pace 
with the offerings of our competitors, 
or we risk being left behind.

Implementing circular practices 
on a large scale requires changes 
across our entire value chain. 
We must consider design and 
material selection for efficient use 
of resources and ease of repair, 
production processes to fully utilise 
resources, infrastructure and systems 
to support the modes of sale, 
consumer appetite and education, 
and more. This is a multi-faceted 
challenge and one that needs to 
be addressed at an industry-wide 
level with a collaborative approach 
to achieve meaningful change.

GRI 301

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CIRCULARITY � CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS

Closing loops by thinking in circles

CASE  
STUDY

A new lease on life

CASE  
STUDY

Kathmandu’s garments are 
built for a lifetime of adventure, 
and we know a bit of wear and 
tear shouldn’t mean the end 
of a perfectly good product. 
But even the smallest issue 
with a garment – a broken zip, 
missing button or tiny hole – 
can mean it ends up in landfill. 

We are building a circular business, 
which means keeping clothing in 
circulation for as long as possible. To 
do this, we create quality products 
that are made to last. We repurpose 
excess stock through clearance, 
charity donations and staff sales. But 
we are always looking for new ways 
to give our garments a second life.

In March 2023 we launched a new 
circularity pilot program called 

Kathman-REDU. Backed by a grant 
from Sustainability Victoria, and with 
the help of circularity specialists 
Aleasha McCallion and Kirri-Mae 
Sampson, we are tackling a global 
challenge one stitch at a time.

Used and unwanted garments are 
collected and sent to the skilful 
artisans at the Remote Repairs 
workshop. Meticulously cleaned, 
repaired, restored and relabelled 
Kathman-REDU, garments are 
then ready for a new lease of life.

After launching the pilot at our 
Richmond store in Melbourne, 
Victoria, we expanded to our 
Melbourne Galleria store in 
the city and started a social 
media and public relations 
campaign to spread the word.

In tandem, we established a 
partnership with Upparel at 24 
Kathmandu stores in Victoria, 
Australia, and 11 in New Zealand. 
Customers can drop their used, 
unwanted or faulty Kathmandu 
gear in designated Upparel 
bins to be reused, recycled or 
repurposed. Some of these items 
are donated to Upparel’s community 
and charity partners, some are 
recycled, and others returned to 
retail as a part of Kathman-REDU. 
A massive two tonnes of textiles 
have been diverted from landfill 
since the program’s launch.

What’s next? Our analysis of the 
pilot project's outcomes will guide 
future planning to ensure the lasting 
success of Kathman-REDU.

Thinking in circles – rather 
than in linear take-make-waste 
models – often starts small. And 
that’s what we’ve done with our 
approach to wetsuit recycling. 
We launched an innovative 
wetsuit recycling scheme in 
2018 in Torquay, Victoria, then 
expanded across Australia in 
2021 through a partnership with 
TerraCycle. In FY23 we expanded 
our efforts internationally 
across five countries. 

Most wetsuits are made from 
neoprene – a strong and stretchy 
material that is resistant to 
abrasion and wear. But neoprene’s 
superpower in the water can 
be a challenge on dry land. 

Rip Curl’s wetsuits are made to last. 
But when their best surfing days are 

behind them, most wetsuits find their 
way to thrift stores and opportunity 
shops, are piled up in cupboards 
or shoved in the back of sheds. 
Eventually they are tossed in the 
general waste bin and sent to landfill.

Rip Curl’s repair centre is keeping 
as many wetsuits in circulation 
for as long as possible.

And our world-first wetsuit take-
back program has found a second 
useful life for wetsuits – with more 
than 20,000 transformed into soft fall 
matting at children’s playgrounds.

After launching ‘Recycle Your Wetsuit’ 
with US-based TerraCycle in 2021, Rip 
Curl expanded the program in FY23. 
We now have 75 stores involved in 
five countries – Australia, the United 
States, France, Spain and Portugal – 
and accept every brand of wetsuit. 

Customers can drop off their dry 
wetsuits to a Rip Curl store or mail 
them back to us. TerraCycle then 
removes the zips, elastic and metal 
tags before the neoprene is sent 
to a processor for crumbling and 
repurposing into soft-fall matting.

The 20,363 wetsuits we’ve recycled 
so far including 6,507 in Australia, 
5,544 in the US, and 8,857 in France, 
Spain and Portugal. Taken together, 
we’ve diverted more than 24,436 
kilograms of neoprene from landfill 
since the program launched. By 
repurposing wetsuits, we’re moving 
closer to a circular economy and 
creating playgrounds of possibility.

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Cotton

Polyester

Polyamide

(Companies that are 
pioneering industry 
transformation)

MCI tracks the industry’s progress 
towards better materials sourcing 
and alignment with global efforts 
like the United Nations’ Sustainable 
Development Goals and the 
transition to a circular economy. 

Manmade cellulosics

Wool

Down

GOAL

Dedicated to our own brand products 
being responsibly sourced.

100% 

Sustainable Cotton

WATER RESTORATION  

We source a mix of organic and cotton 
sourced through the Better Cotton programme 
to make up our sustainable cotton mix

RESPONSIBLE 
MATERIALS 
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

100% 

Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

1.4m litres 

FY23 PolyPro process water saving

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) aims 
to ensure that down and feathers come from 
animals that have not been subjected to any 
unnecessary harm

Water saving from solution dyed fabrics used in our 
KMDcore Polypro Thermal range  

SUSTAINABLE WOOL  

ALL POLYESTER RECYCLED

PRIORITISE BIOCHEMISTRY

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) ensures that 
wool comes from farms that have a progressive 
approach to managing their land, practice holistic 
respect for animal welfare of the sheep, and respect 
the Five Freedoms of animal welfare

GOAL

100% 

Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) by 2025

We continue to work with our suppliers to trace the 
origin of wool sources that go into our products as 
we progress towards our goal of 100% RWS 
certified product.

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GOAL

All polyester recycled or recyclable by 2030  

FY23 PERFORMANCE

58%

% of overall kgs of polyester used in our 
apparel fabrics, fills and yarns

GOAL

Prioritise biochemistry over petrochemistry in 
innovation and performance development  

FY23 PERFORMANCE
Unlike conventional odour control treatments 
that use heavy metals and synthetic chemicals, 
we have used natural peppermint oil to control 
odour-causing bacteria in our SS23 new SUN-
Scout and WELL-DER-NESS collections

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GOAL

100% 

responsibly sourced cotton by 2026

We source a mix of organic, regenerated and cotton 
sourced through the Better Cotton programme to 
make up our responsibly sourced cotton mix

FY23 PERFORMANCE

58% 

18% increase this year 
FY22: 40%

WETSUITS

GOAL

75% 

of our wetsuit range using 
responsibly sourced 
materials by 2030  

FY23 PERFORMANCE

16%

of our produced quantities 
are using responsibly 
sourced materials

PREFERRED FIBRE MATERIALS IN APPAREL 
AND ACCESSORIES 

WATER RESTORATION  

GOAL

100% 

apparel and accessories in preferred fibre materials 
by 2030

Our priority is to use materials including: 
Recycled Synthetic: Top Green®, Econyl®, Repreve®
Sustainable cotton: Organic, Better Cotton™, 
Regenerated
Sustainable man-made fibres: Lenzing™, EcoVero®

58,102,099   

litres of water cleaned and restored to the 
environment through Bloom™ material partnership 
for footwear and accessories products

25,800 

kilograms of Bloom materials were purchased 
in FY23. Rip Curl is now Bloom’s second largest 
partner globally  

FY23 PERFORMANCE

54%

of our produced quantities are using preferred 
fibre materials

24% increase this year 
FY22: 30%

841% 

increase this year

6,170,532 

Litres in FY22

We are also using carbon 
black, which is made from 
100% tyre waste. While 
this doesn't contribute 
to our 'responsibility 
sourced percentage', we 
are always looking for 
new ways to innovate.

100% of cord lock trims are 
made from recycled materials 
and we are transitioning to 
100% recycled thread.

All yardages are digitally 
printed and 100% of 
our black wetsuits are 
dope dyed resulting 
in less water used in 
the dyeing process.

Our commitment is 
to transition to more 
responsibly sourced 
bio-based neoprene 
alternatives

To date we have prioritised 
water-based lamination 
techniques and jerseys made 
with recycled nylon  
and polyester.

104

105

PFAS/PFC-FREE

GOAL

100% 

PFAS/PFC-free non-wicking treatments and 
waterproof membranes by 2025

PFAS/PFC are man-made chemicals that are harmful 
to human health and the environment, known as 
forever chemicals, that never breakdown

FY23 PERFORMANCE

100%   

We have achieved this goal through a new 
PFAS-free waterproof membrane system 
that is now used across all styles

ACHIEVED TWO YEARS 
AHEAD OF TARGET

GOAL

Minimum 

20% 

Environmentally Preferred Materials by weight 
as certified by global responsible sourcing 
organizations and certifications by 2030

Continual focus on product design, innovation and 
production methods to support this goal to have a 
lesser or reduced effect on human health and the 
environment when compared with other materials 
that serve the same purpose

FY23 PERFORMANCE

WHAKATA COLLECTION

• 20-40% bio-based EVA midsoles/upper
• 25% recycled rubber outsole

BOZEMAN LIFESTYLE COLLECTION

• 20% bio-based Bloom foam insole 
• 50-100% recycled content in lining materials 
•  100% rPET insulated membrane

LEATHER WORKING GROUP

Leather Working Group (LWG) is a global multi-
stakeholder community committed to building a 
sustainable future with responsible leather. LWG is a 
not-for-profit that drives best practices and positive 
social and environmental change for responsible 
leather production

GOAL

100% 

Leather Working Group gold-rated certified 
leather uppers by 2023

FY23 PERFORMANCE

100%  ACHIEVED

Finished leathers in all our footwear sourced from 
gold-rated Leather Working Group certified tanneries

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MATERIAL ISSUES: CLIMATE CHANGE  •  BRAND POWER  •  BIODIVERSITY IMPACT 

OUR OBSERVATIONS

A love of the natural world is intrinsic 
to our brands, and a key competitive 
strength is our commitment to 
reduce the negative impact of our 
operations, including the footprint of 
our products, on the environment. 
This commitment helps us to meet 
the expectations of our customers 
and challenges our team to 
innovate to reduce our impacts.

The apparel and footwear industries 
are resource-intensive, using vast 
amounts of water, energy and raw 
materials like cotton, polyester and 
leather. Water is especially critical, 
as cotton cultivation requires 
substantial irrigation, and water 
pollution can be generated from 
dyeing and finishing processes, 
contributing to water scarcity. 

Each of our brands has set 
challenging goals to increase the 
responsibly sourced content in 
our products. To us, ‘responsibly 
sourced’ means that our products 
are made, to a significant degree, 
with environmentally preferred, 
low climate impact materials. Our 
goal is to source materials that are 
regenerative, recycled or recyclable, 
bio-based, biodegradable, responsibly 
farmed or grown. This goal will be 
progressed at a different pace, and in 
different ways, for each of our brands, 
but collectively we are focused 
on responsibly sourced materials 
for all our own-brand products. 

OUR ACTIONS

During FY23, each of our brands 
has made good progress on 
our ambitious goals to increase 

responsibly sourced content in our 
own-brand products. Each step 
forward requires testing a range of 
potential materials, many of which 
don’t make it into production. This 
is because performance is our first 
priority, particularly for products 
that must stand up to the elements, 
and any new material must meet 
our requirements for durability and 
longevity. This is the first crucial step 
in circular design. We maintain a laser 
focus on new and innovative material 
options, testing and refining our 
ideas to find the next opportunity to 
increase responsibly sourced content.  

Oboz and Rip Curl have joined 
Kathmandu as Textile Exchange 
members during the reporting 
period. The Textile Exchange is a 
global non-profit helping to align 

108

the fashion and textile industry’s 
approach to responsibly sourced 
materials through education and 
standards. This membership confirms 
our commitment to collaborative 
leadership and provides our team 
with access to leading industry 
knowledge libraries and data on 
preferred fibres and materials.  

Regenerated cotton from recycled 
factory floor waste is starting to 
enter Rip Curl’s product range and 
represents 2% of Rip Curl’s 58% 
responsibly sourced cotton. We 
have plans to increase this further. 
Opportunities for responsibly sourced 
content does not stop at apparel, 
with the launch of Rip Curl’s Eco-
Wax – a non-toxic, biodegradable 
surf wax that is made with natural 
ingredients – earlier this year in 
partnership with Surf Organic. All Surf 
Organic surf wax profits are being 
donated to the Surf Rider Foundation 
in Australia, Europe and the USA, 
demonstrating our commitment 
to community partnerships in the 
regions in which we operate.  

Oboz has met its goal of 100% PFAS/
PFC-free non-wicking treatments in 
waterproof membranes two years 
earlier than planned. We are now 
looking to develop products that 
conform to the wider Zero Discharge 
of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) 
Manufacturing Restricted Substance 
list which restricts chemical usage 
at the manufacturing stage. Our 
approach to ‘designing out toxicity’ 
shows true leadership and supports 
Oboz’ goal to increase responsibly 
sourced content in the challenging 
category of footwear manufacturing.  

Kathmandu has evolved its iconic 
Heli down jacket to lessen its impact 
on the environment. The new ‘Heli 

R’ is made from 100% recycled 
polyester in the shell and lining and 
100% RDS certified down. We are 
also exploring the next generation of 
potential recycled materials, looking 
beyond recycled plastic bottles.

Across all of our brands, we are 
working with our suppliers to 
support use of the Higg Index 
Facility Environmental Module (FEM), 
which assesses the environmental 
impact of product manufacturing at 
facilities. The Higg Index assesses 
everything from water intensity 
and use to waste management, 
and from chemical use to energy 
and emissions. By encouraging our 
suppliers to use FEM and to share 
the results with us, we are gaining 
greater visibility of the environmental 
impacts from the manufacture of our 
products. We intend to evolve and 
expand our strategy in future years 
to incorporate specific biodiversity 
goals as we build the systems to 
reliably track data in these areas.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Our focus on responsibly sourced 
materials, underpinned by our 

commitment to design products for 
purpose and driven by innovation, 
is a key competitive differentiator. 
We are proud of our brands’ 
market leading innovations and 
we are committed to the continual 
search for new ways to achieve a 
positive impact on the planet.  

Long term, we are looking into 
advanced recycling technologies 
that will get us closer to a circular 
manufacturing process. We are 
also exploring several different 
bio-based and next-generation 
material solutions that will help 
us decouple our synthetic 
materials from petrochemicals.

In FY24, all our brands will report 
through the Textile Exchange’s 
Material Change Index (MCI), 
the world’s largest peer-to-peer 
comparison initiative in the textile 
industry. This platform allows us to 
track our progress towards more 
sustainable material sourcing using 
the same standardised approach.

GRI 301

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  CIRCULARITY � RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS 

One goal, one standard

CASE  
STUDY

CASE  
STUDY

Advancing action on 
responsible materials

In 2021, Oboz set a series of 
responsible material goals. We’re 
proud to say that not only are 
we tracking well overall, but we 
also hit one of these targets 
two years ahead of schedule.

Our most challenging goal was to 
eliminate PFAs from our products. 
PFAs, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances, are a group of human-
made chemicals that repel oil, 
water and stains. PFAs are often 
applied in durable water repellent 
(DWR) coatings and used on 
outdoor clothing and footwear 
to make them water-resistant.

PFAs provide long-lasting water 
repellency that can be a lifesaver 

in the elements. However, PFAs 
have been labelled “forever 
chemicals” because they don’t 
break down easily, raising concerns 
about environmental impacts.

On 1 August 2022, Oboz introduced 
a new chemical policy to our Tier 1 
and Tier 2 suppliers. A cornerstone 
of this policy is the elimination 
of PFAs from all DWR finishes. 

For instance, we’ve switched 
to a new PFAs-free waterproof 
membrane system across all styles. 
This is a cost-effective solution 
that is better for the environment.

We are proud that our suppliers have 
stepped up. In FY23, we undertook 
third party whole shoe lab tests with 

Intertek, an independent third-party 
lab, which confirmed our products 
are compliant with Oboz’ PFAs-
free policy. We randomly tested 
four shoe styles in FY23 and no 
traces of PFAs were detected; our 
plan is to commit more resources 
to spot checking in FY24.

We’ve also achieved other goals, 
like the commitment to 100% 
Leather Working Group Gold-
certified leather uppers by 2023, 
ahead of schedule. With Oboz’ first 
responsible material goals met, we 
are now looking to eliminate other 
classes of chemicals by 2025.

Kathmandu is working with global 
non-profit Textile Exchange to 
revolutionise the international 
standard system that certifies 
the sustainability of raw materials 
used in our products. In FY23, 
Rip Curl and Oboz also become 
members of Textile Exchange. 

Textile Exchange believes in materials 
sourcing that respects our planet, its 
ecosystems and its communities. And 
so do we, which is why Kathmandu 
is proud of our acknowledgement 
from Textile Exchange as a 
Level 4 ‘leading’ company that is 
pioneering industry transformation. 

In recognition of this pioneering 
approach, Textile Exchange 
selected Kathmandu alongside 
just five of our peers to participate 
in an International Working Group 
that is informing the development 
of a unified global standard for 
preferred fibres and raw materials. 

With the International Working 
Group’s input, Textile Exchange is 
bringing together eight standards 
covering recycled and organic 
content, responsible sourcing of 
wool, mohair, down and more. With a 
unified standard, the textile industry 
will more efficiently track its progress 
and reduce its climate impact. 

“Harmonising all of Textile 
Exchange’s standards under one 
system and embedding key climate 
impact outcomes into it will be a 
transformational change for the 
textile industry,” says Manu Rastogi, 
Kathmandu’s Head of Product 
Innovation & Product Sustainability. 
“Being able to participate and 
influence this change for the 
industry is a proud moment for us.”

Textile Exchange’s ultimate goal 
– one Kathmandu supports – is 
to reduce the emissions that 
come from fibre and raw material 
production by 45% by 2030.

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  FY23 PERFORMANCE 

OPERATIONAL WASTE GENERATED FOR FY23*

100% 

of footwear boxes are made from responsibly 
sourced wood paper 

100% 

swing tags and footwear boxes are recyclable

GOALS

Reduced operational and packaging waste 
including:

•  Diversion of 90% of waste to landfill from our 

direct operations by 2030.

•  All primary and secondary packaging and 
promotional material is recyclable or made 
using recycled materials. 

100% 

of swing tags are made from materials that 
can be recycled 

92% 

of swing tags are made from responsibly 
sourced wood paper

Australian Packaging Forum Annual 
Performance Rating for Rip Curl & Ozmosis: 
ADVANCED

Soft plastic recycled

21 

metric tonnes

Mixed plastic recycled

66 

metric tonnes

Paper & cardboard recycled

175 

metric tonnes

Glass & aluminium recycled

3metric tonnes

Neoprene offcuts recycled

154metric tonnes

TOTAL OPERATIONAL WASTE DIVERTED FY23

419metric tonnes

Stores/Warehouses/Offices/Factory 
Waste to Landfill

1035

metric tonnes

29% 

total operational waste diverted from 
landfill during FY23 including paper and 
cardboard, mixed recycling, soft plastics, 
neoprene offcuts and composting

2022: 36%  

POST CUSTOMER WASTE 
RECOVERY FOR FY23

Recycle my rubber program  

21.7 

metric tonnes

Recycled textile through Upparel program 

0.3 

metric tonnes

TOTAL OPERATIONAL WASTE GENERATED FY23

TOTAL TEXTILE WASTE RECOVERY

1454 

metric tonnes

* FY23 figures are audited, pre-verified numbers 

based on available data and estimates.

22 

metric tonnes

GRI 301, 306

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WASTE
GOALS AND  PERFORMANCE 

FY23 PERFORMANCE 

78% 

of swing tags are made from recycled materials  

100% 

of swing tags are made from responsibly 
sourced wood paper

Australian Packaging Forum Annual 
Performance Rating: LEADING

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* based off average 1.2kgs per wetsuit.

CIRCULARITY � WASTE

MATERIAL ISSUES: CLIMATE CHANGE  •  BIODIVERSITY IMPACT

and spare parts, others reimagined 
as plant stakes for gardening. Our 
approach prevented significant 
product from ending up in landfill. 

We also diverted a large number 
of old coat hangers from landfill 
by donating them to Thread 
Together, an organisation that 
collects and distributes unsold 
clothing to people in need. Thread 
Together is now using the coat 
hangers in charity pop-up stores.

During FY23, Oboz redesigned 
its consumer footwear box 
packaging to reduce packaging 
waste and allow for easier reuse 
and recycling. We introduced best 
practice HowToRecycle consumer 
information to engage and inform 
customers. All shoe boxes are 
made with FSC certified paper.

Following several years of success 
working in partnership with the 
Packaging Forum to recycle soft 

plastics in our Kathmandu stores in 
New Zealand, we conducted a soft 
plastic recycling trial with MG Waste 
Management across 10 Victorian 
Rip Curl, Ozmosis and Kathmandu 
stores. A total of 238 kilograms 
of soft plastic was collected and 
recycled during the four-week period. 
We will take the learnings from this 
trial to drive scale during FY24. 

The choices we make as a team 
influence how much of our 
waste ends up in landfill. We 
have worked hard to change 
established behaviours and habits 
of our team members through 
education and awareness, and 
offer incentives by tying KPIs to 
our “7 Rs”: rethink, refuse, reduce, 
reuse, repair, regift or recycle.

To track and report on our waste 
data, we collect a combination of 
monthly and annual reports from 
our waste service providers. These 

OUR OBSERVATIONS

Waste is generated across our 
business, both upstream and 
downstream in our value chain 
from material production and 
manufacturing through to packaging, 
transportation and warehousing, 
and from operation of our store 
network to our head office support 
functions. Waste contributes to our 
carbon footprint and is an inefficient 
use of natural resources. It also 
has a financial impact through 
collection and disposal costs.

We are committed to reducing 
our waste footprint. In the short 
term, we have focused our goals 
on the waste generated from our 
direct operations – our head office 
locations, retail store network, 
occupied and controlled distribution 
centres, and our Onsmooth 
Thai manufacturing facility.

Looking longer term, we are 
rethinking product design and 
production processes, harnessing 
new materials and technology to 
eliminate waste from the outset, and 
then repurposing and recycling to 
keep resources in a closed loop.

OUR ACTIONS

In the last year, we have looked for 
innovative ways to reduce our waste 
to landfill. One investigation identified 
pallets of tent poles, flies and tent 
bags in our New Zealand distribution 
centre that were all in good condition 
but no longer needed and taking up 
valuable storage space. We contacted 
local community organisations and 
scouting groups, and repurposed 10 
pallets of unwanted products. Some 
of these were used as replacement 

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include a breakdown of waste 
types and quantities collected. 
These figures are included in our 
climate reporting. Where third party 
providers manage waste services 
on our behalf, they operate under 
the legislation of the respective 
countries where the services are 
provided and, in line with our service 
contract, must meet those standards. 

compatibility with our automated 
sortation systems. We still have 
further work to do, but plan to phase 
out Kathmandu’s use of pure LDPE 
polybags and move to 100% recycled 
LDPE polybags. Rip Curl does not use 
automated sorting at our distribution 
centres, enabling a move from a 
30% recycled content polybag to 
100% recycled content in FY23.  

data from our Kathmandu and Rip 
Curl store waste providers. Our store 
operations teams are consolidating 
waste collection providers to give us 
better access to data and reporting 
on waste collection and recycling. 
By performing waste audits across 
our store network, we will gain a 
clearer understanding of how much 
waste we are diverting from landfill.

We are exploring ways to reduce 
the use of low-density polyethylene 
(LDPE) bags, or polybags, in our 
supply chain. These clear plastic 
bags protect garments during 
transit from manufacturing sites to 
distribution centres and onwards to 
retail stores and consumers’ homes. 
Polybags play an important role in 
preventing damage and wastage 
during product transportation, so 
we are looking for alternatives. 
During FY23, Kathmandu trialled a 
new type of recyclable polybag for 

We have policies and process for 
the disposal of hazardous waste 
substances through specialist 
waste contractors to minimise 
negative environmental impact. 
We are not currently tracking 
this and are therefore not able to 
report on hazardous waste data.

CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Measurement is the first step to 
better waste management, and one of 
our key challenges is gaining primary 

Waste management is an industry-
wide challenge that demands 
collaboration and innovation. A 
lack of infrastructure and facilities 
in many of our primary areas of 
operation currently limit proper 
waste management, diversion and 
recycling systems and technology. 
Large-scale investment in these 
facilities will assist us to meet 
our waste to landfill goals.

GRI 301, 306

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ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  From mannequins to mushrooms

CASE  
STUDY

CIRCULARITY � WASTE

Repurposing soft plastics

CASE  
STUDY

Soft plastic may seem like 
unlikely source materials for 
park benches, drainpipes and 
fence posts. But through several 
partnerships, KMD Brands is 
transforming tonnes of soft 
plastic otherwise destined for 
landfill into new materials and 
showing how positive change can 
come from reimagining waste.

We know soft “scrunchable” plastic 
is a problem around the world – and 
addressing this starts by refusing, 
reducing and reusing before we 
consider recycling. Few recycling 
providers are equipped to deal with 
soft plastics on the scale the world 
consumes them. But billions of pieces 
of soft plastic can be transformed 

into new products with the help of 
leading-edge recycling techniques. 

In partnership with the Packaging 
Forum in New Zealand, we began 
collecting Kathmandu’s soft 
plastics several years ago. This 
year 14 tonnes of soft plastic were 
recovered from 22 Kiwi stores, which 
was remade into fenceposts.

Expanding on our work in New 
Zealand, this year we also undertook 
an innovative trial across 10 stores 
in Victoria. KMD Brands picked 
the peak season over Easter to 
commence our trial and worked 
in partnership with local waste 
provider MG Waste Management.

MG Waste Management collected 
238 kilograms of soft plastic from Rip 

Curl, Kathmandu and Ozmosis stores 
over a four-week period, auditing 
and removing any contamination 
before transporting the material 
to a recycling plant owned by GT 
Recycling in Geelong. There, the 
material was manually separated and 
baled, based on colour and quality, 
and processed into pellets. These 
pellets can then be transformed into 
new products – like park benches 
and drainpipes. GT Recycling is also 
collecting and auditing soft plastic 
from our two distribution centres in 
Torquay, Victoria, and our goal is to 
scale the trial. Our soft plastic trial 
– across two countries and multiple 
stores – points to the possibilities 
when we stop seeing waste and 
start seeing wasted potential.

Can offcuts from our store 
mannequins become food for 
mushrooms? As we step into 
the circular economy, this is 
the sort of outlandish question 
we are asking ourselves.

When Kathmandu established a new 
partnership with visual merchandising 
supplier Mannequino in FY23, we 
saw this as an opportunity to look 
at waste in a completely new light. 

Mannequino manufactures super 
lightweight, compact and recyclable 
display assets. Designed with 3D 

printing technology, Mannequino’s 
products are made from durable 
polypropylene that use up to 
50 times less raw material than 
traditional mannequins. Flat-packed 
mannequins are easier to ship, which 
reduces transport emissions. And 
when they reach the end of their 
useful life, each mannequin can 
be recycled down to pellets and 
remade into new display assets.

mannequin packaging into delicious 
gourmet Oyster mushrooms. The 
offcuts from Kathmandu mannequins 
are shredded into mulch, mixed with 
coffee waste, hardwood and straw, 
and then transferred to growing 
chambers alongside Mannequino’s 
Cambridgeshire manufacturing 
facilities. And voila! Mushrooms are 
harvested and distributed to local 
restaurants in the Cambridge area.

This year, Mannequino pushed the 
boundaries even further with an 
innovative process that transforms 
the cardboard offcuts from 

One ingenious idea that turns 
fashion merchandising waste 
into food embodies KMD Brands’ 
quest for circular innovation.

116

117

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Introduction

CONTENTS

121  Directors’ Approval of Consolidated Financial Statements

IN THIS SECTION

122  Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

Group CFO report

123  Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

124  Consolidated Balance Sheet

125  Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

127 

Section 1: Basis of Preparation

130  Section 2: Results for the Year

139  Section 3: Operating Assets and Liabilities

152  Section 4: Capital Structure and Financing Costs

161 

Section 5: Group Structure

164  Section 6: Other Notes

168  Auditors’ Report

Chris Kinraid 

Group Chief Financial Officer

KMD Brands is pleased to 
report that, in our first full year 
of uninterrupted trade since 
the pandemic, we achieved 
record sales of $1.1 billion 
for the first time, with an 
underlying EBITDA of $105.9m. 

The consolidated financial 
statements have been 
presented in a style which 
attempts to make them less 
complex and more relevant 
to shareholders. We have 
grouped the note disclosures 
into six sections: ‘Basis of 
Preparation’, ‘Results for the 
Year’, ‘Operating Assets and 
Liabilities’, ‘Capital Structure 
and Financing Costs’, ‘Group 
Structure’ and ‘Other Notes’. 
Each section sets out the 
accounting policies applied in 
producing the relevant notes. 
The purpose of this format 
is to provide readers with a 
clearer understanding of what 
drives financial performance 
of the Group. The aim of 
the text boxes is to provide 
commentary on each section 
or note, in plain English. 

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements provide 
information required by 
accounting standards or  
NZX Listing Rules to explain 
a particular feature of the 
financial statements. The 
notes that follow will also 
provide explanations and 
additional disclosures to 
assist readers’ understanding 
and interpretation of the 
annual report and the 
financial statements. 

118
118
118

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023
KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2022

All our iconic brands grew sales 
year-on-year, with particularly 
strong sales growth through the 
first three quarters.  In the fourth 
quarter, we saw consumer impacts 
from interest rate rises and the 
broader economic environment. 

Rip Curl achieved record sales since 
acquisition, growing sales year-on-
year across all major geographies.

Kathmandu achieved strong 
sales and profit growth year-on-
year, benefiting from 12 months 
of uninterrupted trade.

Oboz sales improved significantly, 
achieving the best top line revenue 
results in company history, 
recovering from significant supply 
constraints last year. Online sales 
continue to grow strongly and 
represent an exciting opportunity.

The KMD Brands team continued 
to drive efficiency through industry-
leading systems and best-practice. 
Key Group functions of Finance, 
Commercial, People, Legal, ESG, 
IT and Communications continue 
to drive benefits across all our 
brands. In this, we also create 
opportunity to leverage our scale. 

A global business needs a global 
bank and this reporting year we 
reduced the number of banks we 
partner with from 30 to two: ANZ in 
Australasia and HSBC globally. This 
will deliver a cost saving of around 
$1 million each year, strengthen 
and simplify our reporting and 
data analysis, and give us access 
to best-in-class technology.

We’re committed to our 15% 
underlying EBITDA margin goal, with 
strategic workstreams continuing to 
drive efficiency across the Group.

Across the industry we saw high 
levels of inventory throughout the 
year, which affected Rip Curl and 
Oboz in particular. Kathmandu 
inventory has normalised, and 
we continue to drive ongoing 
improvement in wetsuit and footwear 
inventory for our other two brands. 
We remain well placed with a strong 
balance sheet, with further working 
capital improvements expected. 

OUR SUSTAINABILITY 
LINKED LOAN

We’re proud to say we continued 
our journey of sustainable finance, 
announcing in May an extension 
of the sustainability metrics to 
our entire debt facilities (NZD 
$310 million). We completed the 
refinance of our syndicated debt 
facilities with a three-and-a-half-
year facility, consisting of an A$240 
million multi-currency revolving 
facility and an NZ$54 million 
multicurrency revolving facility. 

The refinance increases tenor 
and provides significant ongoing 
liquidity to support the Group’s 
growth objectives. The new 
facility also builds on our previous 
sustainability linked loan with 
revised targets that incorporate a 
pricing mechanism that incentivises 
ongoing improvement in achieving 
our key environmental, social and 
governance (ESG) objectives.

After meeting all four of the original 
targets we set ourselves in 2021 in 
the second anniversary of the loan, 
we have committed to four new 
sustainability performance targets 
(SPTs). These goals align with our 
existing ESG strategy and broader 
associated goals. Our sustainability 
performance targets include:

119

ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESKMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  Directors’ Approval of Consolidated 
Financial Statements  

For the Year Ended 31 July 2023

AUTHORISATION FOR ISSUE

The Board of Directors authorised the issue of these Consolidated Financial Statements on 20 September 2023.

APPROVAL BY DIRECTORS

The Directors are pleased to present the Consolidated Financial Statements of KMD Brands Limited for the year ended 
31 July 2023 on pages 122 to 167.

David Kirk 

Michael Daly 

For and on behalf of the Board of Directors

20 September 2023

Date

20 September 2023

Date

Each SPT has an annual defined 
performance assessment for a 
discount to the overall interest rate 
we pay across our debt facilities 
(except for SPT 3 in Year 3). This 
threshold is structured to be 
ambitious in nature and incentivise 
progressive improvement compared 
to the respective baselines. Each SPT 
also has a 'premium' threshold, which 
if triggered will generate a premium 
payable on the interest rate overall.

Leaving KMD Brands after almost a 
decade of adventures is bittersweet 
as I see great things on the horizon 
for this Group, which has in a short 
time become a house of iconic 
brands with global reach. I’d like 
to take this opportunity to again 
thank Michael Daly, the KMD Brands 
Board and Executive Team, our 
investors and shareholders for their 
support throughout my time at KMD, 
but especially in these last four 
years as Chief Financial Officer. 

SPT 1 
Scope 3 emissions 

Reduction in specified Scope 
3 emissions categories of the 
Group in line with the validated 
Science-based target trajectory 
(aligned with a ‘well below 
2 degrees’ scenario), and 
increasing measurement and 
reporting of the Group’s Scope 3 
emissions from purchased goods 
and services by influencing and 
supporting the Group’s suppliers 
to disclose emissions data.

SPT 2 
Scope 1 and 2 emissions 

Reduction in absolute Scope 1 
and Scope 2 emissions of the 
Group in line with the validated 
science-based target trajectory.

SPT 3 
B Corp Certification 

Amending KMD Brands’ 
constitution as required by B 
Lab Global (by 31 July 2024) 
and re-certifying the Group 
as a B Corp by 31 July 2026.

SPT 4  
Supply chain accountability 
and transparency 

Increasing accountability and 
facilitating transparent disclosure 
for Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers 
through encouraging adoption 
of, and progression towards, 
verification by Higg Index Facility 
Social & Labor Module and 
Facility Environment Module.

120

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of 
Comprehensive Income  

For the Year Ended 31 July 2023

Consolidated Statement of  
Changes in Equity 

For the Year Ended 31 July 2023

Sales

Cost of sales

Gross profit 

Other income

Selling expenses

Administration and general expenses

Section

2023  
NZ$’000

2022 
 NZ$’000

2.2

2.2

1,102,994

(451,049)

651,945

1,840

(267,743)

(185,973)

(451,876)

979,802

(403,069)

576,733

9,857

(231,460)

(175,196)

(396,799)

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation

200,069

179,934

Depreciation and amortisation

Earnings before interest and tax

Finance income

Finance expenses

Finance costs (net)

Profit before income tax

Income tax expense

Profit after income tax

Profit for the year attributable to:

Shareholders of the Company

Non-controlling interest

Other comprehensive income that may be recycled through profit or loss:

Movement in cash flow hedge reserve 

Movement in foreign currency translation reserve

Movement in other reserves

Other comprehensive income for the year, net of tax

Total comprehensive income for the year

Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to:

Shareholders of the Company

Non-controlling interest

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

Weighted average basic ordinary shares outstanding (‘000)

Weighted average diluted ordinary shares outstanding (‘000)

4.3.2

4.3.2

4.3.2

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

        3.2-3.4

4.1.1

(123,713)

76,356

886

(24,940)

(24,054)

52,302

        2.3

(15,688)

(112,516)

67,418

394

(14,187)

(13,793)

53,625

(16,797)

36,828

35,952

876

12,671

36,188

-

48,859

85,687

84,576

1,111

5.1cps

5.0cps

709,001

717,266

36,614

35,139

1,475

8,499

3,055

-

11,554

48,168

46,838

1,330

4.9cps

4.9cps

711,283

719,546

Cash 
flow 
hedge 
reserve 
NZ$’000

Foreign 
currency 
translation 
reserve 
NZ$’000

Share-
based 
payments 
reserve 
NZ$’000

Share 
capital 
NZ$’000

Other 
reserves 
NZ$’000

Retained 
earnings 
NZ$’000

Non- 
controlling 
interest 
NZ$’000

Total 
equity 
NZ$’000

Balance as at 31 July 2021

626,380

1,341

(29,462)

2,637

(47)

210,036

4,070

814,955

Profit after tax

Other comprehensive income

Dividends paid

Issue of share capital

Share based payment expense

Lapsed share options

Deferred tax on share-based  
payment transactions

Amounts transferred to initial  
carrying amount of hedged items

Dividends paid to 
non-controlling interest

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

12,671

35,953

-

-

-

-

-

(7,794)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

914

(77)

(309)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

35,952

-

(42,540)

-

-

77

-

-

-

876

235

-

-

-

-

-

-

36,828

48,859

(42,540)

-

914

-

(309)

(7,794)

(455)

(455)

Balance as at 31 July 2022

626,380

6,218

6,491

3,165

(47)

203,525

4,726

850,458

Profit after tax

Other comprehensive income

Dividends paid

Issue of share capital

Share based payment expense

Deferred tax on share-based 

payment transactions

Amounts transferred to initial

carrying amount of hedged items

Dividends paid to non-controlling

interest

-

-

-

2,699

-

-

-

-

-

8,499

-

3,200

-

-

-

-

(14,443)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(2,699)

568

252

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

35,139

-

(42,681)

-

-

-

-

-

1,475

(145)

-

-

-

-

-

36,614

11,554

(42,681)

-

568

252

(14,443)

(685)

(685)

Balance as at 31 July 2023

629,079

274

9,691

1,286

(47)

195,983

5,371

841,637

122

123

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESConsolidated Balance Sheet 

As at 31 July 2023

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 

For the Year Ended 31 July 2023

Section

2023  
NZ$’000

2022 
 NZ$’000

Section

2023  
NZ$’000

2022 
 NZ$’000

ASSETS

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Inventories

Derivative financial instruments

Current tax asset

Other current assets

Total current assets

Non-current assets

Trade and other receivables

Property, plant and equipment

Intangible assets

Deferred tax assets

Right-of-use assets

Total non-current assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Derivative financial instruments

Current tax liabilities

Lease liabilities

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Interest bearing liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities

Lease liabilities

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

EQUITY

Contributed equity - ordinary shares

Reserves

Retained earnings

Non-controlling interest

Total equity

124

3.1.2

3.1.3

3.1.1

4.2

3.1.5

3.1.3

3.2

3.3

2.3

3.4.1

3.1.6

4.2

3.4.2

3.1.6

4.1

2.3

3.4.2

4.3.1

4.3.2

49,488

102,696

290,420

2,560

12,278

1,860

459,302

1,856

82,942

704,402

14,650

270,327

1,074,177

1,533,479

173,392

1,160

718

83,232

258,502

15,988

105,209

93,275

218,868

433,340

691,842

70,810

105,526

295,522

9,936

3,640

2,434

487,868

1,588

79,243

719,322

14,078

250,372

1,064,603

1,552,471

194,034

-

1,816

75,293

271,143

17,246

110,881

93,449

209,294

430,870

702,013

841,637

850,458

629,079

11,204

195,983

5,371

841,637

626,380

15,827

203,525

4,726

850,458

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash was provided from:

Receipts from customers

Government grants received

Interest received

Income tax received

Cash was applied to:

Payments to suppliers and employees

Income tax paid

Interest paid

1,103,833

6,019

886

1,892

955,968

3,407

394

448

1,112,630

960,217

919,847

22,969

22,226

965,042

843,605

22,181

12,623

878,409

Net cash inflow from operating activities

147,588

81,808

Cash flows from investing activities

Cash was provided from:

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

Cash was applied to:

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Purchase of intangible assets

-

-

27,665

8,323

35,988

4

4

21,567

11,266

32,833

3.2

3.3

Net cash (outflow) from investing activities

(35,988)

(32,829)

Cash flows from financing activities

Cash was provided from:

Proceeds from borrowings

Cash was applied to:

Dividends paid

Repayment of borrowings

Repayment of lease liabilities

132,955

132,955

43,366

134,074

86,919

264,359

99,619

99,619

42,995

99,619

82,265

224,879

Net cash (outflow) from financing activities

(131,404)

(125,260)

Net (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents held

(19,804)

(76,281)

Opening cash and cash equivalents 

Effect of foreign exchange differences

Closing cash and cash equivalents

70,810

(1,518)

49,488

142,614

4,477

70,810

3.1.2

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESRECONCILIATION OF NET PROFIT AFTER TAXATION WITH CASH INFLOW FROM 
OPERATING ACTIVITIES

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Section 1: Basis of Preparation

Profit after taxation

36,614

36,828

Section

2023  
NZ$’000

2022 
 NZ$’000

Movement in working capital:

(Increase) / decrease in trade and other receivables

(Increase) / decrease in inventories

(Increase) / decrease in other current assets

Increase / (decrease) in trade and other payables

Increase / (decrease) in current tax liability

Add non-cash items:

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Amortisation of intangibles

Depreciation of right-of-use assets

Impairment of assets

Foreign currency translation of working capital balances

Increase / (decrease) in deferred taxation

Employee share-based remuneration

Loss on sale of property, plant and equipment and intangibles

Cash inflow from operating activities

(776)

(1,121)

510

(17,360)

(9,002)

(27,749)

22,824

14,132

86,757

(1,675)

11,809

3,610

568

698

(27,953)

(66,555)

9

31,736

(8,518)

(71,281)

22,572

12,339

77,605

940

(2,294)

3,580

914

605

138,723

116,261

147,588

81,808

3.2

3.3

3.4.1

3.2, 3.4.1

6.3

3.2, 3.3

 IN THIS SECTION

This section sets out the Group’s accounting policies that relate to the consolidated financial statements as a 
whole. Where an accounting policy is specific to one note, the policy is described in the note to which it relates.

1.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

KMD Brands Limited (the Company) and its subsidiaries 
(together the Group) is a designer, marketer, retailer and 
wholesaler of apparel, footwear and equipment for surfing 
and the outdoors. It operates in New Zealand, Australia, 
North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Brazil.

The Company is a limited liability company 
incorporated and domiciled in New Zealand. KMD 
Brands Limited is a company registered under the 
Companies Act 1993 and is an FMC reporting entity 
under Part 7 of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 
2013. The address of its registered office is 223 
Tuam Street, Central Christchurch, Christchurch.

The Company is listed on the NZX and ASX.

The consolidated financial statements of the 
Group have been prepared in accordance with the 
requirements of Part 7 of the Financial Markets 
Conduct Act 2013 and the NZX Listing Rules.

These audited consolidated financial statements 
have been approved for issue by the Board 
of Directors on 20 September 2023.

1.2 SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT 
ACCOUNTING POLICIES

These consolidated financial statements have been 
prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted 
Accounting Practice. They comply with the New Zealand 
Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards 
(NZ IFRS) and other applicable Financial Reporting 
Standards, as appropriate for for-profit entities. The 
consolidated financial statements also comply with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The consolidated financial statements are 
presented in New Zealand dollars, which is 
the Group’s presentation currency.

1.2.1 Basis of preparation
The principal accounting policies adopted in the 
preparation of the consolidated financial statements are 
set out below. These policies have been consistently 
applied to all periods presented, unless otherwise stated.

Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements reported are for 
the consolidated Group, which is the economic entity 
comprising KMD Brands Limited and its subsidiaries. 

The Group is designated as a for-profit entity for financial 
reporting purposes.

Subsidiaries are consolidated from the date on which 
control is obtained to the date on which control is lost.

Non-controlling interests are measured at their 
proportionate share of the acquiree’s identified net 
assets at the acquisition date. Changes in the Group’s 
interests in a subsidiary that do not result in a loss of 
control are accounted for as equity transactions.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, all 
material intra-group transactions, balances and unrealised 
gains on transactions between Group companies are 
eliminated. Unrealised losses are also eliminated. When 
necessary, amounts reported by subsidiaries have been 
adjusted to conform to the Group’s accounting policies.

Historical cost convention
These consolidated financial statements have been 
prepared under the historical cost convention, as 
modified by the revaluation of certain assets as identified 
in the specific accounting policies provided below.

Critical accounting estimates
The Group makes estimates and assumptions 
concerning the future. The resulting accounting 
estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the related 
actual results. The estimates and assumptions that 
have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment 

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESto the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities 
within the next financial year are discussed below.

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated 
and are based on historical experience as adjusted 
for current market conditions and other factors, 
including expectations of future events that are 
believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Further explanation as to estimates and assumptions 
made by the Group can be found in the following 
notes to the consolidated financial statements:

Area of estimation
Goodwill and brand – assumptions underlying 
recoverable value

Section
3.3

Foreign currency translation
The results and financial position of all the Group 
entities (none of which have the currency of a 
hyper-inflationary economy) that have a functional 
currency different from the presentation currency are 
translated into the presentation currency as follows:

• Assets and liabilities for each balance sheet 
presented are translated at the closing rate 
at the date of that balance sheet;

• Income and expenses for each statement of 

comprehensive income are translated at average 
exchange rates (unless this average is not a 
reasonable approximation of the cumulative effect 
of the rates prevailing on the transaction dates, in 
which case income and expenses are translated at 
the rate on the dates of the transactions); and

• All resulting exchange differences are 

recognised in other comprehensive income.
On consolidation, exchange differences arising 
from the translation of the net investment in 
foreign operations, and of borrowings and other 
currency instruments designated as hedges of such 
investments, are taken to shareholders’ equity. 

Changes in accounting policies
Details about changes in accounting policies applied 
during the period are included in the following notes to the 
financial statements:

New standards and interpretations first applied  
in the period

Section

6.8

Use of non-GAAP disclosures
At times non-GAAP disclosures have been used in the 
consolidated financial statements. These disclosures 
have been included as they are key measurement 
criteria on which the Group and operating segments are 
reviewed by the Group Chief Executive Officer, Group 
Executive Management team and the Board of Directors. 
The following non-GAAP measures are relevant to the 
understanding of the Group's financial performance:

• Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and 
amortisation (EBITDA) represents earnings 
before income taxes excluding interest income, 
interest expense, depreciation, and amortisation, 
as reported in the financial statements. 

• Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) represents 

EBITDA less depreciation and amortisation. 
• Net debt represents cash and cash equivalents 

less interest-bearing liabilities. Net debt 
does not include lease liabilities.

Non-GAAP financial information does not have 
a standardised meaning prescribed by GAAP 
and therefore may not be comparable to similar 
financial information presented by other entities. 
The non-GAAP information within the consolidated 
financial statements is subject to audit.

1.3 IMPACT OF COVID-19

1.4 CLIMATE CHANGE RISK

The comparative period was impacted by COVID-19, 
with local and global restrictions on movement, travel 
and gatherings resulting in a sustained reduction in 
footfall. During the comparative period stores across 
Australia and New Zealand were significantly impacted 
by government mandated lockdowns and closures.

Although the risk has abated significantly from twelve 
months ago some uncertainty remains that may 
affect the Group’s ability to achieve future forecasts. 
Despite this the Directors are satisfied that there will 
be adequate cash flows generated from operating 
and financing activities to meet the obligations of the 
Group for a period of at least 12 months from the date 
of approving the consolidated financial statements.

The Group was fully compliant with all banking covenants 
during the year and, based on the current cash flow 
forecasts, the Group expects to remain compliant with 
all covenants for at least 12 months from the date of 
approving the consolidated financial statements.

Taking into consideration the current trading 
results, the net debt (excluding lease liabilities) of 
$55,721,000 (2022: $40,071,000) and undrawn cash 
facilities of $180,616,000 (2022: $195,290,000) at 
31 July 2023 (note 4.1), the financial statements 
continue to be prepared on a going concern basis.

The Group’s operations may be impacted by future 
climate change. These impacts may be physical (e.g. 
severe or unusual weather patterns and events) or 
transitional (e.g. changes to government regulations 
or customer and supplier needs and demands).

The Group regularly assesses its operating environment 
with regards to the impact of climate change. Specific 
consideration has been given in these financial statements 
to the impact of future climate change on the useful lives 
of the Group’s property, plant, and equipment (note 3.2), 
impairment of intangible assets (note 3.3), the inclusion 
of expected renewals in the lease term for Right-of-Use 
assets (note 3.4) and sustainability linked loans (note 
4.1). No significant impacts have been identified.

During the year the Group collaborated with other 
retail industry participants, with guidance from the New 
Zealand External Reporting Board (XRB), to develop 
relevant sector-level climate-related scenarios with 
reference to the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards 
(NZ CS). The Group will now model how different 
scenarios of climate change may impact our global 
footprint and report a summary of findings in 2024. 

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESSection 2: Results for the Year

 IN THIS SECTION

This section focuses on the results and performance of the Group. On the following pages you will find 
disclosures explaining the Group’s results for the year, segmental information, taxation and earnings per share.

2.1 SEGMENT INFORMATION

An operating segment is a component of an entity 
that engages in business activities that earns revenue 
and incurs expenses and where the chief decision 
maker reviews the operating results on a regular 
basis and makes decisions on resource allocation.

The Group has three operating segments, representing 
three brands owned by the Group and a Corporate 
segment. These segments have been determined based 
on the reports reviewed by the Group Chief Executive 
Officer and Group Executive Management team.

Rip Curl – designer, manufacturer, wholesaler 
and retailer of surfing equipment and apparel.

Kathmandu – designer, retailer, and wholesaler of apparel, 
footwear, and equipment for outdoor travel and adventure.

Oboz – designer, wholesaler and online 
retailer of outdoor footwear.

The Corporate segment represents group costs, 
holding companies and consolidation eliminations 
and constitutes other business activities that 
do not fall within the brand segments.

The default basis of allocating shared costs is percentage 
of revenue with other bases being used where appropriate.

31 July 2023

Total segment sales

Sales to internal customers

Sales to external customers

EBITDA

Depreciation and amortisation

EBIT

Income tax expense

Total segment assets

Total assets include:

Non-current assets

Additions to non-current assets

Rip Curl 
NZ$’000
581,504

-

581,504

97,079

(54,955)

42,124

(9,826)

Kathmandu 
NZ$’000
422,233

-

422,233

105,322

(67,079)

38,243

(9,820)

Oboz 
NZ$’000
102,819

3,562

99,257

8,228

(1,625)

6,603

(1,407)

Corporate 
NZ$’000
-

-

-

(10,560)

(54)

(10,614)

5,365

Total 
NZ$’000
1,106,556

3,562

1,102,994

200,069

(123,713)

76,356

(15,688)

759,398

586,676

179,669

7,736

1,533,479

488,250

80,673

466,778

59,733

118,401

1,004

748

810

1,074,177

142,220

Total segment liabilities

297,041

258,258

25,596

110,947

691,842

31 July 2022

Total segment sales

Sales to internal customers

Sales to external customers

EBITDA

Depreciation and amortisation

EBIT

Income tax expense

Total segment assets

Total assets include:

Non-current assets

Additions to non-current assets

Rip Curl 
NZ$’000
536,830

-

536,830

95,462

(48,700)

46,762

(11,839)

Kathmandu 
NZ$’000
381,628

-

381,628

87,642

(62,555)

25,087

(7,017)

Oboz 
NZ$’000
62,298

954

61,344

3,641

(1,255)

2,386

(772)

Corporate 
NZ$’000
-

-

-

(6,811)

(6)

(6,817)

2,831

Total 
NZ$’000
980,756

954

979,802

179,934

(112,516)

67,418

(16,797)

740,778

649,205

158,793

3,695

1,552,471

465,152

55,629

482,873

55,159

116,578

975

-

-

1,064,603

111,763

Total segment liabilities

293,804

270,479

26,843

110,887

702,013

Sales to external customers by region

Non-current assets by region

Australia

New Zealand

North America

Europe

Rest of world

2023  
NZ$’000
681,420

160,327

180,136

29,240

23,054

2022
NZ$’000
668,544

180,066

180,334

21,893

13,766

1,074,177

1,064,603

Australia

New Zealand

North America

Europe

Rest of world

2023 
NZ$’000
557,013

128,185

243,398

105,325

69,073

1,102,994

Sales to external customers by channel

Retail

Online

Wholesale

Licensing

Other

2023 
NZ$’000
653,108

99,300

336,952

13,158

476

1,102,994

2022 
NZ$’000
508,258

113,943

195,713

99,747

62,141

979,802

2022 
NZ$’000
555,732

109,556

302,101

12,000

413

979,802

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES2.2 PROFIT BEFORE TAX

Revenue recognition
The Group recognises revenue from the sale of 
footwear, clothing and equipment for surfing and the 
outdoors, and brand licencing arrangements. Revenue 
comprises the fair value of the consideration received 
or receivable for the sale of goods and brand licences, 
excluding goods and services tax and discounts, 
and after eliminating sales within the Group.

Retail sales
For sales of goods to retail customers, revenue 
is recognised when control of the goods has 
transferred, being at the point the customer 
purchases the goods at a retail outlet. Payment 
of the transaction price is due immediately at the 
point the customer purchases the goods.

Online sales
For online sales, revenue is recognised when control 
of the goods has transferred to the customer, being 
at the point the goods are delivered to the customer. 
Delivery occurs when the goods have been shipped to 
the customer’s specific location. When the customer 
initially purchases the goods online, the transaction price 
received by the Group is recognised as a contract liability 
until the goods have been delivered to the customer.

Wholesale sales
For sales to the wholesale market, revenue is recognised 
when control of the goods has transferred, being when 
the goods have been shipped to the wholesaler’s specific 
location (delivery). Following delivery, the wholesaler has 
full discretion over the manner of distribution and price 
to sell the goods, has the primary responsibility when on 
selling the goods and bears the risks of obsolescence and 
loss in relation to the goods. A receivable is recognised 
by the Group when the goods are delivered to the 
wholesaler as this represents the point in time at which 
the right to consideration becomes unconditional, as only 
the passage of time is required before payment is due.

Sales returns
Under the Group’s standard contract terms, customers 
have a right of return, typically within 30 days. At the 
point of sale, a returns liability and a corresponding 
adjustment to revenue is recognised for those products 

expected to be returned. The Group uses its accumulated 
historical experience to estimate the number of returns 
on a portfolio level using the expected value method. 
Given the consistent level of returns over previous years, 
it is considered highly unlikely that a significant reversal 
in the cumulative revenue recognised will occur.

Royalty revenue
Royalty revenue from brand license arrangements 
is related to the provision of a right to access 
the license. Revenue from sales-based royalties 
is recognised based on a reliable estimate of 
subsequent sales made by a licensee.

Sale of goods

Royalty revenue

Commission revenue

2023 
NZ$’000
1,091,290

10,819

885

1,102,994

2022 
NZ$’000
969,161

10,047

594

979,802

A breakdown of revenue by operating segment, sales 
channel and geographical area is provided in note 2.1.

Other income

Government grants

Other

2023 
NZ$’000
366

1,474

1,840

2022 
NZ$’000
9,060

797

9,857

Government grants are not recognised until there is 
reasonable assurance that the grants will be received 
and that the Group will comply with the conditions 
attached to them. Government grants that compensate 
the Group for expenses incurred are recognised as 
revenue in the statement of comprehensive income 
on a systematic basis in the same period in which 
the expenses are recognised. In the current period 
Government grants relate to Apprenticeship Boost 
payments and grants to support sustainability initiatives.

In the prior year government grants income included 
amounts related to US Employee Retention Credits, wage 
and other subsidies received in response to the impact 
of COVID-19. The $5,652,000 recognised as a receivable 
at the previous balance date has been fully received as 
cash during the current year. No further amounts have 
been recognised as income in the current period.

Some of the property leases in which the Group is the 
lessee contain variable lease payment terms that are 
linked to sales generated from the leased stores. Variable 
payment terms are used to link rental payments to store 
cash flows and reduce fixed cost.

Overall, the variable payments constitute up to 0.4% (2022: 
0.7%) of the Group's entire lease payments. The variable 
payments depend on sales and consequently on the 
overall economic development over the next few years. 
Considering the development of sales expected over 
the next 3 years, variable rent expenses are expected to 
continue to present a similar proportion of store sales in 
future years.

The total cash outflow for leases amounts to 
$128,003,000 (2022: $109,163,000).

Employee entitlements

Wages, salaries, and other 
short-term benefits

Post-employment benefits

Employee share-based 
remuneration

2023 
NZ$’000
218,104

12,459

568

2022 
NZ$’000
189,864

10,483

914

231,131

201,261

Employee entitlements in the first quarter of the 
comparative period were impacted by government 
mandated lockdowns and closures. During this period 
employees in some jurisdictions (including Australia) were 
financially supported directly by the relevant government.

Lease expense
The Group is a lessee. Refer to note 3.4 for further details 
around the Group’s leases and lease accounting policies.

Lease amounts recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income:

Short-term lease expense

Low-value lease expense

Variable lease expense

Rent concessions and 
abatements

Lease outgoings

Depreciation right-of-use 
asset (note 3.4.1)

Interest expense related 
to lease liabilities (note 
3.4.2)

2023 
NZ$’000
7,924

1,176

439

(738)

17,667

86,757

11,022

2022 
NZ$’000
7,987

546

754

(3,588)

15,423

77,605

8,476

124,247

107,203

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES2.3 TAXATION

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

This section lays out the tax accounting policies, the current and deferred tax charges or credits in the year 
(which together make up the total tax charge or credit in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income), 
a reconciliation of profit before tax to the tax charge and the movements in deferred tax assets and liabilities. 
The Group is subject to income taxes in multiple jurisdictions. As a result there is complexity and judgement 
involved in determining the worldwide provision for income taxes.

Deferred income tax assets are recognised to the extent 
that it is probable that future taxable profit will be available 
against which the temporary differences can be utilised.

Deferred income tax is provided on temporary 
differences arising on investments in subsidiaries, 
except where the timing of the reversal of the 
temporary difference is controlled by the Group 
and it is probable that the temporary difference 
will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when 
there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax 
assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred 
income tax assets and liabilities relate to income taxes 
levied by the same taxation authority on either the same 
taxable entity or different taxable entities where there 
is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
and the consolidated statement of cash flows have 
been prepared so that all components are stated 
exclusive of GST. All items in the consolidated balance 
sheet are stated net of GST, except for receivables 
and payables, which include GST invoiced.

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Current and deferred income tax
The tax expense for the period comprises current and 
deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income, except to the 
extent that it relates to items recognised in other 
comprehensive income or directly in equity. In this 
case, the tax is recognised in other comprehensive 
income or directly in equity, respectively.

The current income tax charge is calculated based on the 
tax laws enacted or substantively enacted at the balance 
sheet date in the countries where the Company and the 
Company’s subsidiaries operate and generate taxable 
income. Management periodically evaluates positions 
taken in tax returns with respect to situations in which 
applicable tax regulations are subject to interpretation 
and establishes provisions where appropriate based on 
amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.

Deferred income tax is provided in full, using the liability 
method, on temporary differences arising between 
tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying 
amounts in the consolidated financial statements. 
However, the deferred income tax is not accounted for 
if it arises from initial recognition of an asset or liability 
in a transaction other than a business combination, that 
at the time of the transaction, affects neither accounting 
nor taxable profit or loss. Deferred income tax liability is 
not recognised if it arises from the initial recognition of 
goodwill. Deferred income tax is determined using tax 
rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantially 
enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected 
to apply when the related deferred income tax asset is 
realised, or the deferred income tax liability is settled.

Taxation – Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
The total taxation charge in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income is analysed as follows:

Current income tax charge

Deferred income tax charge / (credit)

Income tax charge reported in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

2023 
NZ$’000
12,078

3,610

15,688

2022 
NZ$’000
13,354

3,443

16,797

To understand how, in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, a tax charge of $15,688,000 (2022: 
$16,797,000) arises on profit before income tax of $52,302,000 (2022: $53,625,000), the taxation charge that 
would arise at the standard rate of New Zealand corporate tax is reconciled to the actual tax charge as follows:

Profit before income tax

Income tax calculated at 28%

Adjustments to taxation:

Adjustments due to different rate in different jurisdictions

Non-taxable income

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes

Utilisation of tax losses by group companies

Adjustments in respect of prior years

Tax losses not recognised

Income tax charge reported in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

2023 
NZ$’000
52,302

14,645

2022 
NZ$’000
53,625

15,015

321

(1,799)

2,427

(35)

(370)

499

15,688

999

(2,025)

2,901

43

(136)

-

16,797

Adjustments for prior periods primarily arise where an outcome is obtained on certain tax matters which 
differs from expectations held when the related provision was made. Where the outcome is more favourable 
than the provision made, the difference is released, lowering the current year tax charge. Where the 
outcome is less favourable than the provision, an additional charge to the current year tax will occur.

During the year the Group did not recognise any new previously unrecognised tax losses (2022: nil).

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESThe tax credit / (charge) relating to components of other comprehensive income is as follows:

Movement in cash flow hedge reserve before tax

Tax credit / (charge) relating to cash flow hedge reserve

Movement in cash flow hedge reserve after tax

Foreign currency translation reserve before tax

Tax credit / (charge) relating to foreign currency translation reserve

Movement in foreign currency translation reserve after tax

Other reserves before tax

Tax credit / (charge) relating to other reserves

Movement in other reserves after tax

Total other comprehensive income / (expense) before tax

Total tax credit / (charge) on other comprehensive income

Total other comprehensive income / (expense) after tax

Current tax

Deferred tax

Total tax credit / (charge) on other comprehensive income

2023 
NZ$’000
6,018

2,481

8,499

3,055

-

3,055

-

-

-

9,073

2,481

11,554

-

2,481

2,481

2022 
NZ$’000
13,298

(627)

12,671

36,188

-

36,188

-

-

-

49,486

(627)

48,859

-

(627)

(627)

Taxation – Balance sheet
The following are the major deferred taxation liabilities and assets recognised by the Group and movements thereon 
during the current and prior year:

 Employee 
obligations 
NZ$’000
4,958

Intangibles 
NZ$’000
(112,228)

Leases 
NZ$’000
12,740

Other 
temporary 
differences 
NZ$’000
19,073

Reserves 
NZ$’000
(2,192)

Tax losses 
NZ$’000
6,959

570

1,682

(893)

(5,544)

-

742

-

(309)

187

-

-

-

-

(5,753)

496

5,406

(116,299)

12,343

-

-

536

14,065

(627)

-

(111)

(2,930)

-

-

343

8,044

Total 
NZ$’000
(70,690)

(3,443)

(627)

(309)

(4,302)

(79,371)

(124)

1,504

(665)

(6,564)

-

2,239

(3,610)

-

252

(112)

-

-

-

-

2,395

(282)

5,422

(112,400)

11,396

-

-

(214)

7,287

2,481

-

47

-

-

(211)

2,481

252

1,623

(402)

10,072

(78,625)

As at 31 July 2021

Recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income

Recognised in other comprehensive 
income

Recognised directly in equity

Foreign exchange

As at 31 July 2022

Recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income

Recognised in other comprehensive 
income

Recognised directly in equity

Foreign exchange

As at 31 July 2023

The deferred tax balance relates to:

• Property, plant and equipment temporary differences arising on differences in accounting and tax depreciation rates
• Employee benefit accruals
• Brands and customer relationships
• Unrealised foreign exchange gain / loss on intercompany loans
• Realised gain / loss on foreign exchange contracts not yet charged in the consolidated statement of 

comprehensive income

• Lease accounting
• Inventory provisioning
• Temporary differences on the unrealised gain / loss in hedge reserve
• Employee share schemes
• Historic tax losses recognised
• Other temporary differences on miscellaneous items

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES2.4 EARNINGS PER SHARE

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Earnings per share (‘EPS’) is the amount of post-tax 
profit attributable to each share.

Basic EPS is calculated by dividing the profit 
after tax attributable to equity holders of the 
Company of $35,139,000 (2022: $35,952,000) by 
the weighted average number of ordinary shares 
in issue during the year of 711,283,439 (2022: 
709,001,384).

Diluted EPS reflects any commitments the Group 
has to issue shares in the future that would 
decrease EPS. In the current year, these are in the 
form of share options / performance rights. To 
calculate the impact, it is assumed that all share 
options are exercised / performance rights taken, 
and therefore, adjusting the weighted average 
number of shares.

Weighted average number 
of basic ordinary shares 
in issue

Adjustment for:

Share options /  
performance rights

2023 
’000
711,283

2022 
’000
709,001

8,263

8,265

719,546

717,266

Unrecognised deferred tax assets
Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect 
of the following items:

Deductible temporary 
differences

Tax losses

2023 
NZ$’000
-

4,735

4,735

2022 
NZ$’000 
-

3,879

3,879

The deductible temporary differences do not expire 
under current tax legislation. Deferred tax assets have 
not been recognised in respect of overseas subsidiaries 
where it is not yet probable that future taxable profit will 
be generated in those territories to utilise these benefits.

Imputation credits

Imputation credits 
available  
for use in subsequent 
reporting periods based 
on a tax rate  
of 28%

2023 
NZ$’000
90

2022 
NZ$’000
75

The above amounts represent the balance of the 
imputation account as at 31 July 2023, adjusted for:

• Imputation credits that will arise from the payment 

of the amount of the provision for income tax.

• Imputation debits that will arise from the payment of 

dividends recognised as a liability at the reporting date.

• Imputation credits that will arise from the receipt 
of dividends recognised as receivables at the 
reporting date. 

The balance of Australian franking credits able to 
be used by the Group in subsequent periods as at 
31 July 2023 is A$1,312,000 (2022: A$7,497,000).

Section 3: Operating Assets and Liabilities

 IN THIS SECTION

This section shows the assets used to generate the Group’s trading performance and the liabilities incurred as a 
result. Liabilities relating to the Group’s financing activities are addressed in Section 4. Deferred tax assets and 
liabilities are shown in note 2.3.

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Working capital represents the assets and liabilities the Group generates through its trading activity. The Group 
therefore defines working capital as inventory, cash, trade and other receivables, other financial assets, other 
current assets and trade and other payables and other financial liabilities.

3.1 WORKING CAPITAL

3.1.1 Inventory

Accounting policies
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net 
realisable value. The group uses the weighted average 
cost, first in first out and standard cost methods to 
determine cost. Cost includes expenditure incurred 
in acquiring the inventories and bringing them to 
their existing location and condition. In the case of 
manufactured inventories and work in progress, cost 
includes an appropriate share of production overheads 
based on normal operating capacity. Net realisable value 
is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course 
of business, less applicable variable selling expenses. 
Inventory is considered in transit when the risk and 
rewards of ownership have transferred to the Group.

The Group assesses the likely residual value of inventory. 
Inventory provisions are recognised for inventory that 
is expected to sell for less than cost, and for the value 
of inventory likely to have been lost to the business 
through shrinkage between the date of the last applicable 
stocktake and balance sheet date. In recognising the 
provision for inventory, judgement has been applied 
by considering a range of factors including historical 
results, stock shrinkage trends and product lifecycle.

Inventory is broken down into trading stock and goods  
in transit below:

Raw materials and 
consumables

Work in progress

Trading inventory

Goods in transit

2023 
NZ$’000
9,680

2,144

252,399

26,197

290,420

2022 
NZ$’000
4,563

3,377

251,043

36,539

295,522

Inventory has been reviewed for obsolescence and  
a provision of $5,026,000 (2022: $5,849,000) has  
been made.

3.1.2 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash on hand

Cash at bank

Short term investments 
convertible to cash

2023 
NZ$’000
525

46,390

2,573

2022 
NZ$’000
446

68,806

1,558

49,488

70,810

138

139

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESThe carrying amount of the Group's cash and cash equivalents are denominated in the following currencies:

EUR

USD

AUD

THB

CAD

NZD

BRL

IDR

GBP

Other currencies

2023 
NZ$’000
14,348

9,758

6,206

4,571

2,996

2,899

2,868

2,151

2,093

1,598

2022 
NZ$’000
15,746

17,810

18,175

5,122

1,502

4,010

2,100

3,806

1,234

1,305

49,488

70,810

3.1.3 Trade and other receivables

Accounting policies
Trade and other receivables are recognised initially 
at the value of the invoice sent to the customer (fair 
value) and subsequently at the amounts considered 
recoverable (amortised cost). The collectability of trade 
and other receivables is reviewed on an on-going basis.

An allowance for lifetime expected credit losses is 
recognised for trade and other receivables based on 
the Group’s historical credit loss experience, adjusted 
for factors that are specific to the debtors, general 
economic conditions, and an assessment of both the 
current as well as the forecast direction of conditions at 
the reporting date, including time value of money where 
appropriate. The expected credit loss is estimated as 
the difference between all contractual cash flows that 
are due to the Group in accordance with the contract 
and all the cash flows that the Group expects to receive, 
discounted at the original effective interest rate.

Current
Trade receivables

Allowance for expected 
credit losses

Prepayments

Other receivables

Non-current
Other debtors

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

79,933

(5,620)

18,156

10,227

102,696

1,856

1,856

87,626

(5,964)

12,928

10,936

105,526

1,588

1,588

Other non-current debtors include security deposits paid 
in relation to store leases.

The carrying amount of the Group’s trade and other 
receivables are denominated in the following currencies:

USD

AUD

EUR

THB

NZD

BRL

GBP

CAD

IDR

CHF

JPY

SEK

2023 
NZ$’000
45,583

17,397

8,637

8,048

7,158

5,349

4,956

4,094

1,454

1,100

460

316

2022 
NZ$’000
56,539

11,375

11,950

5,977

6,750

4,950

3,045

4,882

895

62

631

58

104,552

107,114

Allowance for expected credit losses
2023 
NZ$’000
(5,964)

Opening balance

Additional allowance 
recognised in the 
consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Receivables written-off 
during the year

Unused provision 
released to the 
consolidated statement 
of comprehensive income 
during the year

(820)

256

1,023

2022 
NZ$’000
(5,680)

(2,171)

484

1,751

Foreign exchange

Closing balance

(115)

(5,620)

(348)

(5,964)

3.1.4 Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if 
a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument 
fails to meet its contractual obligations.

Risk

Credit risk

Exposure 
arising from
Cash and cash 
equivalents

Credit ratings

Monitoring

Management

Obtaining 
customer 
credit rating 
information

Confirming 
references

Setting 
appropriate 
credit limits

Trade and other 
receivables 

Aging analysis

Derivative 
financial 
instruments

Review of 
exposure with 
regular terms of 
trade

Exposure to credit risk
The below balances are recorded at their carrying 
amount after any allowance for expected credit loss on 
these financial instruments. The maximum exposure to 
credit risk at reporting date was (carrying amount):

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade receivables (net)

Other receivables

Derivative financial instruments

2023 
NZ$’000
48,963

74,313

10,922

1,400

135,598

2022 
NZ$’000
70,364

81,662

11,220

9,936

173,182

As at balance sheet date the carrying amount is 
considered to approximate fair value for each of the 
financial instruments.

The credit quality of cash and cash equivalents can 
be assessed by reference to external credit ratings, 
such as Standard & Poors or Moody’s (if available) or to 
historical information about counterparty default rates:

Cash and cash equivalents:

Standard & Poors - AA-

Standard & Poors - A+

Standard & Poors - A

Standard & Poors - A-

Standard & Poors - BBB+

Standard & Poors - BBB

Standard & Poors - BBB-

Standard & Poors - BB

Standard & Poors - BB-

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

11,605

7,015

588

8,949

10,757

3,599

2,208

1,380

2,862

48,963

29,148

14,114

599

1,709

14,256

6,986

-

1,456

2,096

70,364

Trade and other receivables consist of a large 
number of customers spread across diverse 
geographical regions, which reduces credit risk.

As at balance sheet date, trade and other receivables 
of $32,318,000 (2022: $28,737,000) were past due. A 
provision of $5,620,000 (2022: $5,964,000) is held 
against these overdue amounts. This provision is based 
on expected life time credit losses, taking into account 
historic loss rates, age of the outstanding balances, 
customer payment history and any arrangements, 
leverage or security in place with the customer. Interest 
is charged on overdue debtors in some instances. 

The ageing analysis of these past due trade receivables is:

0 to 30 days

30 to 60 days

60 to 90 days

90 days and over

2023 
NZ$’000
8,117

4,432

4,251

15,518

32,318

2022 
NZ$’000
11,637

4,412

4,625

8,063

28,737

140

141

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESAs at balance date the 90 days and over category includes 
$3,878,000 relating to a specific customer. Subsequent 
to year end this specific customer has made a payment 
of $4,371,000 against the total balance outstanding.

The Group considers a financial asset to be in default 
when the debtor is unlikely to pay its credit obligations in 
full, without recourse by the Group. The gross carrying 
amount of a financial asset is written off when the 
Group has no reasonable expectations of recovering 
a financial asset in its entirety or a portion thereof.

3.1.5 Other assets

Accounting policies
Other assets relate to rights of return assets. Rights of 
return recognises the estimated returned sales under 
the Group's returns policies. Management estimates the 
returned sales based on historical sales return information 
and any recent trends that may suggest future claims 
could differ from historical amounts. For sales that are 
expected to be returned, the Group recognises a returns 
provision as disclosed in note 3.1.6. The associated 
inventory value for sales that are expected to be returned 
is recognised as a right of return asset. The costs to 
recover the products are not material because the 
customers usually return them in a saleable condition.

Right of return assets

Opening balance

Additional amounts 
recognised

Amounts incurred and 
charged

Foreign exchange

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

2,434

199

(709)

(64)

1,860

2,320

10

(19)

123

2,434

3.1.6 Trade and other payables

Accounting policies
Trade payables, sundry creditors and accruals 
principally comprise amounts outstanding for trade 
purchases and ongoing costs. Trade and other 
payables are initially measured at fair value and 
subsequently measured at amortised cost, using 
the effective interest method. The carrying value 
of trade payables is considered to approximate fair 
value as amounts are unsecured and are usually paid 
by the 30th of the month following recognition.

142

Employee entitlements relates to benefits accruing to 
employees in respect of wages and salaries, annual leave, 
and long service leave when it is probable that settlement 
will be required, and they are capable of being measured 
reliably. Provisions made in respect of employee benefits 
expected to be settled within 12 months are measured 
at their nominal values using the remuneration rate 
expected to apply at the time of settlement. Provisions 
made in respect of employee benefits which are not 
expected to be settled within 12 months are measured 
as the present value of the estimated future cash 
outflows to be made by the Group in respect of services 
provided by employees up to the reporting date.

Current

Trade payables

Employee entitlements

Sundry creditors and accruals

Provisions

Revenue received in advance

Non-current

Employee entitlements

Provisions

Sundry creditors and accruals

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

89,909

25,105

49,904

7,862

612

102,296

25,619

56,600

8,306

1,213

173,392

194,034

3,020

11,832

1,136

15,988

2,946

11,394

2,906

17,246

The carrying amount of the Group’s trade and other 
payables are denominated in the following currencies:

USD

AUD

NZD

EUR

THB

BRL

IDR

Other currencies

2023 
NZ$’000
72,523

2022 
NZ$’000
81,917

61,855

24,531

14,552

6,663

4,983

2,302

1,971

71,484

25,863

15,690

7,774

4,325

2,464

1,763

189,380

211,280

Provisions
A provision is recognised if, as a result of a past 
event, the Group has a present legal or constructive 
obligation that can be estimated reliably, and it 

is probable that an outflow of economic benefits 
will be required to settle the obligation.

The warranties provision represents the present value 
of the estimated future outflow of economic benefits 
that will be required under the Group’s obligations for 
warranties under local sale of goods legislation. The 
provision relates to wetsuits, watches and footwear and 
is based on estimates made from historical warranty 
data associated with similar products and services. 

A restructuring provision is recognised when the Group 
has approved a detailed and formal restructuring 
plan, and the restructuring has either commenced 
or has been announced publicly at balance date.

Lease restoration provision represents the present 
value of the estimated cost to restore leased properties 
to their original condition upon expiry of the lease.

Where a customer has a right to return a product 
within a given period, the Group recognises a returns 
provision for the consideration received that will be 
required to be refunded to customers on return of 
the product. The Group also recognises a right to 
the returned goods as disclosed in note 3.1.5. 

Other provisions relate to miscellaneous 
amounts that meet the definition of a provision 
and do not relate to the other categories.

Warranties 
NZ$’000

Restructuring 
NZ$’000

Lease 
restoration 
NZ$’000

Sales returns 
NZ$’000

Other 
NZ$’000

Total 
NZ$’000

Year ended 31 July 2022

Opening balance

Additional provisions recognised

Provisions used during the year

Provisions re-measured during 
the year

Foreign exchange

Closing balance

As at 31 July 2022

Current

Non-current

Year ended 31 July 2023

Opening balance

Additional provisions recognised

Provisions used during the year

Provisions re-measured during 
the year

Foreign exchange

Closing balance

As at 31 July 2023

Current

Non-current

1,693

606

(473)

-

126

1,952

1,952

-

1,952

1,952

694

(644)

(405)

(27)

1,570

1,570

-

1,570

360

163

(45)

(23)

(10)

445

445

-

445

445

1,745

(167)

(113)

37

1,947

1,947

-

1,947

11,248

457

-

(826)

515

11,394

-

11,394

11,394

11,394

1,056

-

(528)

(90)

11,832

-

11,832

11,832

4,692

29

-

136

258

5,115

5,115

-

5,115

5,115

411

-

(1,044)

(137)

4,345

4,345

-

4,345

581

289

(87)

-

11

794

794

-

794

794

-

-

(789)

(5)

-

-

-

-

18,574

1,544

(605)

(713)

900

19,700

8,306

11,394

19,700

19,700

3,212

(167)

(2,829)

(222)

19,694

7,862

11,832

19,694

143

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES3.2 PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

The following section shows the physical assets used by the Group to operate the business, generating revenues 
and profits. These assets include store and office fit-out, as well as equipment used in sales and support activities.

Assets are recognised only when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to 
the Group and the cost of the item can be measured reliably.

Accounting policies

Property, plant and equipment
All property, plant and equipment are stated at 
historical cost less depreciation and impairment. 
Historical cost includes expenditure that is directly 
attributable to the acquisition of the items. Cost may 
also include transfers from equity of any gains / losses 
on qualifying cash flow hedges of foreign currency 
purchases of property, plant and equipment.

The assets’ residual value and useful lives are reviewed 
and adjusted if appropriate at each balance sheet date.

Capital work in progress is not depreciated until available 
for use.

An asset’s carrying amount is written down immediately 
to its recoverable amount if the asset’s carrying amount 
is greater than its estimated recoverable amount.

Depreciation
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is 
calculated using straight line and diminishing value 
methods to expense the cost of the assets over 
their useful lives. Store and office fitouts are typically 

Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment can be analysed as follows:

depreciated over the expected primary lease term. 
The rates are as follows:

Buildings 
Leasehold improvements 
Office, plant and equipment 
Furniture and fittings 
Computer equipment 

5 – 10%
5 – 50%
5 – 50%
10 – 50%
10 – 50%

The useful lives of the Group’s property, plant and 
equipment including store and office fitouts and wetsuit 
manufacturing facilities are reviewed annually to 
determine whether there have been any changes due to 
operational or external factors, including climate change 
considerations, and updated as appropriate. There have 
been no such changes identified during the financial year.

Impairment of assets
Property, plant and equipment is reviewed for impairment 
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate 
that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An 
impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which 
the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable 
amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an 
asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in use. 

Land & 
buildings 
NZ$’000

Leasehold 
improvements 
NZ$’000

Office, plant & 
equipment 
NZ$’000

Furniture & 
fittings 
NZ$’000

Computer 
equipment 
NZ$’000

Total 
NZ$’000

8,691

(3,925)

4,766

92,270

(65,270)

27,000

30,130

(18,179)

11,951

101,699

(71,642)

30,057

21,175

(15,665)

5,510

253,965

(174,681)

79,284

As at 31 July 2021

Cost 

Accumulated depreciation

Closing net book value

144

Land & 
buildings 
NZ$’000

Leasehold 
improvements 
NZ$’000

Office, plant & 
equipment 
NZ$’000

Furniture & 
fittings 
NZ$’000

Computer 
equipment 
NZ$’000

Total 
NZ$’000

11,951

1,335

(7)

(1,338)

-

(20)

-

559

12,480

31,253

(18,773)

12,480

12,480

3,014

(86)

(1,598)

-

(669)

(75)

13,066

32,325

(19,259)

13,066

30,057

10,227

(475)

(9,553)

(12)

1,535

-

1,300

33,079

115,582

(82,503)

33,079

33,079

11,024

(512)

(8,964)

-

(1,651)

91

33,067

97,762

(64,695)

33,067

5,510

1,453

(12)

(1,894)

-

(74)

(1,507)

129

3,605

79,284

21,567

(595)

(22,572)

(12)

-

(1,507)

3,078

79,243

19,293

(15,688)

3,605

276,641

(197,398)

79,243

3,605

1,132

(7)

(1,482)

-

276

47

3,571

79,243

27,665

(700)

(22,824)

-

(702)

260

82,942

17,879

(14,308)

3,571

266,718

(183,776)

82,942

Capital commitments
Capital commitments contracted for at balance sheet 
date include property, plant and equipment of $1,790,000 
(2022: $868,000).

Year ended 31 July 2022

Opening net book value

Additions

Disposals

Depreciation

Impairment

Transfers between categories

Transfers to intangibles

Foreign exchange

Closing net book value

As at 31 July 2022

Cost 

Accumulated depreciation

Closing net book value

Year ended 31 July 2023

Opening net book value

Additions

Disposals

Depreciation

Impairment

Transfers between categories & 
to intangibles

Foreign exchange

Closing net book value

As at 31 July 2023

Cost 

Accumulated depreciation

Closing net book value

4,766

342

-

(353)

-

(15)

-

(105)

4,635

8,832

(4,197)

4,635

4,635

493

-

(404)

-

201

463

5,388

10,382

(4,994)

5,388

27,000

8,210

(101)

(9,434)

-

(1,426)

-

1,195

25,444

101,681

(76,237)

25,444

25,444

12,002

(95)

(10,376)

-

1,141

(266)

27,850

108,370

(80,520)

27,850

Depreciation expense is excluded from administration 
and general expenses in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.

Sale of property, plant and equipment
Gains and losses on disposals are determined by 
comparing proceeds with carrying amount. These  
are included in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.

Loss on sale of property, 
plant and equipment

2023 
NZ$’000
698

2022 
NZ$’000
591

145

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES3.3 INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

The following section shows the non-physical assets used by the Group to operate the business, generating 
revenues and profits. These assets include brands, customer relationship, software development and goodwill.

This section explains the accounting policies applied and the specific judgements and estimates made by the 
Directors in arriving at the net book value of these assets.

Accounting policies

Goodwill
Goodwill arises on the acquisition of subsidiaries. Goodwill 
represents the excess of the cost of the acquisition over 
the Group’s interest in the net fair value of the assets and 
liabilities of the acquiree. Separately recognised goodwill is 
tested annually for impairment or more frequently if events 
or changes in circumstances indicate that it might be 
impaired. It is carried at cost less accumulated impairment 
losses. Impairment losses on goodwill are not reversed.

Goodwill is allocated to cash-generating units for the 
purpose of impairment testing. The allocation is made 
to those cash-generating units or groups of cash-
generating units that are expected to benefit from the 
business combination in which the goodwill arose. 

Brand
Acquired brands are carried at original cost based 
on independent valuation obtained at the date of 
acquisition. The brand represents the price paid to 
acquire the rights to use the Kathmandu, Oboz or 
Rip Curl brand. The brand is not amortised. Instead, 
the brand is tested for impairment annually or more 
frequently if events or changes in circumstances 
indicate that it might be impaired and is carried 
at cost less accumulated impairment losses.

Customer relationships
Acquired customer relationships are carried at original 
cost based on independent valuation obtained at the 
date of acquisition less accumulated amortisation. 
They are amortised on a straight-line basis over 
a useful life of five to ten years. The estimated 
useful life and amortisation period is reviewed 
at the end of each annual reporting period.

Software costs
Software costs have a finite useful life. Software costs are 
capitalised and amortised over the useful economic life. 

Costs associated with maintaining computer software 
programs are recognised as an expense when incurred. 
Costs that are directly associated with the creation or 
acquisition of an identifiable software asset controlled 
by the Group, and that will probably generate economic 
benefits exceeding costs beyond one year, are recognised 
as intangible assets. Direct costs include the costs of 
software development employees and contractors. 

Software is amortised over the estimated useful economic 
life of the asset ranging from two to ten years.

Software-as-a Service (SaaS) arrangements
SaaS arrangements are arrangements in which 
the Group does not currently control the 
underlying software used in the arrangement.

Where implementation costs for SaaS arrangements 
result in the creation of an identifiable software asset, 
and where the Group has the power to obtain the 
future economic benefits flowing from the underlying 
resource and to restrict the access of others to those 
benefits, such costs are recognised as a separate 
intangible software asset and amortised over the 
useful life of the software on a straight-line basis.

Where costs incurred to configure or customise SaaS 
arrangements do not result in the recognition of an 
intangible software asset, then those costs that provide 
the Group with a distinct service (in addition to access 
to the SaaS software) are recognised as expenses 
when the supplier provides the services. When such 
costs incurred do not provide a distinct service, the 
costs are recognised as expenses over the duration of 
the expected renewable term of the arrangement.

Other intangibles
Other intangibles relate to lease rights expenditure 
associated with acquiring existing lease agreements for 
stores where there is an active market for key money. 
They are carried at original cost less accumulated 
impairment losses. Other intangibles have an indefinite 
useful life and are tested annually for impairment.

Impairment
Assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events 
or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying 
amount may not be recoverable. Intangible assets that 

Intangible assets

have an indefinite useful life, including goodwill, are 
not subject to amortisation and are tested annually for 
impairment irrespective of whether any circumstances 
identifying a possible impairment have been identified. An 
impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which 
the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable 
amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an 
asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in use.

For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are 
grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately 
identifiable cash flows e.g., cash generating units.

As at 31 July 2021

Cost 

Accumulated amortisation

Closing net book value

Year ended 31 July 2022

Opening net book value

Additions

Disposals

Amortisation

Transfers from property, plant and equipment

Foreign exchange

Closing net book value

As at 31 July 2022

Cost 

Accumulated amortisation

Closing net book value

Year ended 31 July 2023

Opening net book value

Additions

Disposals

Amortisation

Transfers from property, plant and equipment

Foreign exchange

Closing net book value

As at 31 July 2023

Cost 

Accumulated amortisation

Closing net book value

Goodwill 
NZ$’000

Brand 
NZ$’000

Customer 
relationship 
NZ$’000

Software 
NZ$’000

Other 
intangibles 
NZ$’000

277,672

(1,271)

276,401

350,127

-

350,127

40,621

(9,237)

31,384

67,004

(45,721)

21,283

276,401

350,127

31,384

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

13,600

290,001

18,040

368,167

-

-

(5,188)

-

1,532

27,728

21,283

14,885

(14)

(7,151)

1,507

228

30,738

291,272

368,167

(1,271)

-

290,001

368,167

42,892

(15,164)

27,728

84,471

(53,733)

30,738

290,001

368,167

27,728

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(2,121)

287,880

(7,246)

360,921

30,738

8,323

-

-

-

(5,303)

(8,822)

-

(704)

21,721

702

(13)

30,928

4,358

(1,544)

2,814

2,814

-

-

-

-

(126)

2,688

4,162

(1,474)

2,688

2,688

-

-

(7)

-

271

2,952

Total 
NZ$’000

739,782

(57,773)

682,009

682,009

14,885

(14)

(12,339)

1,507

33,274

719,322

790,964

(71,642)

719,322

719,322

8,323

-

(14,132)

702

(9,813)

704,402

289,151

(1,271)

287,880

360,921

-

360,921

41,739

(20,018)

21,721

95,109

(64,181)

30,928

4,582

(1,630)

2,952

791,502

(87,100)

704,402

146

147

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESSale of intangibles
Gains and losses on disposals are determined by 
comparing proceeds with carrying amount. These  
are included in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.

Loss on sale of intangibles

2023 
NZ$’000
-

2022 
NZ$’000
14

Impairment tests for goodwill and brand
The aggregate carrying amounts of goodwill and brand 
allocated to each unit for impairment testing are as follows:

Goodwill

Brand

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

Kathmandu

122,041

122,936

150,352

153,336

Oboz

Rip Curl

74,101

91,738

72,572

94,493

287,880

290,001

40,699

169,870

360,921

39,859

174,972

368,167

For the purposes of goodwill and brand impairment 
testing, the Group operates as three cash generating 
units, Kathmandu, Rip Curl and Oboz, which are aligned to 
the Group’s operating segments as outlined in note 2.1.

The recoverable amount of each cash generating unit 
(CGU) has been determined based on the fair value 
less cost of disposal (FVLCOD). Five-year projected 
cash flows are used to determine the FVLCOD.

The discounted cash flow valuations were calculated 
using post tax cash flow projections based on financial 
budgets prepared by management and approved 
by the Directors for the year ended 31 July 2023. 
Cash flows beyond July 2023 are based on three-
year business plans presented to the Directors.

The terminal growth rate assumption is based on 
a conservative estimate considering the current 
inflation targets and do not exceed the historical 
long-term average growth rate for each CGU. Pre-
tax discount rates are calculated based on a market 
participant expected capital structure and cost of 
debt to derive a weighted average cost of capital.

The FVLCOD calculations confirmed that there was no 
impairment of goodwill and brand during the year (2022: nil). 

The Group has performed sensitivity analysis of the 
key assumptions provided above and, in each case, a 
reasonable change in assumption would not result in an 
impairment. However, it is possible they could occur in 
a combination. Furthermore, the CGU with the lowest 
headroom is the Oboz CGU which has NZ$30 million of 
headroom. Prior to the 2022 financial year the Oboz CGU 
achieved an average EBITDA margin of approximately 
16% each year. Over the last two years the Oboz CGU has 
achieved an average EBITDA margin of approximately 7%. 
The Oboz CGU EBITDA margin is forecasted to exceed 
15% in the 2026 financial year. If the EBITDA margin 
does not recover to its historical levels the CGU could 
be impaired if all other assumptions remain unchanged.

The expected continued promotion and marketing of 
the Kathmandu, Oboz and Rip Curl brands supports 
the assumption that the brand has an indefinite life.

The Group has considered the impact of climate 
change on the key assumptions included in its 
impairment testing and has concluded that it will not 
have a material impact on the key assumptions.

Capital commitments
Capital commitments contracted for at 
balance sheet date include intangible assets 
of $2,062,000 (2022: $2,962,000).

Kathmandu
14.6%

10.3%

2.9%

2023

Rip Curl
14.4%

10.1%

3.0%

Oboz
14.8%

10.7%

2.5%

Kathmandu
12.9%

9.1%

2.4%

2022

Rip Curl
12.8%

9.0%

2.5%

Oboz
14.5%

10.5%

2.2%

Assumptions used:

Pre-tax WACC rate

Post-tax WACC rate

Terminal growth rate

148

3.4 LEASES

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

The following section shows the assets leased by the Group to operate the business, generating revenues and 
profits. These assets include the lease of retail stores.

This section explains the accounting policies applied and the specific judgements and estimates made by the 
Directors in arriving at the carrying value of these assets and the corresponding lease liability.

Accounting policies
The Group assesses whether a contract is or contains a 
lease, at inception of a contract. The Group recognises 
a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability 
with respect to all lease arrangements in which it is the 
lessee, except for short-term leases (defined as leases 
with a term of 12 months or less) and leases of low value 
assets. For these leases, the Group recognises the lease 
payments as an operating expense on a straight-line basis 
over the term of the lease unless another systematic 
basis is more representative of the time pattern in which 
economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.

Lease liability
The lease liability is initially measured at the present 
value of the lease payments that are not paid at the 
commencement date, discounted by using the rate implicit 
in the lease. If this rate cannot be readily determined, the 
Group uses its incremental borrowing rate. The Group’s 
incremental borrowing rate has been determined as 
the rate of interest that the Group would have to pay to 
borrow over a similar term and with a similar security the 
funds necessary to obtain an asset of a similar value to 
the right-of-use asset in a similar economic environment.

Lease payments included in the measurement 
of the lease liability comprise:

• fixed lease payments (including in-substance 
fixed payments), less any lease incentives; and

• variable lease payments that depend on an 
index or rate, initially measured using the 
index or rate at the commencement date.

The lease liability is subsequently measured by increasing 
the carrying amount to reflect interest on the lease liability 
(using the effective interest method) and by reducing the 
carrying amount to reflect the lease payments made.

The Group remeasures the lease liability (and 
makes a corresponding adjustment to the 
related right-of-use asset) whenever:

• the lease term has changed in which case the lease 
liability is remeasured by discounting the revised 
lease payments using a revised discount rate;
• the lease payments change due to changes in an 
index or rate or a change in expected payment 
under a guaranteed residual value, in which cases 
the lease liability is remeasured by discounting 
the revised lease payments using the initial 
discount rate (unless the lease payments change 
is due to a change in a floating interest rate, in 
which case a revised discount rate is used);

• a lease contract is modified, and the lease modification 
is not accounted for as a separate lease, in which case 
the lease liability is remeasured by discounting the 
revised lease payments using a revised discount rate.

Right of use asset
The right-of-use assets comprise the initial measurement 
of the corresponding lease liability, lease payments made 
at or before the commencement day and any initial 
direct costs. They are subsequently measured at cost 
less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses.

Whenever the Group incurs an obligation for costs 
to dismantle and remove a leased asset, restore the 
site on which it is located or restore the underlying 
asset to the condition required by the terms and 
conditions of the lease, a provision is recognised 
and measured under NZ IAS 37. The costs are 
included in the related right-of-use asset.

Right-of-use assets are depreciated over the lease term 
and including expected renewals. The depreciation 
starts at the commencement date. Changes 
due to operational or external factors, including 

149

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESclimate change are considered when assessing the 
inclusion of expected renewals in the lease term.

3.4.1 Right-of-use assets
The movements in right of use assets were as follows:

Lease liability maturity analysis

The Group applies NZ IAS 36 Impairment of Assets 
to determine whether a right-of-use asset is impaired 
and accounts for any identified impairment loss.

Variable rents
Variable rents that do not depend on an index or rate 
are not included in the measurement of the lease liability 
and the right-of-use asset. The related payments are 
recognised as an expense in the period in which the 
event or condition that triggers those payments occurs 
and are included in the selling expenses line in the 
consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Group as a lessee
The Group leases several assets including buildings and 
motor vehicles. Some of the existing lease arrangements 
have right of renewal options for varying terms. Renewal 
options are included within the lease if the Group is 
reasonably certain to take up the option. The average 
lease term for property leases, including expected rights 
of renewal, is 9 years (2022: 9 years). The average lease 
term for vehicle leases is 3 years (2022: 3 years).

Opening net book value

Additions and modifications to 
right-of-use asset

Depreciation for the period

Impairment for the period

Foreign exchange

Closing net book value

Cost

Accumulated amortisation & 
impairment

2023 
NZ$’000
250,372

106,231

(86,757)

1,675

(1,194)

270,327

2022 
NZ$’000
242,677

75,311

(77,605)

(928)

10,917

250,372

518,760

(248,433)

439,852

(189,480)

Closing net book value

270,327

250,372

3.4.2 Lease liabilities
The movements in lease liabilities were as follows:

Opening lease liabilities

Additions and modifications to 
lease liability

Interest expense on lease 
liabilities

Repayment of lease liabilities 
(including interest)

Foreign exchange

Closing lease liabilities

2023 
NZ$’000
284,587

108,025

2022 
NZ$’000
279,271

75,816

11,022

8,476

(99,736)

(91,247)

(1,798)

302,100

12,271

284,587

As at 31 July 2022

Within one year

One to five years

Beyond five years

Current

Non-current

As at 31 July 2023

Within one year

One to five years

Beyond five years

Current

Non-current

Gross lease 
payments 
NZ$’000

82,992

184,404

40,849

308,245

Interest 
NZ$’000

(7,699)

(13,683)

(2,276)

(23,658)

92,839

195,533

41,651

330,023

(9,607)

(16,168)

(2,148)

(27,923)

Carrying 
amount 
NZ$’000

75,293

170,721

38,573

284,587

75,293

209,294

284,587

83,232

179,365

39,503

302,100

83,232

218,868

302,100

150

151

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESSection 4: Capital Structure and  
Financing Costs

 IN THIS SECTION

This section outlines how the Group manages its capital structure and related financing costs, including its 
balance sheet liquidity and access to capital markets. 

Capital structure is how an entity finances its overall operations and growth by using different sources of funds. 
The Directors determine and monitor the appropriate capital structure of the Group, specifically how much is 
raised from shareholders (equity) and how much is borrowed from financial institutions (debt) to finance the 
Group’s activities both now and in the future.

The Directors consider the Group’s capital structure and dividend policy at least twice a year ahead of 
announcing results and do so in the context of its ability to continue as a going concern, to execute strategy 
and to deliver its business plan.

Interest is payable based on the BKBM rate (NZD 
borrowings), the BBSY rate (AUD borrowings), SOFR 
rate (US borrowings) or the applicable short-term rate 
for interest periods less than 30 days, plus a margin 
of between 1.05% -  1.31%. The debt is secured by 
the assets of the guaranteeing group in accordance 
with the Security Trust Deed dated 25 October 2019 
as amended 12 May 2023. The guaranteeing group 
comprises entities operating in New Zealand, Australia, 
North America and the United Kingdom. The carrying 
value of the assets held by the guaranteeing group 
are $1,444,870,000 (2022: $1,408,254,000).

The covenants entered into by the Group require 
specified calculations of Group earnings before interest, 
tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) plus lease 
rental costs to exceed total fixed charges (net interest 
expense and lease rental costs) at the end of each half 
during the financial year. Similarly, EBITDA must be no 
less than a specified proportion of total net debt at the 
end of each six-month interim period. The calculations 
of these covenants are specified in the bank facility 
agreement of 25 October 2019 as amended and restated 
on 12 May 2023. The Group has complied with its banking 
covenants at all measurement points during the year.

The current interest rates, prior to hedging, on the term 
loans ranged between 5.31% - 6.65% (2022: 0.99% - 3.20%).

4.1 INTEREST BEARING LIABILITIES

Accounting policies
Interest bearing liabilities are the Group’s borrowings. 
Borrowings are initially recognised at fair value, net of 
transaction costs incurred. Borrowings are subsequently 
measured at amortised cost. Any difference between 
the proceeds (net of transaction costs) and the 
redemption amount is recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income over the period of 
the borrowings using the effective interest method.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities 
unless the Group has an unconditional right 
to defer settlement of the liability for at least 
12 months after the balance sheet date.

The table below separates borrowings into current and 
non-current liabilities:

Current portion

Non-current portion

2023 
NZ$’000
-

105,209

105,209

2022 
NZ$’000
-

110,881

110,881

Group Facility Agreement
The Group has a multi-option syndicated facility, which 
consists of an A$240 million multi-currency revolving 
facility and a NZ$54 million multi-currency revolving 
facility. Both facilities are sustainability linked with targets 
such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, continued B 
Corp certification, and improving transparency within the 
Group supply chain, including the wellbeing and labour 
conditions of workers, and environmental metrics.   All 
facilities are repayable in full on 12 November 2026.

152

Refer to note 4.2 for notional principal amounts 
and valuations of interest rate swaps outstanding 
at balance sheet date. A sensitivity analysis of 
interest rate risk on the Group’s financial assets 
and liabilities is provided in the table below.

At the reporting date the interest rate profile of the 
Group's banking facilities was (carrying amount):

Total secured borrowings

Less Principal covered by 
interest rate swaps

Net principal subject to floating 
interest rates

2023 
NZ$’000
105,209

-

2022 
NZ$’000
110,881

-

105,209

110,881

Interest rate swaps have the economic effect of 
converting borrowings from floating to fixed rates. 
The cash flow hedge loss on interest rate swaps 
at balance sheet date was nil (2022: nil).

Interest rate sensitivity analysis
The following table summarises the sensitivity of the 
Group’s financial assets and financial liabilities to interest 
rate risk.

A sensitivity of 1% (2022: 1%) has been selected for 
interest rate risk. The 1% is based on reasonably possible 
changes over a financial year, using the observed range of 
historical data for the preceding five-year period.

Amounts are shown net of income tax. All variables other 
than applicable interest rates are held constant. The 
impact on equity is presented exclusive of the impact on 
retained earnings.

Reconciliation of movement in borrowings

Opening balance

Net cash flow movement

Capitalised borrowing costs

Foreign exchange movement

2023 
NZ$’000
110,881

(1,119)

(1,419)

(3,134)

2022 
NZ$’000
105,597

-

(340)

5,624

Closing balance

105,209

110,881

Borrowings maturity analysis

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

Principal of interest-bearing 
liabilities:

Payable within 1 year

Payable 1 to 2 years

Payable 2 to 3 years

Payable 3 to 4 years

4.1.1 Finance costs

Interest income

Interest expense on interest 
bearing liabilities

Interest on lease liabilities

Other finance costs

Net exchange loss / (gain) on 
foreign currency

-

-

-

105,209

105,209

2023 
NZ$’000
(886)

7,828

11,022

3,692

2,398

-

110,881

-

-

110,881

2022 
NZ$’000
(394)

1,809

8,476

3,057

845

24,054

13,793

Other finance costs relate to facility fees on banking 
arrangements and debt underwriting costs.

4.1.2 Cash flow and fair value interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that fluctuations in interest 
rates impact the Group’s financial performance.

Risk

Interest rate 
risk

Exposure 
arising from
Interest 
bearing 
liabilities 
at floating 
interest rates

Monitoring

Management

Interest rate 
swaps

Cash flow 
forecasting 
Sensitivity 
analysis

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESAs at 31 July 2023

Financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Financial liabilities

Interest bearing liabilities

Net increase / (decrease)

As at 31 July 2022

Financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Financial liabilities

Interest bearing liabilities

Net increase / (decrease)

Carrying amount 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

-1%

+1%

49,488

(356)

105,209

758

402

-

-

-

356

(758)

(402)

-

-

-

Carrying amount 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

-1%

+1%

70,810

(510)

110,881

798

288

-

-

-

510

(798)

(288)

-

-

-

4.1.3 Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due.

Risk
Liquidity risk

Exposure arising from
Trade and other payables

Interest bearing liabilities

Monitoring
Cash flow forecasting

Management
Active working capital management

Flexibility in funding arrangements

The Group has borrowing facilities of $311,605,000 (2022: $332,772,000) and operates well within this facility. This 
includes short term bank overdraft requirements, and at balance sheet date no bank accounts were in overdraft. 
Of this total facility $25,482,000 is available for instruments including letters of credit and bank guarantees.

154

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

The table below analyses the Group’s financial liabilities and net-settled derivative financial liabilities into 
relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period at the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity 
date. The amounts disclosed in the table are the contractual undiscounted cash flows, so will not always 
reconcile with the amounts disclosed on the balance sheet.

As at 31 July 2022

Trade payables and accrued expenses

Interest bearing liabilities

As at 31 July 2023

Trade payables and accrued expenses

Interest bearing liabilities

Less than  
1 year  
NZ$’000

Between  
1 - 2 years  
NZ$’000

Between  
2 - 5 years  
NZ$’000

Over 5 years  
NZ$’000

152,278

2,239

154,517

133,794

5,735

139,529

1,771

112,716

114,487

1,136

5,751

6,887

1,136

-

1,136

-

112,563

112,563

-

-

-

-

-

-

The Group enters into forward exchange contracts to manage the risks associated with the purchase of foreign currency 
denominated products.

The table below analyses the Group’s derivative financial instruments that will be settled on a gross basis into relevant 
maturity groupings based on the remaining period at the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. The 
amounts disclosed in the table are the contractual undiscounted cash flows. They are expected to occur and affect the 
profit or loss at various dates between balance sheet dates and the following five years.

Less than  
1 year  
NZ$’000

Between  
1 - 2 years  
NZ$’000

Between  
2 - 5 years  
NZ$’000

Over 5 years  
NZ$’000

As at 31 July 2022

Forward foreign exchange contracts

Inflow

Outflow

Net inflow / (outflow)

As at 31 July 2023

Forward foreign exchange contracts

Inflow

Outflow

Net inflow / (outflow)

180,362

(170,426)

9,936

178,278

(176,878)

1,400

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES4.2 DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Derivative financial instruments

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

A derivative is a type of financial instrument typically used to manage risk. A derivative’s value changes over time 
in response to underlying variables such as exchange rates or interest rates and is entered into for a fixed period. 
A hedge is where a derivative is used to manage an underlying exposure.

The Group is exposed to changes in interest rates on its borrowings and to changes in foreign exchange rates on 
its foreign currency (largely USD) purchases. The Group uses derivatives to hedge these underlying exposures.

Derivative financial instruments are initially included in the balance sheet at their fair value, either as assets or 
liabilities, and are subsequently re-measured at fair value at each reporting date.

An interest rate swap is an instrument to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating rate, or vice versa, or one 
type of floating rate for another.

Foreign exchange contracts

Current asset

Current liability

Net foreign exchange contracts - 
cash flow hedge (asset /(liability))

Interest rate swaps

Current liability

Non-current liability

Net interest rate swaps - cash flow 
hedge (asset / (liability))

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

2,560

(1,160)

1,400

9,936

-

9,936

4.2.1 Foreign exchange risk
Foreign exchange risk is the risk that fluctuations 
in exchange rates will impact the Group’s financial 
performance. The Group operates internationally and is 
exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various 
currency exposures, primarily with respect to the AUD, 
USD and EUR.

-

-

-

-

-

-

Risk

Foreign 
exchange risk

Exposure 
arising from
Foreign 
currency 
purchases 
(over 90% of 
purchases in 
USD)

Monitoring

Management

USD foreign 
exchange 
derivatives

Forecast 
purchases

Reviewing 
exchange rate 
movements

and losses previously deferred in equity are transferred 
from equity and included in the measurement of the 
initial cost or carrying amount of the asset or liability.

When a hedging instrument expires or is sold or 
terminated, or when a hedge no longer meets the 
criteria for hedge accounting, any cumulative gain or 
loss existing in equity at that time remains in equity 
and is recognised when the forecast transaction is 
ultimately recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income. When a forecast transaction is 
no longer expected to occur, the cumulative gain or loss 
that was reported in equity is immediately transferred to 
the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Foreign currency transactions and balances
Foreign currency transactions are translated into the 
functional currency using the exchange rates prevailing at 
the dates of the transaction. Foreign exchange gains and 
losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions 
and from the translation at year end exchange rates 
of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in 
foreign currencies are recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income, except when 
deferred in other comprehensive income. Translation 
differences on monetary financial assets and liabilities are 
reported as part of the foreign exchange gain or loss.

Accounting policies
Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date 
a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently 
re-measured to their fair value. The method of recognising 
the resulting gain or loss depends on whether the 
derivative is designated as a hedging instrument, and 
if so, the nature of the item being hedged. The Group 
designates certain derivatives as hedges of highly 
probable forecast transactions (cash flow hedges).

At inception of the hedging relationship, the Group 
documents the economic relationship between 
hedging instruments and hedged items, including 
whether changes in the cash flows of the hedging 
instruments are expected to offset changes in the 
cash flows of the hedged items. The Group also 
documents its risk management objectives and 
strategy for undertaking its hedge transactions.

Cash flow hedge
The effective portion of changes in the fair value 
of derivatives that are designated and qualify as 
cash flow hedges is recognised in equity in the 
hedging reserve. The gain or loss relating to the 
ineffective portion is recognised immediately in the 
consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Amounts accumulated in equity are recycled in the 
consolidated statement of comprehensive income in the 
periods when the hedged item will affect profit or loss. 
However, when the forecast transaction that is hedged 
results in the recognition of a non-financial asset (for 
example, inventory) or a non-financial liability, the gains 

156

The Group is exposed to currency risk on any cash 
remitted between entities in different jurisdictions. 
The Group does not hedge for such remittances. 
Interest on borrowings is typically denominated 
in either New Zealand, Australian or US dollars 
and is paid for out of surplus operating cashflows 
generated in New Zealand, Australia and the US.

Foreign currency sensitivity analysis
The following table summarises the sensitivity 
of the Group’s financial assets and financial 
liabilities to foreign exchange risk.

A sensitivity of -10% / +10% (2022: -10% / +10%) for 
foreign exchange risk has been selected. While it is 
unlikely that an equal movement of the New Zealand 
dollar would be observed against all currencies, an 
overall sensitivity of -10% / +10% (2022: -10% / +10%) is 
reasonable given the exchange rate volatility observed 
on a historic basis for the preceding five-year period and 
market expectation for potential future movements.

Amounts are shown net of income tax. All variables 
other than applicable exchange rates are held 
constant. The impact on equity is presented 
exclusive of the impact on retained earnings.

Total derivative financial 
instruments

1,400

9,936

The above table shows the Group’s financial 
derivative holdings at year end. 

Interest rate swaps - cash flow hedge
Interest rate swaps are to exchange a floating rate 
of interest for a fixed rate of interest. The objective 
of the transaction is to hedge the core floating rate 
borrowings of the business to minimise the impact of 
interest rate volatility within acceptable levels of risk 
thereby limiting the volatility on the Group's financial 
results. The notional amount of interest rate swaps at 
balance sheet date was nil (2022: nil). The fixed interest 
rate is nil (2022: nil). Refer to note 4.1.3 for timing of 
contractual cash flows relating to interest rate swaps.

Foreign exchange contracts - cash flow hedge
The objective of these contracts is to hedge highly 
probable anticipated foreign currency purchases against 
currency fluctuations. These contracts are timed to 
mature when import purchases are scheduled for 
payment. The notional amount of foreign exchange 
contracts amounts to US$109,254,000 / NZ$173,717,000 
(2022: US$106,730,000 / NZ$159,303,000).

No material hedge ineffectiveness for interest rate swaps 
or foreign exchange contracts exists as at balance sheet 
date (2022: nil).

Refer to note 4.2.1 for a sensitivity analysis of foreign 
exchange risk associated with derivative financial 
instruments.

157

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES-10%

+10%

4.3 EQUITY

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

As at 31 July 2023

Financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedge

Financial liabilities

Trade and other payables

Interest bearing liabilities

Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedge

Net increase / (decrease)

As at 31 July 2022

Financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedge

Financial liabilities

Trade and other payables

Interest bearing liabilities

Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedge

Net increase / (decrease)

Carrying 
amount 
NZ$’000

49,488

85,234

2,560

(189,380)

(105,209)

(1,160)

Carrying 
amount 
NZ$’000

70,810

92,882

9,936

2,625

6,560

-

(13,188)

(8,417)

-

(12,420)

-

-

(12,251)

-

-

(6,626)

(18,877)

(2,147)

(5,367)

-

10,790

6,886

-

10,162

-

-

10,023

-

-

5,422

15,445

-10%

+10%

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

Profit 
NZ$’000

Equity 
NZ$’000

3,806

7,303

-

-

-

(16,764)

(3,114)

(5,975)

-

12,128

7,258

-

-

-

13,716

-

-

70

(211,280)

(110,881)

-

(14,823)

(8,870)

-

-

-

(86)

(12,584)

(16,850)

10,297

13,786

This section explains material movements recorded in shareholders’ equity that are not explained elsewhere 
in the financial statements. The movements in equity and the balance at 31 July 2023 are presented in the 
consolidated statement of changes in equity.

Accounting policies

Share capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs 
directly attributable to the issue of new shares are shown 
in equity as a deduction, net of tax, from the proceeds.

Dividends
Dividends are recognised through equity following 
the approval by the Company’s directors.

4.3.1 Contributed equity - ordinary shares

2023 
NZ$’000
629,079

626,380

2,699

-

2022 
NZ$’000
626,380

626,380

-

-

Ordinary shares fully paid

Opening balance

Shares issued under Executive 
and Senior Management Long-
Term Incentive Plan

Shares issued under share 
entitlement offers and share 
placement

Closing balance

629,079

626,380

Number of issued shares

Opening balance

Shares issued under Executive 
and Senior Management  
Long-Term Incentive Plan

Shares issued under share 
entitlement offers and share 
placement

2023 
NZ$’000
709,001

2,346

-

2022 
NZ$’000
709,001

-

-

Closing balance

711,347

709,001

As at 31 July 2023 there were 711,347,722 (2022: 
709,001,384) ordinary issued shares in KMD Brands 
Limited and these are classified as equity. 

2,346,338 shares (2022: nil) were issued under the 
‘Executive and Senior Management Long Term Incentive 
Plan 24 November 2010’ during the year.

All ordinary shares carry equal rights in respect of voting 
and the receipt of dividends. Ordinary shares do not have 
a par value.

Refer to note 6.3 for employee share-based  
remuneration plans.

4.3.2 Reserves and retained earnings

Cash flow hedging reserve
The hedging reserve is used to record gains or losses 
on a hedging instrument in a cash flow hedge that are 
recognised directly in other comprehensive income, 
as described in the accounting policy in note 4.2. The 
amounts are recognised in profit or loss when the 
associated hedged transaction affects profit or loss.

Foreign currency translation reserve
The foreign currency translation reserve is used to 
record foreign currency translation differences arising 
on the translation of the Group entities results and 
financial position. The amounts are accumulated in other 
comprehensive income and recognised in profit or loss 
when the foreign operation is partially disposed of or sold.

Share based payments reserve
The share-based payments reserve is used to recognise 
the fair value of share options and performance rights 
granted but not exercised or lapsed. Amounts are 
transferred to share capital when vested options are 
exercised by the employee or performance rights  
are vested.

158

159

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESCash flow hedging reserve

Opening balance

Realised (gains) / losses transferred to hedged asset

Revaluation movement

Deferred taxation movement

Closing balance

Foreign currency translation reserve

Opening balance

Currency translation differences – gross

Currency translation differences – taxation

Closing balance

Share-based payments reserve

Opening balance

Change during the year

Deferred taxation movement

Transfer to share capital on vesting of shares to employees

Share options / performance rights lapsed

Closing balance

Other reserves

Opening balance

Current year expense recognised in other comprehensive income

Deferred taxation movement

Closing balance

Total reserves

4.3.3 Dividends

Prior year final dividend paid

Current year interim dividend paid

Dividends paid

2023 
NZ$’000
21,340

21,341

42,681

2022 
NZ$’000
21,270

21,270

42,540

Dividends paid represent NZ$0.06 per share  
(2022: NZ $0.06).

Section 5: Group Structure

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

 KEEPING IT SIMPLE

6,218

(14,443)

6,018

2,481

274

6,491

3,200

-

9,691

3,165

568

252

(2,699)

-

1,286

(47)

-

-

(47)

1,341

(7,794)

13,298

(627)

6,218

(29,462)

35,953

-

6,491

2,637

914

(309)

-

(77) 

3,165

(47)

-

-

(47)

2.3

2.3

2.3

2.3

11,204

15,827

4.3.4 Capital risk management
The Group’s capital includes contributed 
equity, reserves and retained earnings.

The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to 
safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going 
concern in order to provide returns for shareholders 
and benefits for other stakeholders and to maintain an 
optimal capital structure to reduce the cost of capital.

To maintain or adjust the capital structure, the Group 
may adjust the amount of dividends paid to shareholders, 
return capital to shareholders, issue new shares or 
sell assets to reduce debt or draw down more debt.

This section provides information about the entities that make up the KMD Brands Limited Group and how they 
affect the financial performance and position of the Group.

5.1 SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Subsidiaries are all entities over which the Group has control. Control is achieved when the Group:
• has power over the entity;
• is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity; and
• can use its power to affect returns.
Consolidation of a subsidiary begins when the Group obtains control over the subsidiary and ceases when 
the Group loses control of the subsidiary. All subsidiaries in the Group have a balance date of 31 July.

The following entities comprise the significant trading and holding companies of the Group:

Companies
Parent entity:
KMD Brands Limited

Subsidiaries:
Kathmandu Group Holdings Limited
KMD Brands Investments Limited
KMD Brands Finance (NZ) Limited
KMD Brands Finance (AU) Pty Limited
KMD Brands Managed Services (NZ) Limited
KMD Brands Managed Services (AU) Pty Ltd
Kathmandu Limited
Kathmandu Pty Ltd
Kathmandu (U.K.) Limited
Kathmandu US Holdings LLC
Oboz Footwear LLC
Barrel Wave Holdings Pty Ltd
Rip Curl Group Pty Ltd
Rip Curl International Pty Ltd
PT Jarosite
Rip Curl Pty Ltd
Onsmooth Thai Co Ltd
Rip Curl (Thailand) Ltd
Ozmosis Pty Ltd
Rip Curl Japan
Curl Retail No 1. Pty Ltd
RC Surf NZ Limited
Rip Curl Finance Pty Ltd
Rip Curl Europe S.A.S
Rip Curl Spain S.A.U
Rip Curl Suisse S.A.R.L
Rip Surf LDA
Rip Curl UK Ltd
KMD Brands Germany GMBH
Rip Curl Nordic AB
KMD Brands Italy SRL
Rip Curl Inc
Rip Curl Canada Inc
Rip Curl Brazil LTDA

Parties to Deed of 
Cross Guarantee

Country of 
incorporation

Parent % holding

2023

2022

√

√
√

√
√
√

√

√
√
√

√

√

√

New Zealand

100%
New Zealand
100%
New Zealand
100%
New Zealand
100%
Australia
100%
New Zealand
100%
Australia
100%
New Zealand
100%
Australia
United Kingdom
100%
United States of America 100%
United States of America 100%
100%
Australia
100%
Australia
100%
Australia
100%
Indonesia
100%
Australia
100%
Thailand
50%
Thailand
100%
Australia
100%
Japan
100%
Australia
100%
New Zealand
100%
Australia
100%
France
100%
Spain
100%
Switzerland
100%
Portugal
100%
United Kingdom
100%
Germany
100%
Sweden
Italy
100%
United States of America 100%
100%
Canada
100%
Brazil

100%
100%
100%
-
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
50%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
-
100%
100%
100%

160

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES5.2 DEED OF CROSS GUARANTEE

Pursuant to ASIC Corporations (wholly owned Companies) 
Instrument 2016/785, the Australian-incorporated wholly 
owned subsidiaries listed in note 5.1 as parties to the Deed 
of Cross Guarantee are relieved from the Corporations Act 
2001 requirements for preparation, audit and lodgement 
of financial reports and directors’ reports in Australia.

It is a condition of the ASIC Corporations Instrument 
that the Company and each of the subsidiaries listed 
enter a Deed of Cross Guarantee. The effect of the Deed 
is that each party guarantees to each creditor of each 
other party payment in full of any debt in the event of 
winding up of the other party under certain provisions 

of the Corporations Act 2001. If a winding up occurs 
under other provisions of the Act, the guarantee will 
only apply if after six months after a resolution or order 
winding up any creditor has not been paid in full.

A consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
and balance sheet are prepared for the Company and 
controlled entities that are parties to the Deed of Cross 
Guarantee, which eliminate all transactions between 
parties to the Deed of Cross Guarantee. These financial 
statements are included as a separate disclosure within 
the Consolidated Financial Statements in order to meet 
the Group’s Australian statutory reporting obligations.

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and Retained Earnings for the year ended 31 July 2023

2023 
NZ$’000
578,794

(534,747)

(25,281)

18,766

(6,429)

12,337

2

12,339

(56,567)

12,337

(42,681)

-

(86,911)

2022 
NZ$’000
530,199

(484,712)

1,965

47,452

(12,848)

34,604

14,837

49,441

(48,708)

34,604

(42,540)

77

(56,567)

Sales

Expenses

Finance costs – net

Profit before income tax

Income tax expense

Profit after income tax

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

Opening retained earnings

Profit for the year after income tax

Dividends paid

Share options / performance rights lapsed

Closing retained earnings

162

Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 July 2023

ASSETS

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Inventories

Derivative financial instruments

Current tax asset

Other current assets

Total current assets

Non-current assets

Trade and other receivables

Investments

Property, plant and equipment

Intangible assets

Right-of-use assets

Total non-current assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Derivative financial instruments

Current lease liabilities

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Non-current trade and other payables

Interest bearing liabilities

Loans with related parties

Deferred tax

Non-current lease liabilities

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

EQUITY

Contributed equity – ordinary shares

Reserves

Retained earnings

Total equity

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

7,618

34,945

111,095

2,084

7,947

752

23,201

23,453

136,195

4,948

660

770

164,441

189,227

104,918

351,251

45,691

475,903

152,099

1,129,862

1,294,303

88,967

518

56,171

145,656

8,619

101,049

308,174

73,011

116,258

607,111

752,767

87,736

354,777

40,357

477,908

133,171

1,093,949

1,283,176

86,931

-

50,301

137,232

7,542

110,881

267,033

76,073

104,125

565,654

702,886

541,536

580,290

629,079

(632)

(86,911)

541,536

626,380

10,477

(56,567)

580,290

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESSection 6: Other Notes

These derivatives have all been determined to be within 
level 2 (for the purposes of NZ IFRS 13) of the fair value 
hierarchy as all significant inputs required to ascertain 
the fair value of these derivatives are observable.

Guarantees and overdraft facilities
The fair value of these instruments is estimated on 
the basis that management do not expect settlement 
at face value to arise. The carrying value and fair 
value of these instruments are approximately 
nil. All guarantees are payable on demand.

6.3 EMPLOYEE SHARE-BASED 
REMUNERATION

Accounting policy

Equity settled long term incentive plan
The Executive and Senior Management Long Term 
Incentive plan grants Group employee’s performance 
rights subject to performance hurdles being met. The 
fair value of rights granted is recognised as an employee 
expense in the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income with a corresponding increase in the employee 
share-based payments reserve. The fair value is measured 
at grant date and amortised over the vesting periods. The 
fair value of the rights granted is measured using the KMD 
Brands Limited share price as at the grant date less the 
present value of the dividends forecast to be paid prior 
to each vesting date. At each balance sheet date, the 
Company revises its estimates of the number of shares 
expected to be distributed. It recognises the impact of the 
revision of original estimates, if any, in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income, and a corresponding 
adjustment to equity over the remaining vesting period.

Executive and Senior Management Long Term 
Incentive Plan
On 20 November 2013, shareholders approved at the 
Annual General Meeting the continuation of an Employee 
Long Term Incentive Plan (LTI) (previously established 24 
November 2010) to grant performance rights to Executive 
Directors, Senior Managers, Other Key Management 
Personnel and Wider Leadership Management. 

6.1 RELATED PARTIES

All transactions with related parties were in the normal 
course of business and provided on commercial 
terms. No amounts owed to related parties have 
been written off or forgiven during the period.

Key management personnel compensation

Salaries

Other short-term employee 
benefits

Post-employment benefits

Termination benefits

Share-based payments 
expense

2023 
NZ$’000
5,442

2022 
NZ$’000
5,189

120

344

-

568

468

201

468

308

6,474      

6,634

6.2 FAIR VALUES

The following methods and assumptions 
were used to estimate the fair values for 
each class of financial instrument:

Trade debtors, trade creditors and bank balances
The carrying value of these items is 
equivalent to their fair value.

Term liabilities
The fair value of the Group’s term liabilities is estimated 
based on current market rates available to the Group 
for debt of similar maturity. The fair value of term 
liabilities equates to their current carrying value.

Foreign exchange contracts and interest rate swaps
The fair value of these instruments is determined using 
valuation techniques (as they are not traded in an active 
market). These valuation techniques maximise the use 
of observable market data where it is available and 
rely as little as possible on entity specific estimates. 

Specific valuation techniques used to value financial 
instruments include the fair value of interest rate 
swaps. These are calculated at the present value of 
the estimated future cash flows, based on observable 
yield curves and the fair value of forward foreign 
exchange contracts, as determined using forward 
exchange rates at the balance sheet date, with the 
resulting value discounted back to present value.

164

Long Term Performance Rights
Performance rights granted to Executive Directors and Senior Managers are summarised below:

Grant date
20 Dec 2022

20 Dec 2021

22 Dec 2020

9 Jul 2020

Opening  
balance

Granted during 
the year

Vested during 
the year

Lapsed during 
the year

Closing  
balance

-

4,319,302

1,511,540

826,533

159,941

-

-

-

2,498,014

4,319,302

-

-

-

-

-

(614,535)

(197,256)

-

(159,941)

(971,732)

3,704,767

1,314,284

826,533

-

5,845,584

Long Term Incentive performance rights vest in equal 
tranches. In each tranche the rights are subject to a 
combination of a relative Total Shareholder Return 
(TSR) hurdle and / or an EPS growth hurdle. The relative 
weighting and number of tranches for each grant date are 
shown in the table below:

Grant date

Tranche

20 Dec 2022

20 Dec 2021

22 Dec 2020

9 Jul 2020

Tranche 1

Tranche 1

Tranche 1

Tranche 1

EPS 
weighting
50%

TSR 
weighting
50%

50%

50%

0%

50%

50%

100%

The proportion of rights subject to the relative TSR 
hurdle is dependent on KMD Brands Limited’s TSR 
performance relative to a defined comparable group of 
companies in New Zealand and Australia listed on either 
the ASX or NZX. The percentage of TSR related rights 
vest according to the following performance criteria:

KMD Brands Limited relative 
TSR ranking
Below 50th percentile

50th percentile

51st – 74th percentile

% vesting
0%

50%

50% + 2% for each percentile 
above the 50th

75th percentile or above

100%

The TSR performance is calculated for the following 
performance periods:

Tranche
Tranche 1

2023
36 months to 1 
December 2025

2022
36 months to 1 
December 2024

The fair value of the TSR rights have been valued under 
a Monte Carlo simulation approach predicting KMD 
Brands Limited’s TSR relative to the comparable group 
of companies at the respective vesting dates for each 
tranche. The fair value of TSR rights, along with the 
assumptions used to simulate the future share prices 
using a random-walk process are shown below:

Fair value of TSR rights

Current price at grant date

Risk free interest rate

Expected life (years)

Expected share volatility

2023
$0.72

$1.06

4.26%

3

70.0%

2022
$1.03

$1.47

2.02%

3

71.5%

The estimated fair value for each tranche of rights issued 
is amortised over the vesting period from the grant date. 

The proportion of rights subject to the EPS growth 
hurdle is dependent on the compound average 
annual growth in KMD Brands Limited’s EPS relative 
to the year ending 31 July 2022 (2022: 31 July 
2021). The applicable performance periods are:

Tranche
Tranche 1

2023
FY25 EPS relative to 
FY22 EPS

2022
FY24 EPS relative to 
FY21 EPS

The percentage of the December 2020 EPS growth 
related rights scales according to the compound 
average annual EPS growth over three years. Each 
year’s target is set annually, and an average is taken 
over the three years to determine overall achievement. 

165

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESThe fair values of the EPS rights have been assessed as the KMD Brands Limited share price as at the grant date less 
the present value of the dividends forecast to be paid prior to each vesting date. The estimated fair value for each 
tranche of options issued is amortised over the vesting period from the grant date.

Vesting of Long Term Incentive performance rights also require remaining in employment with the Company during the 
performance period.

Short Term Performance Rights
Transitional performance rights granted to Senior Managers and Wider Leadership Management are all Short Term 
Incentives under the shareholder approved Employee Long Term Incentive Plan, and are summarised below:

Grant date

20 Dec 2022

20 Dec 2021

Opening  
balance

Granted during 
the year

Vested during 
the year

Lapsed during 
the year

Closing  
balance

-

2,899,082

3,322,092

3,322,092

-

2,899,082

-

-

-

-

2,899,082

(3,322,092)

(3,322,092)

-

2,899,082

Short Term Incentive performance rights vest:

• upon the Company achieving non-
market performance hurdles; and 

• the employee remaining in employment with 

the Company until the vesting date. 

The performance period and vesting dates are 
summarised below:

Grant date

Performance period  
(year ending)

Vesting date

2023
20 Dec 2022

2022
20 Dec 2021

31 July 2023

31 July 2022

31 July 2024

31 July 2023

The fair values of the rights were assessed as the KMD 
Brands Limited share price at the grant date less the 
present value of the dividends forecast to be paid prior  
to the vesting date.

The non-market performance hurdles set for the year 
ending 31 July 2023 were not met and accordingly no 
expense (2022: nil) was recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income in respect of  
Short Term Incentive performance rights granted  
20 December 2021. 

Expenses arising from equity settled share-based 
payments transactions

Long term performance rights

Short term performance rights

2023 
NZ$’000
616

(48)

568

2022 
NZ$’000
308

606

914

6.4 CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

The Group is subject to litigation incidental to its 
business, none of which is expected to be material. 
No material provision has been made in the Group’s 
consolidated financial statements in relation to any 
current litigation and the Directors believe that such 
litigation will not have a material effect on the Group’s 
consolidated financial position, results of operations 
or cash flows. There are $677,000 of contingent 
liabilities as at 31 July 2023 (2021: $662,000).

6.5 CONTINGENT ASSETS

There are no contingent assets as at 31 July 2023  
(2022: nil).

6.6 EVENTS OCCURRING AFTER BALANCE 
SHEET DATE

On the 20 September 2023 the Board of Directors have 
announced that they will pay a final dividend of 3.0 cents 
per share, unfranked for Australian shareholders, and not 
imputed for New Zealand shareholders. This dividend is 
not recorded in the consolidated financial statements.

6.7 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Directors’ fees

Directors’ fees

2023 
NZ$’000
1,084

2022 
NZ$’000
942

Directors’ fees for the Company were paid to the following:

• David Kirk (Chairman)
• Philip Bowman
• Brent Scrimshaw
• Andrea Martens 
• Abby Foote
• Zion Armstrong (Appointed 1 December 2022)
• John Harvey (Retired 1 December 2022)

Audit fees
During the year, the following fees were paid or payable 
for services provided by the auditor of the Company, 
its related practices and other network audit firms:

2023 
NZ$’000

2022 
NZ$’000

Audit services – Group auditor

Group audit - KPMG New Zealand

Group audit - KPMG Australia

France statutory audit - KPMG France

Thailand statutory audit  
- KPMG Thailand

UK statutory audit  
- KPMG New Zealand

Audit services - other audit firms

Total fees for audit services

Non-audit services – Group auditor

Taxation services - KPMG US

Employee Retention Credits 
application - KPMG US

Revenue certificates  
- KPMG New Zealand

Banking compliance certificates  
- KPMG New Zealand

513

-

58

38

-

609

114

723

332

87

1

5

386

131

51

33

20

621

106

727

167

135

-

-

425

302

6.8 NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS AND 
INTERPRETATIONS

New standards and interpretations first applied in the 
period
Non-current Liabilities with Covenants (Amendments to 
NZ IAS 1) has been early adopted during the period. This 
amendment;

• Changed the existing requirement to classify a 

liability as current when a Company does not have 
an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least 
12 months after the reporting date by removing the 
requirement for a right to be unconditional and instead 
now requiring that a right to defer settlement must exist 
at the reporting date and have substance.
• Specifies that classification is unaffected by 

expectations about whether an entity will exercise its 
right to defer settlement of a liability;

• Explains that rights are in existence if covenants are 
complied with at the end of the reporting period and 
clarify that only covenants that an entity is required to 
comply with on or before the end of the reporting period 
affect the entity’s right to defer settlement of a liability 
for at least twelve months after the reporting date; and
• Covenants with which the company must comply after 
the reporting date (i.e. future covenants) do not affect 
a liability’s classification at that date. However, when 
non-current liabilities are subject to future covenants, 
companies need to disclose information to help users 
understand the risk that those liabilities could become 
repayable within 12 months after the reporting date.
The impact of early adoption is that the Group's Interest-
bearing liabilities under the new facility agreement are 
classified as non-current.

There are no other new accounting standards or 
interpretations first applied in the period.

Standards, interpretations and amendments to 
published standards that are not yet effective
There are no standards or amendments published but not 
yet effective that are expected to have a significant impact 
on the Group. 

166

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES169

   © 2023 KPMG, a New Zealand Partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.  Independent Auditor’s Report To the shareholdersofKMD Brands LimitedReport on theaudit of theconsolidated financial statementsOpinion In our opinion, the consolidatedfinancial statementsofKMD Brands Limited(the’company’)and its subsidiaries (the 'group')on pages 122to167presentfairly,in all material respects:i.the Group’sfinancial position as at 31 July 2023and its financial performance and cash flows for the yearended on that date;ii.in accordance withNewZealand Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the New Zealand Accounting Standards Board,andInternational Financial Reporting Standards.We have audited theaccompanyingconsolidated financial statementswhich comprise:—the consolidatedbalance sheet as at 31 July 2023;—theconsolidatedstatements of comprehensive income,changes in equityand cash flowsfor the yearthen ended; and—notes,including a summary of significant accounting policies.Basis for opinionWe conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (New Zealand)(‘ISAs (NZ)’).We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.We are independent of the groupin accordance with Professional and Ethical Standard 1 International Code of Ethics for Assurance Practitioners (Including International Independence Standards) (New Zealand)issued by the New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants’ International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards)(‘IESBA Code’), and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the IESBA Code. Our responsibilities under ISAs(NZ)are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of theconsolidated financial statementssection of our report.Our firm has also provided other services to the group in relation to tax compliance services, reasonable assurance engagement in relation to bank covenant compliance and agreed upon procedures for store turnover certificates. Subject to certain restrictions, partners and employees of our firm may also deal with the group on normal terms within the ordinary course of trading activities of the business of the group. These matters have not impaired our independence as auditor of the group. The firm has no other relationship with, or interest in, the group.MaterialityThe scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. Materiality helped us to determine the nature,timing and extent of our audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of misstatements, both individually and on the consolidated financial statements as a whole. The materiality for the consolidated financial statements as a whole was set at $3 million determinedwith reference to a benchmark of group profit before tax after certain adjustments have been made. We chose the benchmark because, in our view, this is a key measure of the group’s performance.       2  Key audit mattersKey audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements in the current period. We summarise below those matters and our key audit procedures to address those matters in order that the shareholdersas a body may better understand the process by which we arrived at our audit opinion. Our procedures were undertaken in the context of and solely for the purpose of our statutory audit opinion on the consolidated financial statements as a whole and we do not express discrete opinions on separate elements of the consolidated financial statementsThe key audit matter How the matter was addressed in our audit Impairment assessment of indefinite life intangible assets –Goodwill and Brands (note 3.3)The group has goodwill and brand assets of $287.9million and $360.9million respectively. These assets are a result of the historical acquisitions of the Kathmandu, Oboz and Rip Curl businesses. Impairment assessment of Goodwill and Brand assets is considered to be a key audit matter due to the significance of these assets to the group’s financial position and the level of management judgement involved in the impairment assessment.  These judgements include:—Determination of cash generating units (CGUs), or group of CGUs, to consider for testing;—Forecast future performance for each CGU, or group of CGUs; and—Assessment of discount and terminal growth rates.Our audit procedures included:—Assessing the consistency of management’s approach against the requirements of the accounting standards, including assessment of the CGU level at which to test the intangible assets; —Utilising our corporate finance specialists to challenge and assess management’s assumptions,including the external expert support for terminal growth rates and discount rates. This involved independently developing a range for terminal growth and discount ratesbased on market data to challenge theratesdetermined by the external expert;—Assessing the integrity and mechanical accuracy of the impairment models; —Challenging the forecast cash flows in light of current market conditions and past performance of the group; and —Considering the sensitivity of key assumptions to changes within a reasonably possible range and associated financial statement disclosures.We did not identify any material misstatements in relation to the impairment assessment of indefinite life intangible assets or associated disclosures.Existence and valuation of inventory (note 3.1.1)The Group has inventory of $290.4 million. Inventory is a key component of working capital, andis required to be carried at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Existence and valuation of inventory is considered to be a key audit matter due to the significance of these assets to the group’s financial position and future performance, the judgement involved in assessing valuation, and the number of locations at which inventory is held.The Group performs stocktakes to confirm the existence of inventory, and Our audit procedures included:—Challenging the methodology applied by management to calculate the inventory provisions. In addition, we checked a sample of inputs in the inventory provision calculations for consistency with the last purchase date, aging, or last sale date;—Comparing products sold with negative margin during the year to the level of product on hand at year end and assessing whether inventory is held at the lower of cost and net realisable value;170

171

       3  The key audit matter How the matter was addressed in our audit recognises a reduction for shrinkage between stocktakes and year end.In recognising a provision for inventory, management apply judgement by considering a range of factors including historical results, stock shrinkage trends, aging of products relative to purchase and last sale dates and product lifecycle.—Assessing a sample of inventory items to recent purchase invoices, and assessing the weighted average cost of items; and—Attending selected stocktakes and performing test counts or obtaining third party confirmation of inventory on hand.We did not identify any variations that would materially affect the carrying value of inventory.Other informationThe Directors, on behalf of the group, are responsible for the other information included in the entity’s Annual Integrated Report. Other information comprises the information in the Annual Integrated Reportthat is not the financial statements or independent auditor’s report.Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover any other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materiallyinconsistent with the consolidated financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information,weare required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.Use of this independent auditor’s reportThisindependent auditor’s report is made solely to the shareholdersas a body. Our audit work has been undertakenso that we might state to theshareholdersthose matters we are required to state to them in the independent auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the shareholdersas a bodyfor our audit work, this independent auditor’s report,or any of the opinionswe have formed.  Responsibilities of the Directors for the consolidated financial statementsThe Directors, on behalf of thecompany,are responsible for:—the preparation and fair presentation of theconsolidated financial statementsin accordance with generally accepted accounting practice in New Zealand (being New Zealand Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards) and International Financial Reporting Standardsissued by the New Zealand Accounting Standards Board;—implementing necessary internal controlto enable the preparation ofaconsolidated set of financial statementsthat isfree from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error; and—assessing the ability to continue as a going concern. This includes disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless theyeither intend to liquidateor to cease operations orhave no realistic alternative but to do so.       4  Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements Our objective is:—to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statementsas a whole arefree from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error;and—to issue an independent auditor’s report that includes our opinion.Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance butis not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs NZ will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.Misstatements can arise from fraud or error. They are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate,they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements.A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of these consolidated financial statementsis located at the External Reporting Board (XRB) website at:http://www.xrb.govt.nz/standards-for-assurance-practitioners/auditors-responsibilities/audit-report-1/This description forms part of our independent auditor’s report.The engagement partner on the audit resulting in this independent auditor's report is Peter Taylor.For and on behalf ofKPMGChristchurch20 September 2023ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
Corporate Governance Statement 

The Board and management of KMD 
Brands Limited (the “Company”) and 
its related companies (“the Group”) 
are committed to adhering to best 
practice governance principles 
and maintaining the highest ethical 
standards. The Board is responsible 
for the overall governance of the 
Group, including adopting the 
appropriate policies and procedures 
and guiding Directors, management, 
and employees of the Group’s 
businesses to fulfil their functions 
effectively and responsibly. 

The Company regularly examines its 
governance arrangements against 
national and international standards. 
The Company has developed its 
corporate governance policies and 
practices in line with the principles 
and recommendations set out in 
the New Zealand Stock Exchange 
(“NZX)” Corporate Governance 
Code 1 April 2023 (“NZX Code”) and 
Listing Rules (“NZX Listing Rules”).

This Corporate Governance 
Statement details the Company’s key 
corporate governance arrangements. 
Our disclosures below also include 
disclosures under the GRI universal 
standards. For the duration of the 
reporting period, the Company has 
followed the recommendations 
set out in the NZX Code where 
appropriate, having regard to the 
size of the Group and the Board, the 
resources available and the activities 
of the Group’s businesses. After due 
consideration, the Board considers 
that the only significant departures of 
the Company’s corporate governance 
practices from the recommendations 
set out in the updated NZX Code 
during the reporting period are in 
relation to Recommendation 2.5 
where the Company must state a 
specified period for the measurable 
objects for achieving gender diversity 

172

in relation to the composition of 
the Board. Information about the 
Company’s approach in these 
areas is separately identified in this 
corporate governance statement. 

The Company’s relevant charters 
and policies are available in the 
“Governance” section of the 
Company’s Investor Website at 
https://www.kmdbrands.com/
corporate-governance. 

The information in this Corporate 
Governance Statement is provided 
as at 31 July 2023 (except where 
otherwise specified). This Corporate 
Governance Statement has 
been approved by the Board.

PRINCIPLE 1 – CODE OF 
ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR

The Company is committed to 
fostering a culture of best practice 
and ethical behaviour and therefore 
expects the members of its 
Board and all employees to act in 
accordance with the Company’s 
values, policies, and legal obligations. 
All Directors and employees 
joining the Group are provided with 
information and training on the 
Group’s values, and the following 
policies, and updates and refreshers 
are provided on a regular basis. 

Code of Ethics
The Board recognises the need 
to observe the highest standards 
of ethical corporate practice and 
business conduct. The Board has a 
formal Code of Ethics, to be followed 
by all Directors and employees, 
which provides a guide for both 
behaviour and decision making, 
reflecting the values of the Group. 
Any material breaches of the Code 
of Ethics are reported to the Board.

The key aspects of the 
Code of Ethics are to:

• act with openness, fairness, integrity 

and with the benefit mindset;

• operate with diligence and 
carry out responsibilities to 
the highest standard;

• act ethically, responsibly and 

to comply with the law;

• be accountable for acts 

and decisions; and

• speak up if aware of conduct 

that may be a breach of 
the Code of Ethics.

Training on the Code of Ethics was 
last provided to all employees in 
Australia, New Zealand, USA and 
Canada in October 2022 following 
a material review and update of 
the Code of Ethics approved by 
the Board in August 2022. 30% of 
the employees that were provided 
the training completed it during 
the current reporting period.

The Group maintains a formal 
Whistleblowing Policy recognising 
that the protection of whistleblowers 
is integral to fostering transparency, 
promoting integrity, and detecting 
misconduct. The best way to fulfil 
this commitment is to create an 
environment in which employees 
who have genuine concerns about 
improper conduct, unacceptable 
behaviour, or wrong-doing feel 
safe to report it without fear of 
reprisal. Our whistleblowing policy 
outlines the mechanisms available 
to raise concerns about the 
organisation’s business conduct 
including reporting to the designated 
Whistleblower Protection Officer 
or to KMD Brands external and 
independent Whistleblower hotline.

Any material incidents are 
required to be communicated to 

the Board throughout the year. 
In the current reporting period, 
there have not been any critical 
concerns that were required to 
be communicated to the Board. 

Securities Trading Policy
The Company has a formal Securities 
Trading Policy for dealing in the 
Company’s securities by Directors 
and employees, which provides 
transparency about expectations and 
requirements. The Securities Trading 
Policy is not designed to prohibit 
Directors and employees from 
investing in the Company’s securities 
but recognises that there are times 
when Directors or employees cannot, 
or should not, deal in those securities.

In addition to the overriding 
restriction that persons may not 
deal in the Company’s securities 
while they are in possession of 
non-public material information, 
all Company personnel are not 
permitted to deal in securities 
during certain ‘blackout periods’; 
being the eight weeks prior to the 
Company's half year and full year 
balance date until the first trading 
day after the release of the half and 
full year results announcements.

Directors and senior executives 
must always receive clearance from 
the Chairperson of the Board before 
any proposed dealing in Company 
securities. Where a Director or senior 
executive is subject to exceptional 
circumstances (such as severe 
financial hardship), written approval 
may be granted by the independent 
Directors for the disposal of Company 
securities during a blackout period, 
provided the individual concerned 
is not in possession of any non-
public material information. 

The Securities Trading Policy 
prohibits Directors, senior executives, 
key management personnel and 

all other employees from entering 
into hedging or other arrangements 
that have the effect of limiting the 
economic risk in connection with 
unvested securities issued pursuant 
to any employee option or share plan.

PRINCIPLE 2 – BOARD 
COMPOSITION & 
PERFORMANCE

Roles and Responsibilities
The Board is responsible for the 
overall supervision and governance 
of the Group. A framework for the 
effective operation of the Board is 
set out in the Board Charter, which 
includes the following responsibilities:

• the long-term growth and 

profitability of the Company;
• developing the strategic and 
financial objectives for the 
Company, including those related 
to sustainable development;

• monitoring management’s 

implementation of key policies, 
strategies, and financial objectives;
• directing, monitoring and assessing 

the Company’s performance 
against strategic business plans;

• approving and monitoring 

the progress of major capital 
expenditure, capital management 
and acquisitions and divestitures;

• identifying the principal risks 
of the Company’s business;
• reviewing and ratifying the 

Company’s systems of internal 
compliance and control, risk 
management, legal compliance, 
corporate governance practices, 
financial and other reporting; 

• appointing and removing the Group 

Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”);
• ratifying the appointment, and 

where appropriate, the removal of 
the senior executives of the Group;

• approving the remuneration 
framework for the Group; and

• monitoring and reviewing 

Board succession planning.

The Board is ultimately responsible 
for overseeing the processes 
to identify and manage the 
Group’s impacts on the economy, 
environment and people and has 
appointed the Group CEO to direct 
the day-to-day management of 
Group operations and engage with 
stakeholders to support these 
processes. Each of the Group 
Executive team members have 
been delegated specific areas of 
responsibility for managing these 
impacts across the businesses’ 
operations including the Chief 
Legal & ESG (Environmental, Social 
and Governance) Officer, who is 
responsible for execution of the 
Group ESG strategy, the Chief People 
Officer who is responsible for policies 
and initiatives to support a people-
centred culture and workplace that 
fosters health, safety, wellbeing and 
inclusiveness; the Chief Commercial 
Officer who is responsible for supply 
chain impacts and the Chief Financial 
Officer who oversees financial 
health and stability for the Group. 

Each of the brand CEOs are 
ultimately responsible for driving 
activities within their individual brand 
business units. All Group officers 
report directly to the Group CEO, 
with written and in person updates 
provided on the management of 
economic, environmental and people 
impacts at regular board meetings, 
which occur at least eight times 
a year. Matters reserved for the 
Board and the scope and limitations 
of delegations to the Group CEO, 
Group executives and management 
personnel are set out in a Group 
Delegated Authority Policy approved 
by the Board on an annual basis. 

173

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESBoard Composition
At 31 July 2023, the Board is 
comprised of seven Directors, 
namely David Kirk, Michael Daly, 
Philip Bowman, Brent Scrimshaw, 
Andrea Martens, Zion Armstrong, 
and Abby Foote. The Chairperson 
of the Board is David Kirk, an 
independent Director. Six out of the 
seven Directors are non-executive 
Directors. Michael Daly (Managing 
Director and Group CEO) is the only 
executive Director on the Board. 

The Board assesses the 
independence of its Directors in 
accordance with the requirements 
set out in the Board Charter, the NZX 
Listing Rules and the NZX Code. 
Michael Daly, as Managing Director, 
is employed by the Company in 
an executive capacity and is not 
considered to be an independent 

SKILLS OF OUR DIRECTORS

BUILD GLOBAL BRANDS

Director. David Kirk, Philip Bowman, 
Brent Scrimshaw, Andrea Martens, 
Zion Armstrong, and Abby Foote are 
considered independent Directors.

group, the Board members hold the 
skills, experience, knowledge, and 
diversity needed to discharge the 
Board’s functions and responsibilities.

A brief biography of each Board 
member can be found in the “Board 
and Management” section of the 
Company’s Investor Website, including 
the relevant qualifications and 
experience of each Board member. 

Nomination and Appointment
New Directors are selected through 
a nomination and appointment 
procedure administered by the Board, 
as outlined in the Board Charter. 

The Board has systems in place 
which require that appropriate checks 
are conducted before appointing 
any new Director or putting a 
candidate forward to the Company’s 
shareholders for election as a 
Director. Ensuring that, as a collective 

The Company enters into written 
agreements with each newly 
appointed Director or senior 
executive establishing the 
terms of their appointment.

Skills Matrix
The Board benefits from a 
combination of the different skills, 
experiences, and expertise that 
the Directors bring to the Board 
and the insights that result from 
this diversity. The Board is satisfied 
that the current composition of 
the Board reflects an appropriate 
range of the skills, experience, 
knowledge, and diversity needed 
to discharge the Board’s functions 
and responsibilities and to achieve 

SUBSTANTIAL

MEDIUM

Global brand, consumer goods product development

Customer omni-channel management

Strategy development and commercial acumen

ELEVATE DIGITAL

Customer-centric e-commerce, digital and data

LEAD IN ESG

Sustainability for communities, climate and product circularity

Governance experience of listed companies

Risk mangement including non financial risk

LEVERAGE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Finance, integrated reporting and audit

Capital allocation, including mergers and acquisitions

Human capital, talent and culture

International business development

Executive leadership at scale

174

the strategic aims of the Group. The 
Board continues to monitor and 
review Board composition. The Board 
has developed a skills matrix which 
it uses to assist in developing plans 
for long-term succession planning to 
identify current and future skills gaps.

During the year, the measures taken 
to advance the collective knowledge, 
skills, and experience of the Board 
of on sustainability governance 
include information on science-based 
targets, the NZ Climate-Related 
Disclosure reporting framework and 
the B Corp framework and purpose.

The Skills of our Directors chart 
on page 174 summarises the skills, 
attributes and experience held by 
the Directors of the Company during 
the reporting period. Percentages 
are determined as at the date of this 
Corporate Governance Statement.

Tenure
Directors are appointed and retire 
by rotation in accordance with 
the Company’s constitution and 
the NZX Listing Rules. Director 
tenure is taken into account by 
the Board when considering the 
independence of each Director in 
accordance with the NZX Code. 

The average tenure for non-
executive Directors is five years 
with the following tenure mix:

Tenure of Non-Executive Directors
6 – 10 years 

1

3 – 5 years 

<2 years 

3

2

Measuring Board Performance
The Board undertakes an annual 
self-evaluation of its performance 
against the requirements and 
expectations of the Board Charter 
and the Board’s role in overseeing 
the Group, including its impacts 

on the economy, environment, and 
people. The performance of the 
Board’s committees is also reviewed 
on an annual basis, alongside 
the goals and objectives for the 
Board for the upcoming year. This 
performance review also identifies 
any changes needed to the Board 
and Committee Charters and is 
used to assist in developing plans 
for long term succession planning 
for Board composition and future 
training needs. The Board approves 
the criteria for assessing annual 
performance of the Group CEO. 

The performance review 
process in respect of the FY23 
reporting period is currently 
underway, involving individual 
interviews with each director.

The Board makes appropriate training 
available to all Directors to enable 
them to remain current on how best 
to discharge their responsibilities 
and to keep up to date on changes 
in areas relevant to their roles. 

Diversity and Inclusion
The Group embraces and 
encourages a diverse and inclusive 
workplace culture. This enriches 
collaborative and creative thinking 
to provide innovative products and 
world class customer service to an 
equally diverse global community.

The Company maintains a written 
Diversity Policy in accordance 
with the NZX Code, which affirms 
the Group’s commitment to 
harnessing differences to encourage 
an innovative, responsive, and 
productive workplace, creating value 
and rewards for customers, the team, 
shareholders, and the community.

As part of the Diversity Policy, the 
People and Remuneration Committee 
sets measurable objectives for 

achieving diversity across the Group 
which includes factors beyond 
gender diversity. The People and 
Remuneration Committee carries 
out an annual assessment of its 
diversity objectives and measures 
its progress towards achieving 
these objectives. Following this 
review, the Board considers that the 
principles of the Group’s Diversity 
Policy are currently well-reflected 
in the variety of cultures, unique 
experiences, perspectives, and 
beliefs represented by its teams. 

More information about the Group’s 
approach to diversity and inclusion, 
including progress against the 
measurable objectives set by 
the People and Remuneration 
Committee, can be found in the 
“Our People” section of this report.

Gender Composition of the 
Company’s Board of Directors  
and Officers
The Group has set a measurable 
objective for achieving gender 
diversity in relation to the 
composition of its Board and 
Officers, of not less than 40% who 
self-identify as male and 40% 
who self-identify as female. 

The Board has not determined a 
specified period for meeting this 
measurable objective. In recruitment, 
the Company seeks candidates with 
the specific capabilities, including 
global apparel experience, required 
to support the Group, selecting 
from a balanced pool of candidates. 
Ultimately, the best person for the 
role is selected, notwithstanding 
gender identification. The Company 
is committed to its stated targets 
and initiatives to improve diversity 
and will transparently disclose its 
progress on these objectives.

175

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Each Committee is governed by its 
own Charter, which has been adopted 
by the Board, and is reviewed 
periodically. The Committee charters 
are available in the “Governance” 
section of the Company’s Investor 
Website at https://www.kmdbrands.
com/corporate-governance.

Membership of each Committee is 
based on the needs of the Company, 
relevant legislative and other 
requirements and the skills and 
experience, of individual Directors. 
Meetings of the Committees are 
scheduled to coincide with the Board 
meeting timetable. Each Committee 
makes recommendations to the full 
Board for consideration and decision-
making as and when required.

The Company does not have a 
nomination committee. Due to 
the size of the Company’s Board, 
the Board as a whole retains the 
responsibility for recommending 
new Director appointments. The 
Board considers that it is able to 
deal efficiently and effectively with 
the processes of appointment 
and reappointment of Directors to 
the Board and considerations of 
Board composition and succession 
planning. The Board draws on 
the experience and advice of 
external recruitment specialists 
for assistance when required.

The Board will continue to review 
the needs of the Group in relation 
to the Director nomination 
process and whether a change of 
approach in this area is needed.

A summary of the roles, 
responsibilities, and membership 
of these two Committees (as at 31 
July 2023) is set out opposite.

For the purposes of the table below, 
“Officer” means the Group executive 
team, being those roles reporting 
to Michael Daly in his capacity as 
Group Chief Executive Officer.

As at 31 July 2023, the gender 
composition of the Company’s 
Board and Officers is as follows:

Directors

Officers

FY23 FY22 FY23 FY22

Male

Female

Gender 
diverse

Total

5

2

0

7

5

2

0

7

4

4

0

8

5

4

0

9

% Male

71%

71% 50% 56%

% Female

29% 29% 50% 44%

As at 31 July 2023, the Group 
had a total of 3,060 female 
employees, 1,754 male employees, 
8 gender diverse and 21 employees 
with undisclosed gender. 

We will work towards reporting 
gender pay gap information 
across the various management 
levels within our Group in a 
future reporting period. 

PRINCIPLE 3 - BOARD 
COMMITTEES

The Board has established and 
maintains two committees to 
assist with discharging the Board’s 
responsibilities: the Audit and 
Risk Committee and the People 
and Remuneration Committee. 
The Board may establish other 
committees as and when required 
based on the needs of the Group. 

176

AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE

PEOPLE AND 
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE

Roles and responsibilities

•  Overseeing the process of 

Membership

financial reporting, internal control, 
continuous disclosure, financial and 
non-financial risk management, 
compliance, and external audit;

•  Monitoring the Group’s compliance 

with laws and regulations and 
the Company’s Code of Ethics;

•  Encouraging effective relationships 
with, and communication between, 
the Board, management, and the 
Company’s external auditor; and

•  Evaluating the adequacy of 

processes and controls established 
to identify and manage areas 
of potential risk and to seek to 
safeguard the Company’s assets. 

At least three members, a majority 
of whom must be independent 
Directors and all of whom must 
be non-executive Directors. At 
least one member must have an 
accounting or financial background. 
The Chair is to be an independent 
non-executive Director, who is 
not the Chair of the Board. 

Current members:
•  Abby Foote (Chair)
•  David Kirk 
•  Philip Bowman
•  Zion Armstrong

Senior executives may be invited to 
attend Audit and Risk Committee 
meetings by invitation only.

•  Overseeing the development and 
application of the Group Human 
Resources strategy, the remuneration 
framework, and associated policies;

•  Assisting the Board in relation to 

matters concerning remuneration of 
senior executives, and Directors;

•  Providing effective remuneration 
policies and programmes to 
motivate high performance 
from all employees; and

•  Confirming that appropriate and 

effective policies for managing the 
performance and development of 
employees at all levels are in place.

At least three members, a majority of 
whom must be independent Directors 
and all of whom must be non-executive 
Directors. The Chair is to be an 
independent, non-executive Director.

Current members:
•  Andrea Martens (Chair)
•  David Kirk 
•  Brent Scrimshaw

Senior executives may be invited to 
attend People and Remuneration 
Committee meetings by invitation only.

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESAttendance
The number of meetings of the Board of Directors and the Board Committees held during the year ended 31 July 2023 
and the numbers of meetings attended by each Director were:

Board 

Audit and Risk Committee

People and 
Remuneration Committee

Attended

Eligible to 
attend

Attended

Eligible to 
attend 

Attended

Eligible to 
attend 

David Kirk

John Harvey  
(retired 1 December 2022)

Andrea Martens

Brent Scrimshaw

Philip Bowman

Michael Daly

Abby Foote

Zion Armstrong   
(appointed 1 December 2022)

9

2

9

8

9

9

9

5

9

4

9

9

9

9

9

5

5

2

-

-

4

-

5

2

5

3

-

-

5

-

5

2

5

-

4

4

-

-

-

-

5

-

5

5

-

-

-

-

Takeover Protocols
The Board has appropriate protocols 
in place that set out the procedure to 
be followed if there is an offer to take 
a controlling interest in the Company. 
A committee of independent 
Directors would be formed who would 
have responsibility for managing 
the takeover process in accordance 
with the Board protocols and the 
New Zealand Takeovers Code.

PRINCIPLE 4 – REPORTING 
& DISCLOSURE 

The Company is committed to 
promoting investor confidence by 
providing all stakeholders with timely, 
accurate and balanced disclosure of 
information regarding its financial, 
non-financial and operational matters.

The Company’s Code of Ethics, 
Board and Committee Charters 
and other key governance policies 
and documents are available on 
its Investor Website at https://
www.kmdbrands.com/investor-
centre/corporate-governance/

Continuous Disclosure Policy
The Company’s Continuous 
Disclosure Policy provides that all 
Directors, executives, and employees 
are required to be aware of and 
fulfil their obligations in relation to 
the timely disclosure of material 
information. The Continuous 
Disclosure Policy explains the 
respective roles and responsibilities, 
procedures, and processes in place 
to ensure the Company observes its 

continuous disclosure obligations 
under the NZX Listing Rules. The 
Continuous Disclosure Policy is 
available and accessible to all 
Group employees and training on 
its contents is provided regularly.

Financial Reporting
The Audit and Risk Committee 
oversees the quality of external 
financial reporting including the 
veracity, comprehensiveness, and 
timeliness of financial statements. 
The Company seeks to provide 
clear, concise financial statements. 

Before the Board approves 
financial statements for the Group 
for a financial period, it receives 
from the Group CEO and Group 
Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) a 
declaration that, in their opinion:

178

• the financial records of the Group 
have been properly maintained;

shareholders in relation to non-
executive Directors’ remuneration.

upon the achievement of 
performance hurdles, and

• the financial statements comply 
with the appropriate accounting 
standards and other applicable 
laws and regulations;

• the financial statements 

give a true and fair view of 
the financial position and 
performance of the Group; and 

• that the opinion has been 

formed on the basis of a sound 
system of risk management 
and internal control which 
is operating effectively.

Non-Financial Reporting
The Company is committed to 
sharing information about its 
environmental and social impact. 
Across the Group, the Company is 
committed to protecting workers’ 
rights, minimising waste, and 
lowering the environmental impacts 
of the Group’s business operations 
through understanding its supply 
chain. Throughout this report, the 
Company has described the material 
ESG risks faced by the Group and 
how the Company plans to manage 
those risks. The Company uses and 
reports in reference to the Global 
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards 
framework and the Sustainability 
Accounting Standards Board (SASB) 
requirements, as well as the B Corp 
framework to identify, monitor and 
manage those risks. Refer also to the 
Appendices for further information.

PRINCIPLE 5 – 
REMUNERATION

The People and Remuneration 
Committee is responsible for 
reviewing remuneration packages for 
the Group CEO and senior executives 
and making recommendations to 

The People and Remuneration 
Committee adopts a series 
of principles in determining 
remuneration related decisions. 
The principles used are:

• the remuneration structure should 

reward those employees who 
can influence the achievement of 
the Group’s strategic objectives 
and business plans to enhance 
shareholder value for successful 
Group performance outcomes 
and their contribution to these;

• executive remuneration should 
be market competitive, and 
generally account for market 
practice including consideration 
of employee place of domicile;

• executives’ remuneration 

packages have a mix of fixed and 
variable pay and should have:

  –  a substantial portion of their 
total remuneration that is “at 
risk” and aligned with reward 
for creating shareholder value, 

  –  an appropriate balance 
between short and long-
term performance focus 
and outcomes,

  –  a mix of cash and equity-
based remuneration;

• due to the Group CEO’s leadership 
role in establishing and delivering 
achievement of medium and long 
term Group strategic objectives 
and business plans, and increasing 
shareholder value over that 
period, the Group CEO, relative to 
other executives, should have: 

  –  a greater proportion of total 
remuneration (at least 50%) 
that is “at risk”, i.e. contingent 

  –  a greater proportion of “at 

risk” remuneration weighted 
towards equity-based 
rewards rather than cash; 

• non-executive Directors’ 

remuneration should enable the 
Company to attract and retain 
high quality Directors with the 
relevant experience. In order 
to maintain independence and 
impartiality, non-executive Directors 
should not receive performance-
based remuneration; and
• the Board uses discretion 

when setting remuneration 
levels, taking into account 
interests of shareholders, the 
current market environment 
and Group performance.
The current approved pool of 
remuneration available for payment 
to non-executive Directors is AUD 
$1,250,000 in aggregate. This was 
approved by shareholders at the 
Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on 
16 November 2022. In the year 
ended 31 July 2023, total fees 
paid to non-executive Directors 
amounted to NZD $1,083,710.

Details of the total remuneration 
and value of other benefits received 
by each director from the Company 
during the reporting period is set 
out on page 185 of this report. 

Remuneration Policy
The Company maintains a 
Remuneration Policy in relation to its 
Directors, executives and employees 
which provides for remuneration at 
fair and reasonable levels throughout 
the Group. The purpose of the 
Remuneration Policy is to provide 
for coherent remuneration practices 

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESwhich enable the attraction and 
retention of high calibre individuals 
who contribute positively to the 
achievement of the Group’s strategy 
and objectives, and ultimately 
create value for the Company’s 
shareholders. The remuneration 
of executive and non-executive 
Directors is clearly differentiated 
in the Remuneration Policy.

The Board, through the People 
and Remuneration Committee, 
undertakes its governance 
role in setting Group executive 
remuneration including, where 
required, use of external independent 
remuneration consultants and/
or available market information.

The Group executive remuneration 
structure has three components:

• base salary and benefits 

(reviewed annually to assess 
appropriateness to the position and 
competitiveness within the market);

• Short Term Incentives (“STI”) 
determined on the basis of 
achievement of specific targets 
and outcomes relating to annual 
Group financial performance, 
and individual value adding 
performance objectives; and

• Long Term Incentives 

(“LTI”) via participation in 
the Company’s LTI Plan.

Short Term Incentives 
Group executives and certain senior 
employees are eligible to participate 
in an annual STI that delivers rewards 
by way of cash and/or deferred 
equity. Group Earnings Before Interest 
and Tax (EBIT), has been determined 
as the appropriate financial 
performance target to trigger 
payment of STI. The amount of any 
STI paid in a year is dependent upon:

180

a)  the level of performance 

achieved against the Group’s 
financial performance target 
(EBIT) for the year; and

b)  the outcome of individual 
value adding performance, 
measured by achievement of 
individual Key Performance 
Indicators (“KPIs”), subject to a 
minimum level of performance 
achieved by the Group relative 
to the financial performance 
target (EBIT) for the year.

STI outcomes for the executive team 
are aligned with the Group’s strategic 
objectives. Each of the Group 
executive team members, including 
our CEO, has individual KPIs linked 
to our four Group strategic pillars, 
including non-financial performance 
objectives, specific to each 
executive’s role and responsibility.

For executives and senior employees 
where a short-term equity incentive 
is earned, vesting is subject to 
ongoing employment by the Group 
for a period of one year following 
the end of the financial year in 
which the incentive is earned.

Long Term Incentive Plan 
Performance Share Rights (“PSRs”) 
under the Group’s LTI Plan have been 
offered each year since the LTI Plan 
was originally implemented in 2010. 

The LTI Plan is intended to focus 
performance on achievement of key 
long-term performance metrics. The 
selected performance measures 
provide an appropriate balance 
between relative and absolute 
Company performance. The Board 
continues to reassess the plan 
and its structure to confirm it will 
best support and facilitate the 
growth in shareholder value over 

the long term relative to current 
business plans and strategies. 

PSRs granted to the Group executive 
during the reporting period are 
dependent upon the following:

• 50% of vesting is subject to 

an Earnings Per Share (“EPS”) 
Compound Annual Growth Rate 
(“CAGR”) hurdle over a three-year 
period between 1 August 2022 
and 31 July 2025 (“Performance 
Period”). At the conclusion of 
the Performance Period, the EPS 
performance in each financial 
year will be averaged to compare 
against average EPS growth 
from the start to the end of the 
Performance Period. Vesting is on 
a sliding scale proportionate to the 
total EPS CAGR over the three-
year performance period; and
• 50% of vesting is subject to the 

Company achieving relative Total 
Shareholder Return (“TSR”) targets 
over a three-year period from 1 
August 2022 to 31 July 2025. TSR 
is measured on a relative basis 
against a comparator group of 
Australian Stock Exchange (“ASX”) 
listed companies (other than metal 
and mining stocks) ranked 101 
to 200 in the S&P/ASX200 as at 
the date of the grant. Vesting is 
on a sliding scale proportionate 
to the TSR performance.

Performance measurement is at the 
end of the applicable Performance 
Period with no ability to re-test. In 
respect of PSRs granted during 
the reporting period, the relevant 
portion of the award that will 
vest is determined based on the 
percentile ranking of the Company 
against the comparator group at 
the end of the performance period. 
PSRs are granted at nil cost.

Group CEO Remuneration
Group CEO remuneration comprises 
a mixture of base salary, STI and LTI. 

performance against short- 
and long-term targets; and

• All LTI (70% of fixed annual 

The Group CEO remuneration 
for the year ending 31 July 2023 
is set out in the table below:

Michael Daly Group CEO 
Remuneration package for FY23

A$
$1,127,500 
($1,100,000 plus 
super $27,500)
$676,500

$789,250

$2,593,250

Fixed  
(Base salary, 
superannuation) 
STI  
(60% of fixed)
LTI  
(70% of fixed)
Maximum 
potential 
remuneration

The annual total compensation 
ratio for the Group CEO, as the 
highest paid individual in the 
Group, to the median annual total 
compensation of the rest of the 
Group’s employees is NZD $24:1. 
For the purposes of this calculation, 
full-time equivalent rates have been 
used for each part-time employee. 
The types of compensation included 
in the calculation are base salary, 
superannuation contribution, bonuses 
and deferred equity incentives. 

The key principles of the Company’s 
Remuneration Policy for the Group 
CEO remuneration package are:

• More than half the total 
remuneration for the 
Group CEO is at risk;

• Over 85% of the at-risk 

remuneration (all except for the 
STI KPIs) is solely dependent 
on outcomes of Group financial 

remuneration) will be measured on 
a single 3-year Performance Period.

FY23 STI Outcome
For the year ended 31 July 2023 
the Group financial performance 
targets were not met and as 
a result, no short-term cash 
incentives were paid to the Group 
CEO or the Group executive.

PRINCIPLE 6 – RISK 
MANAGEMENT

The identification and proper 
management of the Group’s material 
risks is an important priority of the 
Board. The Company has a central 
risk management framework in 
place to identify, oversee, manage, 
and control risks. The KMD Brands 
risk framework supports the 
identification of risk in order to 
reduce potential negative impacts 
and improve the likelihood of 
beneficial outcomes, while providing 
a standard to drive consistency and, 
in turn, confidence that risk is being 
managed in a consistent manner. 
Risk identification and management 
are viewed by the Company as 
integral to its objectives of creating 
and maintaining shareholder value, 
and to the successful execution of 
the Group's strategies. The KMD 
risk framework sets out the guiding 
principles, roles and responsibilities, 
the risk assessment process and 
reporting requirements. The KMD 
risk framework is aligned to ISO 
31000:2018 Risk Management 
Guidelines. The Board regularly 
reviews the KMD risk framework and 
the assessments of how the material 
risks are impacting its business. The 

Board recognises that some element 
of risk is inherently necessary in 
order to achieve the strategic aims 
for the Group’s businesses and 
deliver value to shareholders.

Risk Management Policy
The purpose of the Company’s 
Risk Management Policy is to 
highlight the risks relevant to 
the Group’s operations, and 
the Company’s commitment to 
designing and implementing 
systems and methods appropriate 
to minimise and control its risks. 

The Audit and Risk Committee 
assists the Board in discharging 
its responsibility for monitoring 
risk management. The Committee 
is responsible for establishing 
procedures which seek to provide 
assurance that major business risks 
are identified, consistently assessed, 
and appropriately addressed in line 
with the Group’s risk appetite and 
defined tolerances. This Committee 
oversees the implementation of 
the risk management framework, 
monitors its ongoing effectiveness, 
and regularly reports to the Board. 
The Audit and Risk Committee 
undertook a formal review and 
refresh of the risk management 
framework, including the Group’s risk 
appetite statements and supporting 
policy, during the reporting period.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing
The Company is dedicated to 
cultivating a strong safety culture 
and awareness of health and 
safety risks, performance, and 
management within the Group. The 
Company has adopted an integrated 
approach to safety and wellbeing 
across the Group, which recognises 
that workplace safety, health and 

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Board has taken Recommendation 
8.4 of the NZX Code into account, 
along with a number of other factors 
when considering options for the 
capital raisings in previous reporting 
periods. Ultimately the Board will 
choose methods to raise equity, 
when needed, which are necessary 
and desirable to achieve the best 
outcomes for the Company in the 
context of any anticipated transaction 
or proposal for which additional 
equity capital may be required.

Meetings and Voting
Where voting by shareholders on 
a matter concerning the Company 
is required, the Board encourages 
investors to attend the annual 
shareholders’ meeting or to send 
in a proxy vote. All voting at the 
Company’s annual shareholder 
meeting is conducted by way of poll 
on the basis of one share, one vote. 

In 2019, the Company began using 
a virtual meeting platform for its 
shareholder meetings to allow 
participation where a shareholder 
is unable to attend in person. The 
Company’s notice of meeting will be 
available at least 20 working days 
prior to the meeting at https://www.
kmdbrands.com/announcements.

mental health all contribute to an 
employee’s overall wellbeing. 

The Board receives and reviews 
detailed reports on health and safety 
matters at each Board meeting. As 
a lag indicator of health and safety 
risks, performance and management 
during the reporting period, at the 
end of FY23, the rolling lost time 
injury* frequency rate (number of 
lost time injuries per 1,000,000 hours 
worked) was 4.62 (target of 5.0). 

More information on Health, Safety 
and Wellbeing in the Group can be 
found in the Operational Excellence 
section of this report on pages 55-56. 

PRINCIPLE 7 – AUDITORS

The Audit and Risk Committee 
is responsible for making 
recommendations to the Board about 
the appointment or replacement of, 
and for monitoring the effectiveness 
and independence of, the Group’s 
external auditor. The Committee 
Charter requires that the external 
auditor or lead audit partner be 
changed at least every five years. 
The Committee reviews and assesses 
the independence of the external 
auditor on an annual basis. 

The Company’s external auditor 
is KPMG, appointed in December 
2021. The audit partner responsible 
has continued from that date. The 
Company maintains an internal 
financial audit function. This 
function provides a system for 
evaluating and continually improving 
the effectiveness of financial risk 
management for the Group and 
delivers appropriate objective 
assurance on financial risk. The 
Group uses a number of processes 

for evaluating and continually 
improving its risk management 
and internal processes outside of 
financial risk including the verification 
process required to achieve B Corp 
Certification and our information 
and cyber security framework.

The Company’s external auditor 
attends the annual meetings of 
the Company and is available 
to answer any questions from 
investors relevant to the audit.

PRINCIPLE 8 – 
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS & 
RELATIONS

The Company is committed to 
keeping its stakeholders and owners 
effectively and comprehensively 
informed of all relevant information 
affecting the Group in accordance 
with all applicable laws and the 
Company’s communication strategy. 

Information is communicated to 
investors through the lodgement 
of all relevant financial and other 
information with NZX and ASX, 
publishing information on the 
Company’s Investor Website, annual 
shareholder meetings, annual 
and interim reporting, analyst and 
investor briefings and roadshows. 

Investor Website
The Company’s Investor Website 
(www.kmdbrands.com) contains all 
key communications concerning the 
Company and information about its 
brands: Kathmandu, Rip Curl and 
Oboz. Shareholders can also view 
profiles of the Company’s Board 
and Group executive management 
team on the Investor Website, 
along with its key governance 

policies, the Charters of the Board 
Committees, copies of current and 
past annual reports and transcripts 
of annual shareholder meetings. 

All relevant announcements made 
to the market are shown on the 
Company’s Investor Website as soon 
as they have been released to NZX 
and ASX and can also be accessed 
through the Company’s Investor 
Website. Investors can subscribe 
through the Investor Website to 
receive an email alert when a 
new announcement is lodged.

Communication
The Board encourages investors 
to communicate with the Company 
electronically. Investors can 
contact the Company through the 
Investor Website at https://www.
kmdbrands.com/contact. Investors 
have the option of receiving their 
communications, which includes 
the Annual Integrated Report, 
from the Company electronically. 

The Company actively engages 
with its investors through annual 
shareholder meetings, its investor 
briefings and roadshows, and meeting 
with stakeholders on request.

Approach to Seeking Additional 
Equity Capital
The Board acknowledges 
Recommendation 8.4 of the NZX 
Code which suggests that where 
the Company requires additional 
equity capital, where practical, the 
Board should favour capital raising 
methods that provide existing equity 
security holders with an opportunity 
to participate in the offer on a pro-
rata basis, and on no less favourable 
terms, before further equity securities 

* A lost time injury is an injury resulting in time lost greater than 1 shift 

182

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESStatutory information

DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS BY DIRECTORS

In accordance with section 140(2) of the Companies Act 1993, the Directors named below have made a general 
disclosure of interest, by a general notice disclosed to the Board and entered in the Company’s interests 
register. General notices given by Directors which remain current as at 31 July 2023 are as follows:

DAVID KIRK
NZ Rugby Players Association
Forsyth Barr Group Limited and Forsyth Barr Limited
Bailador Investment Management Pty Limited
Bailador Technology Investments Limited (including investee companies)
NZ Performance Horses Limited
Kiwi Harvest Limited
Sydney Festival
New Zealand Food Network Limited
New Zealand Food Rescue Trust

ANDREA MARTENS
ADMA – Australian Data Driven Marketing Association
HYG Holdco Pty Limited

PHILIP BOWMAN
Sky Network Television Limited 
Majid al Futtaim Properties LLC
Tegel Group Holdings Limited
Ferrovial SA
Better Capital PCC Limited
Vinula Pty Ltd
Vinula Superfund Pty Ltd
Tom Tom Holdings Inc
Majid al Futtaim Capital LLC
Majid al Futtaim Holding LLC

BRENT SCRIMSHAW
Enero Group Limited 
Rhinomed Limited

MICHAEL DALY
Stringydale Pty Ltd

ABIGAIL FOOTE
Sanford Limited
Freightways Limited
Christchurch City Holdings Limited (including subsidiary companies)*
ZION ARMSTRONG
Cosmostar Limited
Les Mills International 

*Commenced appointment during the year ended 31 July 2023

Chairperson
Chairperson / Director
Managing Partner
Chairperson
Director
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Director

CEO
Director

Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director

CEO
Director

Director

Director
Director
Chairperson 

Director 
Strategic operating partner 

DIRECTORS’ DETAILS, REMUNERATION AND OTHER BENEFITS

During the year ended 31 July 2023, the Directors and former Directors of the Company received the following 
remuneration and other benefits, which were approved by the Board:

Director
David Kirk
Philip Bowman
John Harvey*
Andrea Martens
Brent Scrimshaw
Abigail Foote
Zion Armstrong**
Michael Daly

Total Remuneration Other benefits
NZD $274,741 None
NZD $148,486 None
NZD $50,372 None
NZD $181,209 None
NZD $148,486 None
NZD $182,300 None
NZD $98,115 None
NZD $1,199,564 $51,799

* Retired 1 December 2022. ** Appointed 1 December 2022

EMPLOYEE REMUNERATION

Role
Chairman, Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Managing Director and 
Group Chief Executive Officer

During the year ended 31 July 2023, a number of employees or former employees, not being Directors of the 
Company, received remuneration and other benefits that exceeded NZ$100,000 in value as follows:  

Remuneration (NZD $)
110,000
100,000
120,000
110,000
130,000
120,000
140,000
130,000
150,000
140,000
160,000
150,000
170,000
160,000
180,000
170,000
190,000
180,000
200,000
190,000
210,000
200,000
220,000
210,000
230,000
220,000
240,000
230,000
250,000
240,000
260,000
250,000
270,000
260,000
280,000
270,000
290,000
280,000
300,000
290,000
310,000
300,000
320,000
310,000
330,000
320,000

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

DONATIONS

Number of Employees
58
45
47
27
28
19
21
15
19
8
12
5
6
4
5
2
7
1
5
3
3
2
3

Remuneration (NZD $)
330,000
340,000
350,000
360,000
380,000
390,000
400,000
450,000
460,000
470,000
480,000
500,000
560,000
590,000
600,000
610,000
650,000
700,000
730,000
770,000
810,000
1,250,000

340,000
350,000
360,000
370,000
390,000
400,000
410,000
460,000
470,000
480,000
490,000
510,000
570,000
600,000
610,000
620,000
660,000
710,000
740,000
780,000
820,000
1,260,000

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Number of Employees
3
2
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1

During the year ended 31 July 2023, the Group has made total donations of NZD $ 225,452. The Group invested in 
partnership fees, product donations and volunteer hours during FY23. See pages 76 to 83 for further information.

184

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Section 211(2) of the Companies Act 1993 requires the Company to disclose, in relation to its subsidiaries, 
the total remuneration and value of other benefits received by Directors and former Directors.

No subsidiary has Directors who are not full-time employees of the Group.

The remuneration and other benefits of such employees (received as employees) totalling NZD$100,000 or more 
during the year ended 31 July 2023, is included in the relevant bandings for remuneration disclosed on page 185.

No employee of the Group appointed as a Director of KMD Brands Limited, or its subsidiaries 
receives or retains any remuneration or other benefits in their capacity as a Director.

The persons who held office as Directors (or the legal equivalent in various jurisdictions) of subsidiary companies 
at 31 July 2023, and those who ceased to hold office during the year ended 31 July 2023, are as follows:

COMPANY 

DIRECTOR / OFFICE HOLDER 

COMPANY 

DIRECTOR / OFFICE HOLDER 

KMD Brands 
Investments Limited

KMD Brands Managed 
Services (NZ) Limited

KMD Brands Finance 
(NZ) Limited

Frances Blundell, Chris Kinraid

Curl Retail No 1 Pty Ltd

Ozmosis Pty Ltd 

Brooke Farris, Lachlan 
Farran, Anthony Roberts*

Brooke Farris, Lachlan 
Farran, Anthony Roberts*

KMD Brands Managed 
Services (AU) Pty Limited

Chris Kinraid, Lachlan 
Farran, Anthony Roberts*

Kathmandu Group Limited

Chris Kinraid

PT Jarosite

Rip Curl Brazil LTDA

Rip Curl Japan

Carla Trindade

Mitsui Nishina 

Onsmooth Thai Co Ltd

Duncan Stewart, Michael Daly

James Hendy, Lachlan 
Farran, Michael Daly, 
Anthony Roberts*

Mathieu Lefin and 
Isabelle Espil

Rip Curl Europe S.A.S

Rip Curl Spain SA Unipersonal

Mathieu Lefin

Rip Curl UK Ltd

Rip Surf Artigos De Desporto 
Unipessoal LDA

KMD Brands Germany GmbH 
(formerly Rip Curl Germany 
GmbH)

KMD Brands Italy SRL

Rip Curl Suisse S.A.R.L

Rip Curl Nordic AB

50% subsidiary interests:

Rip Curl (Thailand) Co. Ltd

Mathieu Lefin and 
Julien Haueter

Mathieu Lefin, Alois Bersan, 
and Isabelle Espil

Sermchai Putamadilok, 
Patranist Putmadilok, Brooke 
Farris, Anthony Roberts*

Kathmandu Limited 
Kathmandu (U.K.) Limited

RC Surf NZ Limited

Kathmandu Pty Ltd

Barrel Wave Holdings Pty Ltd

Chris Kinraid,  
Anthony Roberts*

Chris Kinraid, Lachlan 
Farran, Michael Daly, 
Anthony Roberts*

Kathmandu US Holdings LLC

Chris Kinraid, Michael Daly

Oboz Footwear LLC

Rip Curl, Inc

Rip Curl Canada Inc

Rip Curl International Pty Ltd

Rip Curl Proprietary Limited

Rip Curl Finance Pty Ltd

Rip Curl Group Pty Ltd

Amy Beck, Chris Kinraid, 
Michael Daly

Diem Culley, Michael Daly, 
Anthony Roberts*

Diem Culley, Nick Russell, 
Anthony Roberts*

Michael Daly, Brooke 
Farris, Lachlan Farran, 
Anthony Roberts*

* Ceased to hold office during the period ending 31 July 2023

186

PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

The names and holdings of the 20 largest shareholders as at 1 August  2023 were:

Name

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited

New Zealand Superannuation Fund Nominees Limited

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited

Briscoe Group Limited

BNP Paribas Nominees NZ Limited Bpss40

Accident Compensation Corporation

Tea Custodians Limited

Citibank Nominees (NZ) Ltd

New Zealand Depository Nominee

J P Morgan Nominees Australia Pty Limited

National Nominees Limited

National Nominees New Zealand Limited

HSBC Nominees (New Zealand) Limited

Forsyth Barr Custodians Limited

JPMORGAN Chase Bank

FNZ Custodians Limited

BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd

Pt Booster Investments Nominees Limited

HSBC Nominees (New Zealand) Limited

Public Trust

DIRECTORS’ SHAREHOLDINGS

Ordinary Shares

64,327,138

63,448,143

57,642,287

48,007,465

36,585,523

35,227,087

25,077,531

23,683,611

22,129,837

21,439,290

18,028,736

17,072,433

15,363,884

14,527,843

14,004,164

13,828,831

10,479,535

7,945,607

7,873,467

%

9.04

8.92

8.10

6.75

5.14

4.95

3.53

3.33

3.11

3.01

2.53

2.40

2.16

2.04

1.97

1.94

1.47

1.12

1.11

6,785,506

0.95

Directors held interests in the following ordinary shares of the Company at 31 July 2023:

Director/Senior Manager

Nature of interest

Number held at 
31 July 2022

Acquired Disposed

David Kirk

Philip Bowman

Michael Daly

Abigail Foote

Beneficially owned

Beneficially owned

Beneficially owned

Beneficially owned

743,336

750,000

473,386

65,000

250,000

250,000

65,000

-

-

-

Total held at 
31 July 2023

993,336

1,000,000

473,386

130,000

187

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESMichael Daly held the following interests in convertible financial products in the Company at 31 July 2023 due to his 
participation in the Company’s LTI Plan in his capacity as Group Chief Executive Officer. 

Executive Director – Michael Daly
Nature of Interest

Performance Share Rights
Performance Share Rights
Performance Share Rights

Number 
Granted
876,944
503,462
483,621

Grant 
Date
20 Dec 22
22 Dec 21
22 Dec 20 

Vesting 
Period
3 years
3 years
3 years

Vesting 
Date
1 Aug 25
1 Dec 24
1 Dec 23

Total Fair Value of Performance 
Rights at Grant Date $AUD
789,250
719,950
561,000

Directory

The details of the Company’s principal administrative and registered office in New Zealand is:

223 Tuam Street 
Christchurch Central 
PO Box 1234 
Christchurch 8011

SHARE REGISTRY 

In New Zealand:  

Link Market Services (LINK)

No other Directors held interests in convertible financial products of the Company at 31 July 2023.

Physical Address: 

Performance share rights granted will, subject to satisfaction of performance conditions, vest on the basis of one 
ordinary share for each performance share right which vests, on the vesting date for each grant.

DISTRIBUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS AND HOLDINGS AS AT 31 JULY 2023

Postal Address: 

1 to 1,000
1,001 to 5,000
5,001 to 10,000
10,001 to 50,000
50,001 to 100,000
100,001 and over
Total

Number of Holders
3,108
3,845
1,463
1,782
291
227
10,716

%
29.03
35.93
13.64
16.61
2.67
2.12
100%

Number of Ordinary Shares
1,784,406
10,036,740
11,383,736
39,733,365
20,714,085
627,695,390
711,347,722

%
0.25
1.41
1.60
5.59
2.91
88.24
100%

SUBSTANTIAL PRODUCT HOLDERS

The substantial product holders of ordinary shares (being the only class of quoted voting products) of the Company and 
their relevant interests as at 31 July 2023, were as follows:

Allan Gray Group
New Zealand Superannuation Fund Nominees Limited
Jarden Securities Limited, Harbour Asset Management Limited, 
and Jarden Scientific Trading Limited
Briscoe Group Limited
Yarra Capital Management Limited
Accident Compensation Corporation

As at 31 July 2023, the Company had 711,347,722 ordinary shares on issue. 

NZX CLASS WAIVERS RELIED ON

Ordinary Shares
73,653,753
57,809,139
56,986,736

48,007,465
46,593,663
35,671,470

%
10.35
8.13
8.01

6.75
6.55
5.01

During the year, the Company did not rely on any rulings or waivers granted by NZ RegCo. 

DIRECTORS’ AND OFFICERS’ INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY

The Group has arranged, as provided for under the Company’s Constitution, policies of Directors’ and Officers’ 
Liability Insurance which, with a Deed of Indemnity entered into with all Directors, provides that generally Directors 
will incur no monetary loss as a result of actions undertaken by them as Directors. Certain actions are specifically 
excluded, for example, the incurring of penalties and fines which may be imposed in respect of breaches of the law.

Level 30, PwC Tower, 
15 Customs Street West,  
Auckland 1010  
New Zealand

PO Box 91976,  
Auckland, 1142  
New Zealand

Telephone: 
Investor enquiries: 
Facsimile: 
Internet address: 

+64 9 375 5999
+64 9 375 5998
+64 9 375 5990
www.linkmarketservices.co.nz 

In Australia: 

Link Market Services (LINK)

Physical Address: 

Postal Address: 

Level 1, 333 Collins Street 
Melbourne, VIC 3000 
Australia

Locked Bag A14 
Sydney, South NSW 1235 
Australia

Telephone: 
Investor enquiries: 
Facsimile: 
Internet address: 

+61 2 8280 7111
+61 2 8280 7111
+61 2 9287 0303
www.linkmarketservices.com.au 

STOCK EXCHANGES

The Company’s ordinary shares are quoted on the NZX and the ASX.

INCORPORATION

The Company is incorporated in New Zealand.

188

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GRI Index

Statement of use: KMD Brands Limited has reported the information cited in this GRI content index for the year ended  
1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023 with reference to the GRI Standards. 

GRI INDICES  DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE

PAGE #

SUPPORTING DETAILS

GRI INDICES  DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE

PAGE #

SUPPORTING DETAILS

THE ORGANISATION AND ITS REPORTING PRACTICES

2-1

2-2

2-3

2-4

2-5

Organisational details

Entities included in 
the organisation’s 
sustainability reporting

Reporting period, frequency 
and contact point

Our purpose and vision 
Our World 
Directory

Financial Statements Section 5: 
Group Structure

Refer to statement of use above

Restatements of information

Lead in ESG - Climate

External assurance

Lead in ESG - Climate 
Lead in ESG - Climate: 
Climate Related Disclosures

P. 3 
P. 8-9 
P. 189

P. 161

P. 85

P. 85 
P. 95

ACTIVITIES AND WORKERS

companysecretary@kmdbrands.com 
Publication date:  
20 September 2023

Activities, value chain and 
other business relationships

How We Create Value 
Financial Statements Section 1.1: 
General Information

P. 22-23 
P. 127

Employees 

Tables 1-2 - Employee data

P. 195

STRATEGY, POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Statement on sustainable 
development strategy

2-22

Governance at KMD Brands

P. 14

2-23

2-24

2-25

2-26

2-27

2-28

Policy commitments

Governance at KMD Brands

P. 14-15

Embedding policy commitments  Governance at KMD Brands 
Lead in ESG - Communities: 
Our Workers 
Corporate Governance 

Processes to remediate 
negative impacts

Lead in ESG - Communities:  
Our Workers

P. 14 
P. 70-73 

P. 172

P. 71 & 74

Mechanisms for seeking 
advice and raising concerns

Compliance with laws 
and regulations

Corporate Governance 

P. 172

Operational Excellence

P. 51

Membership associations

Our Partners

P. 202-206

KMD Brands Modern Slavery 
Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.
com/reports

KMD Brands Modern Slavery 
Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.
com/reports

KMD Brands Modern Slavery 
Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.
com/reports

KMD Brands Modern Slavery 
Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.
com/reports

Workers who are not employees

Information unavailable/incomplete

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Governance structure 
and composition

Corporate Governance  
Disclosure of Interests by Directors

P. 173-177 
P. 184

2-29

2-30

Approach to stakeholder 
engagement

What Matters Most 
Corporate Governance 

P. 19 
P. 182

Collective bargaining agreements

Not applicable

Nomination and selection of 
the highest governance body

Chair of the highest 
governance body

Corporate Governance 

Corporate Governance 

Role of the highest governance 
body in overseeing the 
management of impacts

Governance at KMD Brands 
What Matters Most 
Corporate Governance  

Corporate Governance

P. 174

P. 174

P. 14 
P. 19 
P. 173

P. 173

Delegation of responsibility 
for managing impacts

Role of the highest governance 
body in sustainability reporting

Conflicts of interest

Communication of 
critical concerns

Collective knowledge of the 
highest governance body

Evaluation of the performance 
of the highest governance body

Remuneration policies

Process to determine 
remuneration

Our Material Issues 

P. 20-21

Corporate Governance   
Disclosure of Interests by Directors

Corporate Governance 

P. 174 
P. 184

P. 172

Corporate Governance  

P. 174-175

Corporate Governance 

P. 175

Corporate Governance 

Corporate Governance 

P. 179-181

P. 180

Annual total compensation ratio

Corporate Governance

P. 181

MATERIAL TOPICS

3-1

3-2

3-3

Process to determine 
material topics

List of material topics 

What Matters Most

Our material issues

Management of material topics

Refer to sections referenced within 
each material topic index

GRI 205: ANTI-CORRUPTION
GRI 3 

3-3: Management of material 
topics

205-2

Communication and training 
about anti-corruption policies 
and procedures

GRI 301: MATERIALS 
GRI 3 

3-3: Management of material 
topics

301-2

301-3

Recycled input materials used

Reclaimed products and their 
packaging materials

Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance

Lead in ESG - Circularity:  
- Circular Business Models 
- Responsible Materials 
- Waste

Lead in ESG - Circularity: 
Responsible Materials

P. 18-19

P. 20-21

P. 172

P. 172

P. 98-99 
P. 108-109 
P. 114-115

P. 109

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Circular 
Business Models 
Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

P. 96-97 

P. 112-113

191

2-6

2-7

2-8

GOVERNANCE

2-9

2-10

2-11

2-12

2-13

2-14

2-15

2-16

2-17

2-18

2-19

2-20

2-21

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
 
 
 
 
 
GRI INDICES DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE

PAGE #

SUPPORTING DETAILS

GRI INDICES DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE

PAGE #

SUPPORTING DETAILS

GRI 305: EMISSIONS
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material 
topics

Lead in ESG - Climate 
Lead in ESG - Climate: Climate 
related disclosures

P. 84-87 
P. 88-95

305-1

305-2

305-3

305-4

305-5

305-7

Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions

Lead in ESG - Climate

Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG 
emissions

Other indirect (Scope 3) GHG 
emissions

Lead in ESG - Climate

Lead in ESG - Climate

GHG emissions intensity

Lead in ESG - Climate

Reduction of GHG emissions

Lead in ESG - Climate

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur 
oxides (SOx), and other 
significant air emissions

Lead in ESG - Climate

P. 85

P. 85

P. 85

P. 84

P. 85

P. 85

GRI 306: WASTE
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material 
topics

Waste generation and significant 
waste-related impacts for the 
organisation

Management of significant 
waste-related impacts

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

P. 113-115

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

P. 113-115

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

P. 113-115

Waste generated

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

Waste diverted from disposal

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

Waste directed to disposal

Lead in ESG - Circularity: Waste

306-1

306-2

306-3

306-4

306-5

GRI 308: SUPPLIER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESMENT
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material 
topics

Lead in ESG - Climate

308-1 

308-2

New suppliers that were 
screened using environmental 
criteria

Negative environmental impacts 
in the supply chain and actions 
taken

Lead in ESG - Climate

Lead in ESG - Climate

P. 113-115

P. 113-115

P. 113-115

P. 84-87

P. 87

P. 84

GRI 401: EMPLOYMENT
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

401-1 

401-2

New employee hires and employee 
turnover

Benefits provided to full-time 
employees that are not provided to 
temporary or part-time employees

Operational Excellence 
Lead in ESG - Communities:  
Our People

P. 49-51 
P. 62-65

Tables 1-3 - Employee Data

P. 195-196

Table 4 - Employee Benefits

P. 197

401-3

Parental leave

Table 5 - Parental leave

P. 197

GRI 403: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
3-3: Management of material topics
GRI 3

Occupational health and safety 
management system

Hazard identification, risk 
assessment, and incident 
investigation

Worker participation, consultation, 
and communication on 
occupational health and safety

Worker training on occupational 
health and safety

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

P. 49-56

P. 50

P. 55-56

Operational Excellence

P. 55-56

Operational Excellence

Promotion of worker health

Table 4 - Employee Benefits

Work-related injuries

Work-related ill health

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

GRI 404: TRAINING AND EDUCATION

3-3: Management of material topics

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

Average hours of training per year 
per employee

Programmes for upgrading 
employee skills and transition 
assistance programmes

Percentage of employees receiving 
regular performance and career 
development reviews

Operational Excellence

P. 54

403-1

403-2

403-4

403-5

403-6

403-9

403-10

GRI 3

404-1 

404-2

404-3

P. 55-56

P. 197

P. 55-56

P. 55-56

P. 53-54

P. 54

P. 51-54

GRI 405: DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
3-3: Management of material topics
GRI 3

405-1 

Diversity of governance bodies and 
employees

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
People

Lead in ESG - Communities:  
Our People 
Table 3 - Employee data

P. 62-65

P. 61 

P. 196

192

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES 
GRI INDICES DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE

PAGE #

SUPPORTING DETAILS

TABLE 1: EMPLOYEE DATA BY REGION

KMD Brands Modern Slavery 
Statement at https://www.
kmdbrands.com/reports

P. 70-72

P. 71

P. 70-72

P. 71

P. 70-72

P. 71

P. 70-72

P. 72

P. 70-71

P. 55-56

P. 55

P. 40-41

P. 41

TOTAL

BY EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time

Part-time

Casual

BY CONTRACT TYPE
Permanent

Temporary

Non-guaranteed hours

GENDER
Female

Male

Other

NEW HIRES
Number

Rate

TURNOVER
Number

Rate

AUS

2,837

731

591

1,515

1,310

12

1,515

1,809

1,003

25

1,712

63%

1,396

51%

TABLE 2: EMPLOYEE DATA BY GENDER

TOTAL

BY EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time

Part-time

Casual

BY CONTRACT TYPE
Permanent

Temporary

Non-guaranteed hours

NEW HIRES
Number

Rate

TURNOVER
Number

Rate

NZ

659

297

317

45

606

8

45

430

226

3

360

55%

363

56%

FEMALE

3,060

1,235

779

1,046

1,945

69

1,046

1,722

56%

1,725

56%

GRI 407: FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

Lead in ESG - Communities:  
Our Workers 

407-1

Operations and suppliers in which the 
right to freedom of association and 
collective bargaining may be at risk

GRI 408: CHILD LABOUR
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

Lead in ESG - Communities:  
Our Workers 

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

408-1

Operations and suppliers at significant 
risk for incidents of child labour

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

GRI 409: FORCED OR COMPULSORY LABOUR

GRI 3

409-1

3-3: Management of material topics

Operations and suppliers considered 
to have significant risk for incidents of 
forced or compulsory labour

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

GRI 414: SUPPLIER SOCIAL ASSESSMENT
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

414-1

414-2

New suppliers that were screened using 
social criteria

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

Negative social impacts in the supply 
chain and actions taken

Lead in ESG - Communities: Our 
Workers 

GRI 416: CUSTOMER HEALTH AND SAFETY
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

416-2

Incidents of non-compliance concerning 
the health and safety impacts of 
products and service

GRI 418: CUSTOMER PRIVACY
GRI 3

3-3: Management of material topics

418-1

 Substantiated complaints concerning 
breaches of customer privacy and losses 
of customer data

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

Elevating Digital

Elevating Digital

194

OTHER

195

TOTAL

4,843

THAI

445

445

0

0

445

0

0

346

99

0

122

20%

430

70%

USA

431

155

270

6

423

2

6

227

203

1

356

84%

365

86%

EUR

276

229

45

2

207

67

2

153

123

0

138

51%

113

42%

194

1

0

194

1

0

95

100

0

81

43%

72

38%

MALE

1,754

809

433

512

1,221

21

512

1,035

59%

1,002

57%

OTHER UNDISCLOSED

8

2

4

2

6

0

2

6

40%

5

40%

21

5

8

8

13

0

8

6

40%

7

40%

2,051

1,224

1,568

3,185

90

1,568

3,060

1,754

29

2,769

57%

2,739

56%

TOTAL

4,843

2,051

1,224

1,568

3,185

90

1,568

2,769

57%

2,739

56%

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESTABLE 3: EMPLOYEE DATA BY AGE

TABLE 4: BENEFITS PROVIDED TO PERMANENT EMPLOYEES BUT NOT PROVIDED TO CASUAL EMPLOYEES

TOTAL

BY EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time

Part-time

Casual

BY CONTRACT TYPE
Permanent

Temporary

Non-guaranteed hours

BY LEVEL
Group Executive

Brand Executive

Senior Management

Management

Non-Management

NEW HIRES
Number

Rate

TURNOVER
Number

Rate

<30

2,836

658

862

1,316

1,457

63

1,316

0%

0%

1%

32%

64%

2,200

78%

1,965

70%

30-50

1,668

1,182

288

198

1,444

26

198

75%

76%

80%

56%

30%

511

29%

705

41%

50+

339

211

74

54

284

1

54

25%

24%

19%

12%

6%

58

18%

69

22%

TOTAL

4,843

2,051

1,224

1,568

3,185

90

1,568

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

2,769

57%

2,739

56%

KATHMANDU
Yes1

RIP CURL
Yes3

No

Yes2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes3

Yes2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

OBOZ
Yes

Yes4

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Life and health insurance

Disability & invalidity coverage

Retirement provision

Flu vaccines1

Phone/car allowance1

EAP1

Parental leave2

Additional leave purchase1

Product allowances & discounts1

1 For eligible employees only 
2 As per local Government requirements
3 Certain countries only
4 Short-term disability cover

TABLE 5: PARENTAL LEAVE

Number of employees by gender who 
were entitled to parental leave

Number of employees by gender who took parental leave

Number of employees who returned to work 
after parental leave ended by gender

Number of employees who returned to work after 
parental leave ended who were still employed 12 
months after their return to work by gender

Retention rate of employees who returned to 
work after parental leave ended by gender

FEMALE
2,355

MALE
1,248

OTHER UNDISCLOSED
16

6

TOTAL
3,625

67

79

69

5

4

3

0

0

0

1

0

0

73

83

72

87%

75%

N/A

N/A

87%

196

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KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  ELEVATING DIGITAL      OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE       LEAD IN ESG      FINANCING OUR IMPACT      ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURESSustainability Accounting Standards 
Board (SASB) Index 

SASB is an independent standards-setting organisation that promotes disclosure of material sustainability 
information by companies to their investors. The index below refers to relevant indicators from the following 
SASB Standards; Consumer Goods Sector - Apparel, Accessories & Footwear [CG-AA], Multiline and Specialty 
Retailers and Distributors [CG-MR], and E-Commerce [CG-EC]. References and hyperlinks provided are to sections 
within this Report, or to information available on our websites. 

TOPIC

ACCOUNTING METRIC

Management of Chemicals  
in Products

Discussion of processes to maintain compliance with restricted 
substances regulations

SASB CODE

CATEGORY

CG-AA-250a.1

Discussion and Analysis

Discussion of processes to assess and manage risks and/or 
hazards associated with chemicals in products

CG-AA-250a.2  
CG-MR-410a.2

Discussion and Analysis

Environmental Impacts in 
the Supply Chain 

Percentage of (1) Tier 1 supplier facilities and (2) supplier 
facilities beyond Tier 1 in compliance with wastewater 
discharge permits and/or contractual agreements

CG-AA-430a.1  Quantitative

Percentage (%)

UNIT OF MEASURE RESPONSE / REFERENCE

n/a

n/a

We maintain compliance and manage risks associated with chemicals in our products through our Restricted 
Substances lists. Please refer to links below.

https://files.kathmandu.co.nz/pdf/reports-policies/kathmandu_restricted_substances_list_v3_for_website.pdf

https://www.ripcurl.com/media/productattachments/0/160/Rip_Curl_Restricted_Substances_List-02-09-2022_online.pdf

https://obozfootwear.com/en-gb/oboz_chemical_policy_2022

100% of KMD Brands Tier 1 suppliers and 100% of our traced suppliers beyond Tier 1 are accountable to our Code of 
Conduct. This Code of Conduct includes requirements around environmental compliance including wastewater permits 
or industry standards, and an expectation for suppliers to incorporate environmentally responsible practices.

https://www.kathmandu.co.nz/worker-wellbeing

https://www.ripcurl.com/au/explore/social-compliance.html

https://obozfootwear.com/en-us/manufacturing-standards

Labour Conditions in the 
Supply Chain

Raw Material Sourcing 

Percentage of (1) Tier 1 supplier facilities and (2) supplier 
facilities beyond Tier 1 that have completed the Sustainable 
Apparel Coalition’s Higg Facility Environmental Module 
(Higg FEM) assessment or an equivalent environmental data 
assessment

Percentage of (1) Tier 1 supplier facilities and (2) supplier 
facilities beyond Tier 1 that have been audited to a labour code 
of conduct, (3) percentage of total audits conducted by a third-
party auditor

Priority non-conformance rate and associated corrective action 
rate  for suppliers’ labour code of conduct audits

Description of the greatest (1) labour and (2) environmental, 
health, and safety risks in the supply chain

(1) List of priority raw materials; for each priority raw material: 
(2) environmental and/or social factor(s) most likely to threaten 
sourcing, (3) discussion on business risk and/or opportunities 
associated with environmental and/or social factors, and 
(4) management strategy for addressing business risks and 
opportunities

(1) Amount of priority raw materials purchased, by material, and 
(2) amount of each priority raw material that is certified to a 
third-party environmental and/or social standard, by standard

CG-AA-430a.2 Quantitative

Percentage (%)

23% Tier 1 supplier facilities and 54% of our traced Tier 2 facilities completed the Sustainable Apparel Coalition's Higg 
FEM during the financial year. These assessments cover a significant percentage of our total spend with suppliers.

CG-AA-430b.1 Quantitative

CG-AA-430b.2  Quantitative

CG-AA-430b.3 Discussion and Analysis

CG-AA-440a.3

Discussion and Analysis

Percentage (%)

100% of Tier 1 supplier facilities and 17% of our traced Tier 2 supplier facilities have been audited to the KMD Brands 
Supplier Code of Conduct in FY23. Of the total audits, 94% were conducted by a third-party auditor.  

Rate

n/a

n/a

See also Lead in ESG - Communities: Our Workers (P. 68-75)

In FY23, there was a 2% (2022: 6%) priority non-conformance rate from the audits performed. Corrective action plans 
were agreed upon with 75% of suppliers and one factory was exited due to failure to remediate.  

See also Lead in ESG - Communities: Our Workers (P. 68-75)

Please refer to KMD Brands Modern Slavery Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.com/reports

Environmental and social risks, at the raw materials level, are assessed within the existing Code of Conduct only when 
such suppliers are fully vertical and also manufacture the final product.  

These risks are discussed in the following sections of the report:  
Lead in ESG - Communities: Our Workers (P. 68-75) 
Lead in ESG - Climate (P. 84-87) 
Lead in ESG - Climate: Climate related disclosures (P. 88-95)

CG-AA-440a.4 Quantitative

Metric tons (t)

Please refer to KMD Brands Modern Slavery Statement at https://www.kmdbrands.com/reports

198

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TOPIC

ACCOUNTING METRIC

Data Privacy &  
Advertising Standards

Number of users whose information is used for secondary 
purposes

SASB CODE

CATEGORY

CG-EC-220a.1

Quantitative

Data security

Labour practices

Product Packaging  
& Distribution

Description of policies and practices relating to behavioural 
advertising and user privacy

CG-EC-220a.2

Discussion and Analysis

Description of approach to identifying and addressing data 
security risks

(1) Number of data breaches, (2) percentage involving 
personally identifiable information (PII), (3) number of 
customers affected

CG-MR-230a.1 
CG-EC-230a.1

CG-MR-230a.2 
CG-EC-230a.2

Discussion and Analysis

Quantitative

(1) Voluntary and (2) involuntary turnover rate for in-store 
employees

CG-MR-310a.2 
CG-EC-330a.2

Quantitative

Discussion of strategies to reduce  
the environmental impact of  
product delivery

CG-EC-410a.2

Discussion and Analysis

Activity Metric

Number of (1) Tier 1 suppliers and (2) suppliers beyond Tier 1 

CG-AA-000.A

Quantitative

UNIT OF MEASURE RESPONSE / REFERENCE

Number

n/a

n/a

KMD Brands refrains from using consumer personal information without consent for purposes that do not align with 
our established Privacy Policies/Statements.

https://help.kathmandu.co.nz/support/solutions/articles/51000164408 
https://www.ripcurl.com/au/policies/privacy.html 
https://obozfootwear.com/en-us/privacy-policy

Refer to Elevating Digital (P. 40-41).

Number,  
Percentage (%)

Refer to Elevating Digital (P. 40-41).

Rate

n/a

Number

Our total turnover rate is 56% for FY23.  
Please refer to Tables 1-3 for more information (P. 195-196).

Refer to Lead in ESG - Climate: Climate related disclosures (P. 95).

KMD Brands has 189 Tier 1 suppliers and 65 traced Tier 2 suppliers as at 31 July 2023. We are working to trace and 
publish the input suppliers of our strategic Tier 1 suppliers in future reporting periods.

Number of: (1) retail locations and  
(2) distribution centers

CG-MR-000.A

Quantitative

Number

Refer to Our World (P. 8-9) for a map and number of locations by country.

200

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B CORP 
Certified B Corporations® (B 
Corps™) are for-profit companies 
that use the power of business 
to build a more inclusive and 
sustainable economy.

CARBON DISCLOSURE 
PROJECT
We submit an annual report 
to CDP, which supports 
our carbon measurement 
and reduction program.

TEXTILE EXCHANGE 
Our membership with the 
Textile Exchange supports our 
materials strategy, and we also 
participate in its Preferred Fiber 
& Benchmarking Programme.

CONVERGE
Workplaces thrive when their 
people do. Converge offers 
our employees an assistance 
program designed to help 
resolve personal problems that 
may be negatively impacting 
their day-to-day life and 
workplace performance.  

ELEVATE
Our chosen supply chain 
partner is an industry leader 
in sustainability, auditing and 
improvement services.

TOITŪ ENVIROCARE 
Our membership with Toitū 
Envirocare helps us to 
measure, manage and reduce 
our carbon footprint through 
our annual carbon audit.

FAIR LABOR ASSOCIATION
Kathmandu became the 
first brand in the southern 
hemisphere to achieve FLA 
accreditation. This verifies that 
our social compliance program 
in our supply chain exceeds the 
most stringent global standards.

MEKONG SUSTAINABLE 
MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE 
The Alliance, a US$10 million 
partnership funded by USAID  
and implemented by the Institute 
for Sustainable Communities in 
partnership with ELEVATE and 
the Asian Institute for Technology, 
uses a market-driven approach 
to strengthen sustainable and 
competitive manufacturing by 
engaging the private sector, 
catalysing market forces, and 
advancing innovative regional 
initiatives that will increase the 
adoption of ESG standards.

SUSTAINABLE APPAREL 
COALITION 
Membership of the SAC gives 
us discounted access to the 
Higg Index modules. We’ve 
been using the index since 2014, 
which supports our sustainability 
strategy. The index guides 
us on the environmental and 
social impacts of our products 
and how we can improve.

REPREVE 
High-quality fibres are made 
from 100% recycled materials, 
including post-consumer 
plastic bottles and pre-
consumer waste, that are also 
certified and traceable.

BEYOND BLUE 
We work with Beyond Blue to 
communicate the link between 
good mental health and the 
outdoors, encouraging people 
in Australia to take positive 
steps to look after their mental 
health and get outdoors.

SYSTEM
PARTNER

BLUESIGN ® 
Our bluesign ® system 
partnership supports our 
chemicals management program, 
materials and products so 
that they are environmentally 
and socially friendly.

CANOPY 
We have been partners with 
Canopy since 2016 and use 
our influence in our fabric 
supply chain to protect the 
world’s remaining ancient 
and endangered forests and 
endangered species habitat.

GRAEME DINGLE 
FOUNDATION
We are partnered with the 
Graeme Dingle Foundation to 
encourage young people in New 
Zealand to get outdoors for 
their mental health, wellbeing 
and personal growth.

UPPAREL 
We partner with Upparel to 
provide our customers with a 
solution to keep their gear in 
circulation for longer and keep 
valuable textiles out of landfill. 

CARBON CLICK 
CarbonClick is an envirotech 
company that makes it easy for 
businesses and customers to 
take climate action through fully 
traceable carbon offsetting with 
high-quality projects. Kathmandu 
customers have an option to 
offset part of their climate impact 
on their purchases via an add-on 
function at the online checkout.    

PRIDE PLEDGE 
We are partnered with Pride 
Pledge, a public commitment that 
all LGBTTQIA+ people should 
have the freedom to be safe, 
healthy and visible. We use our 
voice and influence to support 
visibility, safety, tolerance, 
love, diversity and inclusion 
for all LGBTTQIA+ people.

RAINBOW TICK 
Our Rainbow Tick accreditation 
demonstrates our commitment 
to diversity and inclusion in 
the workplace and creating a 
supportive work environment 
for our team members.

202

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Together with Osprey and 
Outdoor Research, we launched 
the 52 Hike Challenge – where 
150 women over 50 gain physical 
fitness, mental wellbeing, make 
new friends, explore new places, 
and connect with family, friends 
and themselves through nature.  

BLACK FOLKS CAMP TOO 

BFCT’s mission is to increase 
diversity in the outdoors by 
making it easier, more familiar 
and more fun for Black folks to 
go camping.  We collaborated 
on the O FIT Insole® 'Unity 
Blaze' with a portion of 
proceeds supporting BFCT's 
Digital Education Initiative. 

THE CONSERVATION 
ALLIANCE

The mission of The Conservation 
Alliance is to harness the 
collective power of business 
and outdoor communities to 
fund and advocate for the 
protection of North America’s 
wild places. Amy Beck, President 
at Oboz Footwear, serves 
on its Board of Directors.

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 
TRAIL COALITION

The CDTC works in partnership 
with the US Forest Service, 
National Park Service, and 
Bureau of Land Management 
to complete, promote and 
protect the Continental Divide 
National Scenic Trail. In 2022, 
we adopted a four mile section 
of the trail in Montana.  

GALLATIN VALLEY 
LAND TRUST

The GVLT connects people 
to the landscapes that 
surround the Gallatin Valley in 
Bozeman, Montana through the 
conservation of open spaces 
and creation of trail systems. 
Rich Hohne, Marketing Director 
at Oboz Footwear, serves 
on its Board of Directors. 

TREES FOR THE FUTURE 

Oboz has planted a tree for 
every pair of shoes sold since 
2007. This equates to more than 
five million trees - and counting.
TREES trains communities on 
sustainable land use so that they 
can grow vibrant economies, 
thriving food systems, and 
a healthier planet. Oboz 
supports its work in Tanzania.

204

AIRSTEP AUSTRALIA 
Our partnership with 
Airstep Australia repurposes 
neoprene offcuts created in 
the Rip Curl Wetsuit factory 
into carpet underlay.

ARCH & HOOK 
With a mission to eliminate 
the use of non sustainable 
materials within fashion and 
retail, Arch & Hook uses 
recycled ocean bound and 
post-consumer plastics to create 
products to help our planet.

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY 
GROUP 
Ai Group provides unlimited 
calls to the workplace advice 
line, regular award and 
compliance updates and access 
to HR, safety and business 
improvement resources, 
webinars, podcasts, networking 
and knowledge events.

LENZING GROUP 
The Lenzing Group is dedicated 
to producing innovative fibres 
made from botanic products 
derived from renewable 
sources and processed with 
unique resource conserving 
technologies. LENZING™ 
ECOVERO™ Viscose fibres 
derived from sustainable wood 
and pulp are used in our products.

MAINETTI 
Partnering with Mainetti, a 
leader in innovating sustainable 
packaging solutions, means 
we can continually challenge 
and adjust our supply chain 
process to support a more 
sustainable future.

OCEAN GARDENER 
Ocean Gardener’s mission is 
to ‘Save the Reef’ by providing 
education and restoration 
around coral reefs throughout 
Indonesia. Our Rip Curl Bali surf 
school adopted a reef to support 
Ocean Gardener’s mission.

SURFAID
SurfAid's mission is to improve 
the health, wellbeing and 
resilience of remote communities 
connected to us through surfing.

SURFRIDER 
The Surfrider Foundation is 
dedicated to the protection 
and enjoyment of the world’s 
ocean, waves and beaches, 
for all people, through a 
powerful activist network.

TERRACYCLE
TerraCycle is a global leader in 
finding recycling solutions for 
consumer waste. In partnering 
with TerraCycle on our wetsuit 
take back program, we found 
innovative ways to reuse 
used wetsuits, repurposing 
them into another life.

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continued

WORLD SURF LEAGUE 

Rip Curl partners with WSL to 
deliver surfing events and is 
proud to support WSL's efforts 
to divert waste from landfill, 
offset carbon emissions, and 
educate fans through ocean 
responsibility campaigns.

Shared

Kathmandu & 
Rip Curl 

AUSTRALIAN PACKAGING 
COVENANT ORGANISATION

Kathmandu &  
Oboz 

We submit an annual report 
and action plan to APCO, 
which supports our packaging 
and waste strategies.

BETTER COTTON 
We are proud to be members of 
Better Cotton which means we 
will support farmers who care for 
the environment and respect the 
rights and wellbeing of workers.

BLOOM

Our partnership with Bloom 
transforms algae biomass 
harvested from freshwater 
sources into performance foams 
that replace a percentage 
of polymers in conventional 
EVA midsoles and insoles.

Oboz &  
Rip Curl 

206

LEATHER WORKING GROUP 

Our work with the LWG helps 
us to assess the environmental 
compliance and performance 
capabilities of our tanneries 
and to promote sustainable 
and appropriate environmental 
business practices within 
the leather industry.

PRIMALOFT BIO 

The first biodegradable synthetic 
insulation and fibre developed 
from 100% recycled materials 
without compromising industry-
leading performance and comfort.

KMD Brands Annual Integrated Report 2023OUR JOURNEY      LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE      WHAT MATTERS MOST      OUR STRATEGY      BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS  KMDBrands.com