People, Product, and Planet: Celebrating Catalyst Conference 2024

We’re still buzzing from the energy of OIA’s sold-out, inaugural Catalyst Conference that took place in Seattle, Washington on November 13th and 14th. Catalyst Conference convened members of the outdoor industry around a common theme: sustainability. The sessions explored a broad range of topics, including circularity, decarbonization, chemical compliance, and supply chain resilience, and featured speakers from various sections of the outdoor industry.

The Catalyst Conference brought the industry together at a time when community was more important than ever. Attendees shared that the event fostered a strong sense of camaraderie while delivering the expertise needed to tackle the industry’s toughest challenges. In addition to an impressive lineup of speakers, Catalyst offered opportunities to connect with peers through brand-led activities and
immersive experiences. 

Highlights included exploring innovative products with a textile microscope, offsetting carbon emissions from travel, and renewable energy demos—all tied together with an expedition log for a chance to win prizes. The energy carried into the evening at the industry party, where attendees celebrated collective action and reaffirmed their commitment to sustainability progress. What was a sense of fear of the unknown path that lays ahead for sustainability quickly transformed into an atmosphere of hope and determination by the end of the day.

Read on for a recap of the event and explore select session recordings here.

On Opening Note of Inspiration from OIA's Director of Sustainable Business Innovation, Julie Brown

“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the inaugural Catalyst Conference! It’s an honor to be here with all of you as we gather to confront some of the industry’s most urgent issues, and discuss solutions for people, product, and planet. Now, I realize that for many people in this room, the last week has been difficult. The election results have left many in the fields of sustainability or DEI feeling uncertain. I’m glad we’re here together because at times like these we need to remind ourselves and each other why we do this work—and why we cannot afford to slow down.

When I’m feeling like our sustainability goals are daunting, there are a few things that give me motivation, and I want to share them with you:

First, Collective Action: OIA’s Climate Action Corps has 354 professionals from 85 companies actively taking bold, collective action against climate change by reducing and removing emissions from their value chains. OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition has 320 individuals from 97 companies who are blazing the trail in the innovation and adoption of safer chemicals. OIA’s philanthropic arm, the Outdoor Foundation, has 13 communities (including here in Seattle) reaching 95,000 youth nationwide to ensure that everyone can thrive outside. All this effort leads to real, measurable benefits on a global scale.

Second, Rising Standards and Expectations: Sustainability is no longer optional. European and state regulations are tightening, forcing businesses to adapt—or risk being left behind. From PFAS laws to new waste and emissions regulations, the pressure is mounting. But here’s the thing: these changes aren’t just about compliance; they represent a powerful opportunity to innovate, improve, and stay ahead of the curve. Consumers are also demanding more. They expect their favorite brands to be responsible, fair, and accountable. The playing field for sustainability has fundamentally shifted, and the outdoor industry is in a prime position to rise to the challenge.   

Third, we use our outside voices to advocate: Let’s not forget that the outdoor industry is a $1.1 Trillion bipartisan powerhouse – it can get things done. OIA will continue to work across the aisle, bringing diverse voices to advance policy solutions that protect lands, ensure equitable access to the outdoors, and promote sustainable trade.   

Finally, Community: This industry is collaborative. We share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and support one another. Let’s face it, the election was a setback for climate action, and thus for the future of the safety of the outdoors, in a time when our industry really doesn’t need more setbacks. But you — the people in this room — understand these stakes better than anyone. And you keep showing up. You keep working with urgency and purpose to move toward a future we believe is possible. Your talent, creativity, and vision are vital in driving the sustainability successes we need. You are the catalysts for change, and there’s no place I’d rather be at this time than with this group of intelligent and inspiring professionals to move forward, together.”  

Day One Session Takeaways

After Julie Brown’s inspiring introduction to kick-off the day, she sat down with REI CEO Eric Artz to discuss the outdoor industry’s responsibility to lead in sustainability. Artz shared that despite whatever administration is in the White House, the outdoor industry has managed to prevail and make progress. 

We thrive when conditions are extreme, and we are motivated by the unknown. Artz highlighted the multitude of climate and public lands initiatives on the ballot across the country that passed this election cycle – showing that consumers are continuing to choose the planet.

Artz said: “Let’s focus on the millions that we serve, that are invested in the things we care about. How do we leverage that community more? How do we lean into it?”

Artz’s question was undoubtedly tackled throughout the rest of the Catalyst Conference as sustainability leaders in the industry discussed the most pressing issues of today.

Leah Thomas, Founder of Intersectional Environmentalist and environmental justice advocate, sat down with Ashley LaPorte (VP of Purpose & Impact, Burton), Jaclyn Levy (Senior Director of Government Affairs, OIA), and Troy Sicotte (President and Global GM, Mountain Hardwear) to discuss how sustainability practitioners can influence leadership in their organization.

LaPorte encouraged sustainability practitioners to build coalitions across their company – particularly with the finance team.

Sicotte pointed to consistently focusing on the consumer: “When people buy a Columbia stock, they know there’s a thread of consistency of the Columbia brands doing the right thing for the people and the planet.” LaPorte also mentioned the direct climate impacts on her staff. Hailing from Vermont, the extreme flooding Vermont has experienced in the past two years has severely impacted Burton’s staff’s ability to be productive.

Sicotte pointed to consistently focusing on the consumer: “When people buy a Columbia stock, they know there’s a thread of consistency of the Columbia brands doing the right thing for the people and the planet.” LaPorte also mentioned the direct climate impacts on her staff. Hailing from Vermont, the extreme flooding Vermont has experienced in the past two years has severely impacted Burton’s staff’s ability
to be productive.

“We will not be able to run a profitable business on a failing planet, and let’s make that really specific to our headquarters, in Burlington with 500 people, where twice in the past two years now we have lost serious productivity from folks because we are experiencing the impact of that crisis now.”

Moving on from a focus on leadership, the next panel highlighted how W.L. Gore, Ruffwear, Stanley 1913, and Patagonia are reducing their emissions. Kelly Hughes highlighted how at Ruffwear, they are focusing on reducing their scope 3 footprint through design, with their new designs beating the Higg Product Module LCIA score of the old designs in the following categories: global warming potential, eutrophication, water scarcity, fossil fuel depletion, and chemistry impacts.

Ryan Kelley from W.L. Gore shared that they have been able to achieve a 50% reduction in their GHG emissions to date, and highlighted two actions W.L. Gore has taken to reduce scope 1 emissions:

(1) By installing a heat pump in their facility in Shenzhen, China, the facility was able to reduce the site’s overall natural gas consumption by 31%; and

(2) by installing electric steam generation for their DWR line in Putzbrunn, Germany, they were able to decrease the site’s overall natural gas consumption by 20%.

Emily Cichy from Stanley 1913 shared the roadmap they followed to reduce scope 3 emissions, which entailed: measuring monthly data, setting goals and targets with their suppliers, creating reduction plans with their suppliers, and incorporating sustainability metrics into their supplier scorecards. Cichy also highlighted the work with the OIA Drinkware CoLab.

Kim Drenner from Patagonia shared how they are funding industry-wide studies to assess how suppliers can best reduce their emissions. They funded a number of electrification feasibility studies at suppliers in Taiwan, and determined that Electrified Thermal Energy Storage (ETES) has vast potential to achieve largescale decarbonization, and be a “drop-in” replacement for traditional boilers.

After the session on collective climate action, attendees had the option to choose between breakout sessions focused on circularity or attending a workshop on tackling organizational emissions. A highlight from the circularity panel included a robust discussion around “business as usual,” and changing the way the industry
creates and sells products to decouple production and profit. The less new product we produce – the less emissions we produce as an industry.

In the climate leadership workshop, members joined a facilitated discussion with industry peers about a specific emissions reduction topic, such as emissions measurement, target setting, logistics, carbon removal, etc. These discussions facilitated learning and collaboration amongst the participants, and attendees came away with next steps for the industry in the topic of their choice.

During the next pair of breakout sessions, attendees had the opportunity to choose between a session focused on building supply chain resilience, or a chemical compliance workshop. A theme that emerged from the supply chain resilience panel is that as the world warms, production is only going to become more interrupted by extreme heat and weather. Simultaneously, more energy will be needed in the supply chain to cool manufacturing facilities. Jason Judd, a professor at the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, implored the attendees to coalesce around enforceable working standards for supply chain workers that include wet bulb temperatures.

In the chemical compliance session, members had the opportunity to discuss shared challenges and key learnings of from PFAS phase-out in recent years. The challenge was: “Can OIA members agree on the next three chemical families to phase out before regulation?”

The last full-length session of the day centered around sustainability claims, and how to navigate today’s regulatory landscape. James Pollack, attorney at Marten Law, overviewed the legal concepts and regulations that apply to most of the outdoor industry, including FTC’s Green Guides, recyclability claims, “free of” claims, and carbon related claims.

Jason Parkin, Founder and President of Compose[d] talked about the benefits of sustainability marketing, and shared that education is paramount to connecting with your consumers on sustainability. Parkin also suggested breaking down sustainability reports into digestible, bite-sized pieces that can be spread out into a year-long content marketing strategy.

Leah Thomas, Founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist, encouraged brands to get involved at the local, grassroots level when engaging with environmental justice, to create reciprocal solutions in your community.

The programming of the day concluded with an industry address from Norah Stowell (Americas Regional Commercial Leader, W. L. Gore), who championed the industry’s progress in climate and chemistry postpandemic, and Kevin Myette (Director Global Brand Services, bluesign technologies ag), who shared the genesis of sustainability in the outdoor industry.

Myette shared: “What I do know is what got us here is certainly not going to get us where we ultimately need to be. I suggest we must also consider collaboration on scales we’ve never even imagined. It’s easy to get down by all the negativity that surrounds us.

Especially when business becomes so hard. However, we get to choose where we are on this trail. Are there any crusaders amongst you? Are we at an end, or a beginning?”

Attendees concluded the day participating in sponsor-led activations, including Title Sponsor GORE-TEX’s iconic “Rain Room” adventure, Worldly’s Product Impact Calculator, Community Gearbox’s new app, Patch’s carbon credit projects, Change Climate Project’s The Climate Label certification simulation, and Sol System’s renewable energy demos.

Day Two Session Takeaways

Day 2 of the Catalyst Conference was dedicated to working group meetings, exclusively for OIA members. The day began with a meeting for members of OIA’s three advisory councils (trade, sustainability, and recreation). All other attendees who are not members of OIA’s three advisory councils participated in networking and workshop tables focused on a specific sustainability topic. OIA’s advisory councils discussed 2025 policy priorities for the organization, with a specific focus on the intersection of trade and sustainability.

Register for OIA’s webinar on December 5th that will overview OIA’s policy priorities and the 2025 outlook for the outdoor industry here.

After the morning sessions, the entire Day 2 group reconvened, and OIA Sustainability Manager Breana Nehls overviewed collaboration at OIA, and each OIA Sustainability Task Force leader gave an overview of their task force, its progress, and its outlook for 2025. To learn more about the current OIA Sustainability Task Forces, click here.

Attendees then got together in groups, and workshopped ideas for new sustainability task forces to launch in 2025. The top ideas were:

• Traceability
• Toxic Chemicals and Solvents
• Design for Sustainability
• Funding Decarbonization
• Textile-to-Textile Recycling
• Durability Standards and Measurement
• Humans/Fair Labor
• Green Claims Guidance
• Clean Heat Installation

Attendees then regrouped according to the top idea that they were most interested in, and took time to brainstorm as a group what the objective and time frame for that topic’s task force would look like.

One person from each group then reported out to the larger group on their idea for their respective task force. The day ended with next steps: OIA will assess the task force proposals, and select a limited number to launch in 2025. Throughout Day 2, attendees were able to dive deeper into sustainability topics that interested them with their industry peers. 

The day 2 activities fostered deep collaboration amongst OIA members, and simultaneously enabled OIA members to give direct input on how OIA will support them with sustainability in the future.

The OIA Team celebrates the inaugural Catalyst Conference as a tremendous success. OIA members were able to gather in person (many for the first time since the pandemic), share ideas, learn from one another, and connect on a deep level. Old friends were able to reunite, and new friendships were formed across generations. In a time of great uncertainty for the future of climate and sustainability, 200 outdoor and sustainability professionals showed up, and planned for a more sustainable future. We look forward to reconvening next year!

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Thank You to Our Title Sponsor

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Catalyst Conference Supporting Sponsors

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The only way out is through – together

A Letter from the Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition Co-Chair, Taylor Ralph

October 17, 2024

Recently, as Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, just weeks after Hurricane Helene traumatized much of the Southwest, my colleague and I spent most of a meeting—originally planned to review chemistry strategy—talking about what it means to be alive and doing this work. We wake up every day floating between immense gratitude and awe for this world, and despair for how we are devastating it. We are simultaneously completely devoted to the work it will take to sustain our environment for future generations, and hyper aware that the climate crisis has already arrived. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, isolated, defeated. 

Almost 20 years ago, when I walked into my first Environmental Studies class as an undergraduate freshman at UVM, my professor Stephanie Kaza took out a Tibetan singing bowl and led us in a prayer. The prayer taught us that to sustain the work, we would need to sustain ourselves and each other. She emphasized our interdependence and the intersectionality of what plagues us. I still remember how I admired her wisdom, knowing that her students would need to return to this lesson throughout their lives.  

Fast forward to this moment and I am so grateful for the community of practitioners that make it possible to stay engaged in this challenging work. I am especially grateful for the coordination and support from the Outdoor Industry Association that allows us to move towards solutions more quickly than if we were going it alone. On the CCMC Steering Committee we joke that what we’ve really formed is an Emotional Support Group. Beyond that, every OIA member that I have reached out to personally for support on particular topics has shown up and engaged enthusiastically. I hope anyone reading this knows that I am here to return the favor. 

All we have is now and each other. I hope to see you at the Catalyst Conference. Onwards! 

Taylor Ralph

Product Impact Lead for Environmental & Social Impact at Burton

Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition Co-Chair

Outdoor Market Trails GDP Growth Despite Sales Uptick

October 17, 2024

The outdoor market continues to face challenges, underperforming compared to the broader U.S. economy despite slight growth in sales. Over the past year (August 2023 to July 2024), the outdoor market saw a modest 1% increase in total dollars sold, reaching $28.3 billion. However, units sold declined by 3.1%. This performance contrasts with the U.S. GDP, which grew by 1.4% in Q1 2024 and 3% in Q2 2024, highlighting the disconnect between the economy’s overall strength and the outdoor industry’s sluggish growth.

Our latest State of the Outdoor Market Report examines economic indicators, sales trends, consumer behavior, and evolving market opportunities. Key findings include:

1. Sales Trends:

While total sales in dollars grew slightly, unit sales declined, particularly in the Independent Outdoor Retail segment, which saw a 6.6% drop. Retail eCommerce sales were also down by 2.3%.

Footwear emerged as a bright spot, showing growth in both dollars and units sold, while apparel and equipment sales declined.

2. Economic Context:

Inflation rose by 2.5% from August 2023 to July 2024, but increased wages (+3.5%) and stable employment have allowed consumers to maintain buying power. Despite this, consumers are prioritizing spending on essentials, which has affected discretionary purchases in the outdoor sector.

3. Consumer Behavior and Motivation:

The outdoor participant base grew by 4.1%, with 175.8 million Americans now engaging in outdoor activities. However, the core group of frequent outdoor enthusiasts has shrunk.

A shift in motivations is evident, with more consumers engaging in outdoor activities for mental health and wellness rather than physical fitness or skill development. Wealthier, older individuals are particularly likely to use the outdoors as a coping mechanism, contributing to a rise in casual outdoor products like backyard games and insulated drinkware.

4. Market Opportunities:

Despite declines in traditional outdoor gear sales, there are opportunities for growth in casual outdoor products. Brands and retailers should focus on aligning their offerings with the changing motivations of outdoor consumers, particularly by catering to both casual participants and core outdoor enthusiasts.

Overall, while the outdoor market faces headwinds, understanding shifts in consumer motivations and adapting to these changes presents a pathway for future growth.

Stay Ahead with OIA’s Industry-Leading Research

To help our members better understand the markets and the people they serve, OIA sponsors and produces comprehensive research that offers expert insights into participation trends, market forces, and consumer behavior. With access to this data, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the evolving outdoor market and how to meet the needs of today’s outdoor consumers.

Leverage our research to drive your strategy forward. Explore OIA’s latest reports and resources to ensure your brand is positioned for growth and success in this dynamic landscape.

Kelly1

Kelly Davis

OIA Research Director

Shaping the Future of Outdoor Industry Gatherings

Dear OIA Members and Industry Partners, 

OIA is proud to stand at the heart of the outdoor industry, delivering resources and opportunities that drive our businesses and communities forward. Industry gatherings are essential to our shared success, and we are committed to leading the way. 

We have been actively engaged in broad discussions with many stakeholders about the future of industry gatherings. As a member-led collective, these conversations have been invaluable in shaping our vision for OIA’s role in convening the industry, and I want to take this opportunity to share our path forward.  

Our commitment to serve as a catalyst for connection:  

OIA Events: We will lead the industry with cornerstone events that create opportunities for collaboration, community, and action. Our sold-out inaugural sustainability Catalyst Conference this November provides the industry with an opportunity to innovate solutions for people, product, and the planet. We are in the planning phase for next spring’s Capitol Summit in Washington, D.C ., to use our outside voices to save outdoor companies money, fuel innovation, invest in recreation, expand outdoor access for all, and protect our environment. 

Strategic Partnerships: With great enthusiasm, yesterday we announced our new partnership with Switchback to grow an event that can deliver multiple benefits to a wide range of outdoor industry members. OIA will also partner with other organizations where the industry and our members gather to deliver content that drives growth and opportunities for engagement through education sessions, existing OIA programs, and new initiatives. 

 OIA’s mission remains clear: We’re a passionate group of business leaders, sustainability experts, policymakers, and outdoor enthusiasts committed to business growth and innovation while protecting—and growing access to—the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. Our team is excited about the opportunities ahead and is dedicated to leading our industry with the vision, resources, and commitment you have come to expect from us.  

Join the Conversation: From the timing of events to the content they deliver, we aim to shape gatherings that bring value to all members and reflect the voices and needs of our entire community. We value your insights and encourage you to share your thoughts on our future direction. Click here to provide your feedback and help shape the future of our industry. 

 

Together we are a force, 

Kent Ebersole 
President, Outdoor Industry Association 

New California and Canada Sustainability Regulations: Key Impacts for Outdoor Brands

In a significant step towards enhancing sustainability and consumer safety, California has recently enacted two pivotal bills that will reshape compliance for manufacturers and retailers. The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707) and the Household Product Safety: Toxic Substances: Testing and Enforcement (AB 347). Concurrently, Canada is implementing a new PFAS reporting rule, requiring importers to disclose specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These regulations will require immediate attention from outdoor industry brands and manufacturers. Our Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition is here to support members with guidance and collaboration to ensure compliance and sustainable progress.

Two sustainability bills signed into law in California:

  • The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707)
    • What is it? This law adopts a stewardship program for textiles, requiring producers to fund, design, and implement a program via a producer responsibility organization (PRO) for collecting, sorting, and recycling textile articles.
    • How does this impact outdoor brands? If you sell textile products in the State of California, you will be subject to this rule, which is slated to go into effect on January 1, 2030.
  • Household Product Safety: Toxic Substances: Testing and Enforcement (AB 347)
    • What is it? This law requires covered manufacturers to register with the Department of Toxic Substances control, pay a registration fee, and provide a statement of compliance.
    • How does this impact outdoor brands? If you produce textile articles, juvenile products, or food packaging products, you will be subject to this rule, which is slated to go into effect on July 1, 2029. 

New PFAS Reporting Rule in Canada:

  • What is it? The Notice with respect to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) creates reporting requirements covering 312 PFAS when manufactured, imported, or used above certain thresholds.
  • How does this impact outdoor brands? If you are the importer of record of any covered product under this notice, you must submit your report to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) by January 29, 2025.

Looking for expert guidance on how to ensure your brand is meeting new and upcoming sustainability requirements? OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition provides members with a scalable action plan for eliminating and replacing harmful chemicals and materials, delivering supply chain transparency, recycling and emission disclosures and more. Contact our sustainability team to learn more sustainability@outdoorindustry.org

Meet Your New OIA Board Directors

As the outdoor industry’s member-led collective, OIA catalyzes meaningful change in every element of the industry. To set our businesses and industry up for future success, we rely on a clear strategy and value-based collaboration. The OIA board of directors helps shape our strategic plan. The individuals on the board, through their seats at the governance table, support the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas of market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. 

This summer, three new and two incumbent members were elected to the OIA Board of Directors by the OIA membership. We are proud to welcome back incumbent directors Sarah Matt and Janice Tennant, and to introduce you to the new directors: Jon Chong, Jason Parkin, and Jeff Tooze.

To the former and current board leaders, OIA members, and fellow outdoor enthusiasts, thank you for your participation in this year’s election and for treading the path with us! 

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to shape the future of our industry’s member-led collective and carry forward Patagonia’s legacy on the OIA Board. As a technologist, I look forward to leveraging technology and data to innovate member-focused solutions and chart a purpose-driven, sustainable, and successful path ahead.”

  • Jon Chong, Patagonia Chief Technology Officer

“For decades, the outdoor industry has been the tip of the sustainability spear; breaking trail and demonstrating climate leadership across all industries. I look forward to continuing this history of innovative work and finding new, powerful ways we can collectively leverage our $1+ trillion industry to maximize our positive impact for people and planet. And while our tent is already large, it can always include more, so I am eager to continue welcoming more individuals and groups into our community so that we can all thrive together towards a brighter future.”

  • Jason Parkin, Compose[d] Founder, President and CCO

“For 20 years, I’ve been on OIA’s Trade Advisory Council, and I have found it to be a highly effective group influencing changes on trade-related policy and legislation, while also protecting domestic manufacturing interests. OIA is a great organization and, I’m proud to play an even larger role in shaping OIA’s strategic initiatives.”

  • Jeff Tooze, Columbia Vice President of Global Customs & Trade

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re celebrating Hispanic leaders contributing to Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside mission. These individuals continue to foster outdoor spaces that are inclusive, equitable, and diverse. Read our interviews with these leaders below. 

Gabaccia Moreno, Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. Initiative and the Outdoorist Oath

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important?  

As with all diversity, Hispanic leadership and participation in outdoor spaces make them better. Our heritage is part of the fabric of our society and thus should be included, represented, and celebrated in all areas of our lives. Also, it’s an essential reminder that we’ve always been part of the outdoors because the outdoors has always been a part of us, being for sustenance, for work, or enjoyment; our cultures have all been in relationship with nature through and despite colonization. 

What brought you into the outdoor space?  

The short answer is my family. I was very privileged to grow up among hunters and fisherpeople. But ultimately, what brought me into a career connected to the outdoors is the relationship I formed with nature along the way. Seeing nature around me disappear or being extracted and destroyed ignited a fire, a responsibility for me. I couldn’t just sit and watch it all happen. Caring for our planet shouldn’t be a question; it should be a norm for everyone, and I hope I can inspire folks to pursue their own relationships with nature so we may all care for our shared home. On a brighter side, being in nature gives me hope and purpose. It makes me smile; it shows me what I’m capable of beyond colonial or capitalist ways of “capability.” When I’m in nature, I feel valued by simply existing. 

How does outdoor equity look for the Latinx community? 

It looks like every child and adult having the opportunity to create meaningful memories in nature, feeling safe and welcome outside, having access to gear that makes outdoor adventures more accessible and better, and having access to the different reciprocal relationships that can be had in nature (from enjoyment to survival).  

What is your vision of an ideal outdoor?  

My ideal outdoors honors ancestral ways of being (look up: Original Instructions). It is one where nature is not extracted for monetization but rather treated as a relative, and we all get to show our gratitude for what she provides. It is one where every being is valued for existing. 

Christian Vargas, Boulder Thrive Outside

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important?  

Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space is important because our community will see someone that looks like them and speaks the same language, which can provide a way to build connection, trust and communication. Kids and families will see themselves represented in areas that traditionally have been underrepresented. Also, Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space has a cultural understanding of barriers, needs, and desires that the Hispanic community has experienced. This creates a stronger community that is more aware of different opportunities that exist to engage in outdoor activities. 

Furthermore, we can all create a space where access to the outdoors, its activities, and connection to nature is diverse, equitable, and everyone feels included. Inspiring Hispanic leadership is key to continue to educate, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors. 

What brought you into the outdoor space?  

Growing up in Costa Rica, I had multiple opportunities to have a strong connection with nature, from plants, to fruits, to insects, to birds, to weather, to mountains, to the rainforest, to the river, to the ocean.  I understood how important nature and the outdoors are for all of us. It is the perfect medicine! The enjoyment of connecting with nature and the outdoors and never-ending opportunities and activities to have different adventures has always inspired me to share this with others. The National Park Services in Costa Rica and USA have a lot to do with this. I wanted to share my love for the outdoors and experiences with others. 

Collective impact involves the collaboration of partners and stakeholders. What is your role at Thrive? Tell me about your organization. 

My main roles in Thrive are to connect underserved youth and families with meaningful outdoor experiences, and to share strategies and collaborate with other communities through this collective program. 

I am the community engagement director for Thorne Nature Experience and the Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) collective for the cities of Lafayette, Boulder, and Longmont. NKJN is a 5-year, $10 million collective impact project designed to connect underserved youth in Lafayette, Boulder, and Longmont to nature and outdoor activities through several programs. These programs are for pre-k to high school and backyard to backcountry, family integrated programming, including career training and paid employment. Additionally, we have capital construction projects to ensure all Lafayette youth live within a safe 10-minute walk of a nature space. 

What is your vision of an ideal outdoor?  

A place where we all can enjoy equitable access to our national parks, open space, and lands. An inclusive setting that bridges cultural gaps, fosters community and is welcoming to all. There is access, education and knowledge of all the benefits that living an outdoor lifestyle can offer. 

This inspires young people and their families to want to explore and connect to nature and a space that breaks barriers for our Hispanic communities to be able to value and foster a deep respect for the land, a sense of stewardship and belonging. Additionally, it is an opportunity to reconnect Latinos in the preservation of our cultural heritage, and builds a future where more people like me can consider careers and life paths in the area of the outdoors in addition to using it recreationally to pass this appreciation of nature to generations to come. 

Gabriela Monge-Escalante, Boulder Thrive Outside

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important? 

To foster a more inclusive and sustainable future for future Latino generations. 

They are important for Latinos because they help our communities enjoy the benefits of nature, when many communities of color today live in spaces with few or no parks and green spaces. 

What brought you to the outdoors? 

I read an article during the Pandemic stating that people of color are between 67% and 74% more likely to live in an area defined as “nature deprived,” which are areas where a high proportion of the natural area has been lost to human development.

I looked at my surroundings – I was surrounded by mountains, yet I knew that I could not access these mountains and their outdoor activities without paying a high cost. So, I decided to look for a volunteer job that, as a single mother, would give me the opportunity to find resources to enroll my children in activities with an organization that would look at us as people of color and give us the same opportunities that I saw white children being immersed in. I found Thorne and, through the Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) department, I immersed myself in this. My first thought was that if my children at a young age were not exposed to “green” areas, why would they later want to pursue a career focused on nature or conserve and love nature and care for our environment? 

Collective impact involves the collaboration of partners and stakeholders. What is your role at Thrive? Tell me about your organization. 

There is nothing like promoting collaborative cooperation to reach a more participatory, involved, and committed society. At NKJN, through the central organization Thorne Nature Experience, we have more than 20 partners. If there is something that nature can teach us, it is precisely that we need to work together for a common good. 

Nature owes its proper functioning to the committed participation of all the elements that participate in the ecosystem; these elements are our partners. Our NKJN department, through Thorne, has significantly impacted people who historically did not have access to nature or could not walk freely in our city. We have changed and impacted entire lives of children, young people, men, and women. 

Collective impact involves the collaboration of partners and stakeholders. What is your role at Thrive? Tell me about your organization. 

There is nothing like promoting collaborative cooperation to reach a more participatory, involved, and committed society. At NKJN, through the central organization Thorne Nature Experience, we have more than 20 partners. If there is something that nature can teach us, it is precisely that we need to work together for a common good. Nature owes its proper functioning to the committed participation of all the elements that participate in the ecosystem; these elements are our partners. Our NKJN department, through Thorne, has significantly impacted people who historically did not have access to nature or could not walk freely in our city. We have changed and impacted entire lives of children, young people, men, and women. 

What is your vision of an ideal exterior? 

Have a Nature for All, without masks, without barriers…for ALL, where men and women, white people, people of color, biodiverse people, etc., regardless of their biological condition, must have a harmonious relationship with it. Likewise, the distribution of and access to its resources and benefits, and the impacts of their deterioration, must also be fair. 

José González, Latino Outdoors

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important?  

The short answer is because Latinidad is part of the American experience. Our diversity is part of the whole and leadership comes with the responsibility to our respective communities along with the communal tapestry. We’re part of the vibrant social diversity that contributes to the wellbeing of the whole just like biodiversity is critical for the health of the ecological landscape. And the reality is that the demographics of 2050 are going to be different than 1950, and leadership should reflect that as well.  

What brought you into the outdoor space?  

There’s both a simple answer and a much longer sinuous one. The simple one is that I got hooked on the outdoors and was curious about “where are there others like me?” The more sinuous route is like a braided river, with a watershed of experiences that included growing up in rural Mexico and the Central Valley of California with very different yet connected outdoor experiences. And as I navigated my own cultural wayfinding (becoming “Latino” arriving to the U.S) I found that the outdoors provided an opportunity to navigate that self of identity as well. 

How does outdoor equity look for the Latinx community? 

When I started the work, we would say something like “to not leave our cultura at the trailhead.” Meaning that suddenly we would have to be different because we’re outdoors, we’re not “wearing the right thing, eating the right thing, connecting to the landscape in the right way, and so on.” And that is still true. 

But I also didn’t want our community to just be objects of programming– I wanted us to be reflected in the leadership and decision-making of the space. To be both the recipients and the contributors to incorporate and account for equity in order to attain the equality we strive for in our society– to do this in policy, public funding, elected leadership, and so on. And that the outdoors is as dynamic as our code-switching Spanglish and evolving cultural identities because we’re a part of it.  

What is your vision of an ideal outdoors? 

I want to say the outdoors is already ideal. But the reality is that on one side it’s a social construct of ours and so we get to be active in what it is and what it means (like “stoke”). On the other side, the land does not exist independently of us– it is impacted by our decisions, from climate change down to what is considered “protected” and in what form and why. Lines on the map have consequences, along with the “people decisions” that is policy. So, I want to say that my vision for an ideal outdoors is one that is supported and co-created by a diverse thriving society as diverse and thriving as the land itself. Pa delante, siempre pa delate.  

Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important?  

Latino leadership is so critical because it exemplifies that we have always had a connection to nature, stewardship of the land, and understanding of the reciprocity and health benefits of communing and spending time outdoors. 

The Latino population and influence in the United States only continues to grow, thus, our leadership now is so important to set the foundation for nature and outdoor infrastructure, policies, and planning to be inclusive, culturally relevant, and reflect the diversity that exists within Latino communities across the country.  

What brought you into the outdoor space? 

I’m not sure there was one specific moment that brought me into the outdoors space, but rather a life-long passion for giving back to my community, honoring my family and culture’s connection to nature, and utilizing my skills and expertise to drive systemic change for future generations. There are small moments that have stayed with me during this journey, such as gathering pecans in our front yard with my abuela when I was little, riding bikes with my brothers until the streetlights came on, learning to mountaineer and rock climb as an adult, and deciding to pursue a graduate degree in environmental planning. All of these have had a cumulative effect and shed light on the non-linear approach our field must understand and take when seeking to engage communities that have historically been excluded from the enjoyment and protection of nature and the outdoors.  

How does outdoor equity look for the Latino community? 

Just as geographies and sociopolitical landscapes across the U.S. are diverse, so too are Latino communities across the country. Our communities are ethnically, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse with unique opportunities and challenges to access and enjoy the outdoors. In my opinion, outdoor equity is a journey rather than an outcome and truly takes into consideration the local and cultural considerations of each community. Long term engagement, iterative feedback, investment in local leadership and outdoor infrastructure, and consistently showing up are but a few examples of outdoor equity for the Latino community.  

What is your vision of an ideal outdoors? 

My vision of an ideal outdoors is one where all communities have access to enjoy and protect natural spaces, with enjoyment linked to non-extractive economic and community benefits from outdoor recreation. It’s a place where everyone feels welcome, safe, and represented, with diverse cultures and histories acknowledged and celebrated, and where all forms of enjoying nature are valued.

Amy Dominguez-Arms, Outdoor Foundation Board of Directors Chair

Why is Hispanic leadership in the outdoor space important?  

Our Outdoor Participation Report reveals that Latinos and other people of color are less likely to spend time in the outdoors for many reasons. We know people feel welcome in spaces where they see others like themselves, so seeing other Latinos active in the outdoors – biking, hiking, climbing, and paddling, for example – as well as actively expanding access for others can help create a sense of belonging for all in the outdoors. 

What brought you into the outdoor space?  

I’m fortunate that time outside was important to both of my parents. My mom, having grown up in East Los Angeles, didn’t experience the wilderness until she met my dad, but then she realized how much she thrives in the outdoors. So, ever since I was very young, our family vacations consisted of either backpacking or camping. Knowing how nourishing outdoor time is for me, I’ve dedicated my volunteer time to expanding outdoor access for more people, particularly those from communities who face barriers – whether because of transportation, equipment costs, and/or just feeling they don’t belong in these settings.

What excites you about the Outdoor Foundation and serving as Board Chair? 

I’m excited by what is possible when communities come together to leverage their local resources and programs to ensure more children and youth get to spend quality time outdoors. We see how creative approaches – from Boulder’s whole family-integrated programming to Chicago’s Gear and Supplies Fund – can make time outdoors possible for more young people, improve their physical and mental health, and inspire them. I appreciate that partnerships – with local communities, the outdoor industry, and other stakeholders – are at the core of the Outdoor Foundation’s work. 

What is your vision of an ideal outdoors?  

It’s a place where people of all backgrounds feel completely welcome and are able to enjoy the peace and replenishment we get from nature. Ideally, too, people understand the importance of caring for natural places so they can be sustained for generations to come. 

Traducción Español

Este Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana, estamos celebrando líderes de la comunidad hispana que contribuyen a la misión de Outdoor Foundation Thrive Outside. Estos individuos continúan a formar espacios al aire libre que son inclusivos, equitativos y diversos. Lea nuestras entrevistas con estos líderes a continuación.

Gabaccia Moreno, Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. Initiative y Outdoorist Oath

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre?

Como todas las iniciativas de diversidad, el liderazgo hispano y la participación en espacios al aire libre hace que estos lugares sean mejores. Nuestro patrimonio es parte del tejido de nuestra sociedad y así debe ser incluido, representado y celebrado en todas las áreas de nuestras vidas. También, es un recordatorio esencial que siempre hemos sido parte de estos espacios porque la naturaleza siempre ha sido parte de nosotros, para sustento, trabajo y ocio. Nuestras culturas siempre han sido en relación con la naturaleza a través de y a pesar de colonización.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

La respuesta corta es mi familia. Yo estaba muy privilegiada a crecer entre cazadores y pescadores. Pero al final, lo que me llevó a una carrera con conneccion al aire libre es la relación que formé con la naturaleza a lo largo del camino. Viendo la naturaleza desaparecer alrededor de mí o siendo extraída o destruida, inicio una pasión e una responsabilidad en mí. No pude estar sentada, viendo como sucede todo. Cuidar de nuestro planeta no debe ser una pregunta. Debe ser una norma para todos, y espero que puedo inspirar a la gente a perseguir sus propias relaciones con la naturaleza para que todos puedan cuidar de nuestra casa compartida. Por un lado más brillante, estar en la naturaleza me da esperanza y propósito. Me hace sonreír y me muestra lo que soy capaz de hacer mas allá de las maneras coloniales o capitalistas. Cuando estoy en la naturaleza, me siento valorada simplemente por existir.

¿Cómo se ve la equidad de acceso al aire libre para la comunidad latina?

Se ve como cada niño y adulto tienen la oportunidad de crear recuerdos significativos en la naturaleza, sentirse seguro y bienvenido al estar afuera. Tener acceso al equipo que hace las aventuras afuera mas accesibles y mejor. Y tener acceso a diferentes relaciones recíprocas que se puedan tener en la naturaleza (desde el placer hasta la supervivencia).

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Mi espacio al aire libre ideal honora las maneras ancestrales de existir. Es un lugar donde la naturaleza no sea extraída por dinero, pero tratada como un pariente, y donde todos pueden mostrar gratitud por lo que ella nos proporciona. Es un espacio donde cada ser es valorado por existir.

Christian Vargas, Boulder Thrive OUtside

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre?

Liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre es importante para que nuestra comunidad puedan ver alguien que se parece a ellos y habla el mismo idioma, lo que puede proporcionar una manera de formar conexión, confianza y comunicación. Niños y familias se verán representados en áreas que tradicionalmente han sido subrepresentadas. También, líderes hispanos en espacios al aire libre tienen un entendimiento de barreras, necesidades y deseos que la comunidad hispana ha experimentado. Esto crea una comunidad más fuerte que sea más consciente de las diferentes oportunidades que existen para participar en actividades al aire libre. Además, podemos crear un espacio donde el acceso a actividades al aire libre y conexión a la naturaleza es diverso, equitativo, y donde todos se sientan incluidos. Inspirando liderazgo hispano es esencial para continuar de educar, conectar y activar comunidades latinas a participar en actividades al aire libre.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

Creciendo en Costa Rica, tuve varias oportunidades para tener una conexión fuerte con la naturaleza, desde plantas, hasta frutas, los insectos, los pájaros, el clima, las montañas, la selva tropical, a los ríos, a los océanos. Yo entendí la importancia de la naturaleza y del aire libre para todos nosotros. ¡Es la medicina perfecta! El disfrute de conectar con la naturaleza y el aire libre e interminable oportunidades de tener diferentes aventuras siempre me inspiró a compartir esto con otros. Los Servicios de Parques Nacionales en Costa Rica y Los Estados Unidos tienen mucho que ver con esto. Yo quería compartir mi amor para el aire libre y experiencias con los demás.

El impacto colectivo implica colaboración entre socios. ¿Cuál es tu papel en Thrive Outside? Cuéntame sobre tu organización.

Mis responsabilidades principales en Thrive son para conectar jóvenes desfavorecidos y familias con experiencias al aire libre memorables y para compartir estrategias y colaborar con otras comunidades dentro de este programa colectivo.

Soy el director de participación comunitaria para Thorne Nature Experience y el Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) colectivo para las ciudades de Lafayette, Boulder, y Longmont. NKJN es un proyecto de impacto colectivo de 5 años y de 10 millones de dólares diseñado para conectar a los jóvenes desfavorecidos de Lafayette, Boulder, y Longmont con la naturaleza y las actividades al aire libre. Estos programas son para pre-escolar hasta la escuela secundaria y desde el patio de la casa hasta las  montanas, integrado para toda la familia. Tienen oportunidades para capacitación profesional y empleo remunerado. Además, tenemos unos proyectos de construcción para garantizar que todos los jóvenes de Lafayette viven dentro de un camino seguro a diez minutos para llegar a un espacio natural.

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Es un lugar donde todos puedan disfrutar acceso equitativo a nuestros parques nacionales y espacios al aire libre. Un ambiente inclusivo que une las brechas culturales, fomenta la comunidad, y que sea acogedor para todos. Hay educación y conocimiento sobre todos los beneficios de una forma de vivir conectada al aire libre se pueda dar. Este espacio puede inspirar los jóvenes y sus familias a explorar y conectar con la naturaleza. Puede ser un lugar que rompe las barreras, para nuestras comunidades hispanas a valuar y respectar la tierra, un sentido de pertenencia. Además, es una oportunidad para que la comunidad Latina puede reconectar en la preservación de nuestra herencia cultural y que genera un futuro donde más gente como yo puede considerar carreras y caminos en la vida en el área del aire libre, igual como usar lo recreativamente para pasar esta apreciación de la naturaleza a generaciones venideras.

Gabriela Monge-Escalante, Boulder Thrive Outside

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre?

Para generar un futuro más inclusivo y sostenible para generaciones latinas venideras.

Estos líderes son importantes para latinos porque ayudan a nuestras comunidades a disfrutar los beneficios de la naturaleza, en un ambiente en que muchas comunidades de color viven en espacios con pocos o cero parques y espacios verdes.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

Durante la pandemia, leí un artículo que decía que gente de color son entre 67% y 74% más probable a vivir en un área que se define como “privado de la naturaleza,” que son áreas donde una alta proporción del espacio natural ha sido perdido por causa del desarrollo humano. Miré a mi alrededor, estaba rodeada de montañas, pero sabía que no podría llegar a estas montañas y sus actividades al aire libre sin pagar un costo alto. Entonces, decidí buscar un trabajo voluntario que, como madre soltera, puede darme la oportunidad a encontrar recursos para matricular a mis hijos en actividades con una organización que nos miraría como gente de color y nos daría las mismas oportunidades como los otros. Encontré Thorne, a través del departamento de Nature Kids/ Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN), me sumergí en este trabajo. Mi primer pensamiento fue si mis niños, desde pocos años, no eran expuestos a espacios verdes. ¿Cómo van a seguir una carrera enfocada en la naturaleza? ¿Cómo van a conservar y amar la naturaleza y cuidar de nuestro medio ambiente?

El impacto colectivo implica colaboración entre socios. ¿Cuál es tu papel en Thrive Outside? Cuéntame sobre tu organización.

No hay nada como promover la cooperación y colaboración para alcanzar a una sociedad más participativa, involucrada y comprometida. En NKJN, a través de la organización central Thorne Nature Experience, tenemos más de 20 socios. Si hay algo que la naturaleza nos puede enseñar, es que nosotros necesitamos trabajar juntos para el bien común. La naturaleza funciona de una forma correcta cuando todos los elementos participan en el ecosistema. Estos elementos son nuestros socios. Nuestro departamento NKJN, a través de Thorne, tiene impactado gente que históricamente no tenían acceso a la naturaleza o que no podían caminar con libertad en nuestra ciudad. Nosotros hemos cambiado e impactado vidas de niños, jóvenes, hombres, y mujeres.

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Tener una Naturaleza para Todos, sin máscaras, sin barreras…para TODOS, donde hombres y mujeres, gente blanca, gente de color, gente biodiversa, etc., independientemente de su condición biológico, pueden tener una relación armoniosa con la naturaleza. De la misma manera, la distribución y acceso a sus recursos y beneficios, y el impacto de su deterioro, debe ser justo también.

José González, Latino Outdoors

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre?

La respuesta corta es que la “Latinidad” es parte de la experiencia Americana. Nuestra diversidad es parte de todo y el liderazgo viene con la responsabilidad a nuestras propias comunidades junto con el tapiz comunal. Somos parte de la vibrante diversidad social que contribuye al bienestar del todo, así como la biodiversidad es fundamental para la salud del paisaje ecológico. Y la realidad es que la demografía de 2050 va a ser muy diferente a la de 1950, y el liderazgo debe reflexionar esto también.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

Hay una respuesta sencilla y una mucha más larga y sinuosa. La respuesta sencilla es que me enganché al aire libre y estaba curioso sobre, “¿Dónde están otros como yo?” La ruta más sinuosa es como un río trenzado, con unas experiencias fundamentales que incluyen mi niñez en México rural y en el Valle Central de California con unas experiencias al aire libre muy diferentes pero conectadas. Y mientras que yo navegaba mi propia orientación cultural (volverse “latino” llegando a los EE. UU.), encontré que espacios al aire libre me proporcionó una oportunidad para navegar esta parte de mi identidad también.

¿Cómo te parece el acceso equitativo al aire libre para la comunidad latina?

Cuando comencé este trabajo, nosotros diríamos algo como, “No dejes nuestra cultura al comienzo del sendero.” Lo que significa que de repente tendríamos que ser diferentes, porque estamos en el aire libre. No tenemos la ropa adecuada, no tenemos la comida correcta, o no nos conectamos con el paisaje en una manera adecuada, y demás. Y eso sigue siendo cierto. Pero no quería que nuestra comunidad sea objetos de programación, quería que fuéramos reflexionados en el liderazgo del espacio. Para ser los recipientes y contribuyentes para incorporar y dar cuenta de la equidad para la igualdad por la que luchamos y hacer esto en la política, financiación pública, con líderes electas, y demás. Y que el aire libre sea tan dinámico como nuestro cambio de código Spanglish y cultura evolucionando porque somos parte de ella.

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Quiero decir que el aire libre ya es ideal. Pero la realidad es que por un lado es una construcción social de nosotros, así tenemos la oportunidad para participar en lo que es y lo que significa. Por el otro lado, la tierra no existe independiente de nosotros. Ella es impactada por nuestras decisiones, desde el cambio climático hasta lo que es considerado “protegido” y en qué forma y por qué. Líneas en el mapa tienen consecuencias, junto con las decisiones de la gente que en el área de política. Así, quiero decir que mi visión para un aire libre ideal es un lugar que sea apoyado y cocreado por una sociedad diversa y próspera como la tierra misma. “Pa delante, siempre pa delate”.

Chela Garcia Irlando, Directora Ejecutiva de la Next 100 Coalition

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre?

Liderazgo latino es tan importante porque lo ejemplifica que siempre habíamos tenido una conexión a la naturaleza, administración de la tierra, y conocimiento de la reciprocidad y los beneficios a la salud que reuniendo y pasando tiempo al aire libre pueda dar. La población latina y su influencia en los Estados Unidos solo continua a crecer, y así, nuestro liderazgo ahora es tan importante para establecer la fundación de infraestructura, política, y planeamiento para ser inclusivo, relevante culturalmente, y para reflejar la diversidad que existe adentro de las comunidades latinas a través del país.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

No estoy seguro si había un momento específico que me llevó a trabajar en esta área, sino más bien una pasión de toda la vida por retribuir a mi comunidad, honrando la conexión de mi familia y mi cultura con la naturaleza, y utilizando mis conocimientos y experiencias para generar cambio sistemático para las generaciones futuras. Hay pequeños momentos que se han quedado conmigo durante este camino, como recolectar nueces en nuestro patio delantero cuando era niña, montando bicicletas con mis hermanos desde que las luces de la calle se encendieron, aprendiendo a hacer montañismo y escalada en rocas siendo adulto, y decidiendo a obtener un título de posgrado en planificación ambiental. Todas de estas experiencias han tenido un impacto acumulativo y clarifican el enfoque no lineal que nuestra área de trabajo debe comprender y seguir mientras que estamos involucrando a las comunidades que han sido históricamente excluidas del disfrute y protección que ofrece la naturaleza y el aire libre.

¿Cómo te parece acceso equitativo al aire libre para la comunidad latina?

Como la geografía y el paisaje sociopolítico a través del Estados Unidos son diversos, así también son las comunidades latinas a través del país. Nuestras comunidades son étnicamente, lingüísticamente y socioeconómicamente diversas con oportunidades únicas y desafíos para el acceso al aire libre. En mi opinión, el acceso equitativo al aire libre es un proceso más que un resultado y realmente se debe tomar encuenta las consideraciones locales y culturales de cada comunidad. Participación a largo plazo, solicitación de perspectivas, inversión en liderazgo local y infraestructura al aire libre, y asistir a eventos constantemente son solo algunos ejemplos de cómo generar acceso equitativo para la comunidad latina.

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Mi visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal es un lugar donde todas las comunidades tienen acceso para disfrutar y proteger la naturaleza, con el disfrute comunitario conectado a actividades económicas no extractivas al aire libre. Es un lugar donde todos sienten acogidos, seguros, y representados, con diversas culturas e historias reconocidas y celebradas, donde todas las formas de disfrutar la naturaleza son valoradas.

Amy Dominguez-Arms, Outdoor Foundation Juna Directiva

¿Por qué es importante el liderazgo hispano en los espacios al aire libre? 

Nuestro Informe de Participación al Aire Libre revela que latinos y otra gente de color tienen menos probabilidades a pasar tiempo al aire libre por varias razones. Sabemos que la gente siente acogedora en espacios donde pueden ver otros como ellos. Entonces, viendo otros latinos participando en actividades al aire libre, como ciclismo, senderismo, o escalada de roca, por ejemplo, así como ampliando el acceso para otros, puede ayudar a crear un sentido de pertenencia para todos en el aire libre.

¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar en el área de acceso equitativo al aire libre?

Soy afortunada que tiempo al aire libre fue importante para mis padres. Mi madre, como creció en el Este de Los Ángeles, no experimentó las actividades al aire libre hasta que conoció mi padre, pero entonces se dio cuenta de lo mucho que prospera al aire libre. Así que, desde que tuve pocos años, nuestras vacaciones familiares siempre consistieron en viajes con mochila o ir a campar. Sabiendo los enriquecedor que es para mí el tiempo al aire libre, me he dedicado mi tiempo como voluntario a expandir el acceso al aire libre para más gente, particularmente los que vienen de comunidades que se enfrenten barreras, ya sea por el transporte, costos de equipamiento, o el sentimiento que no se pertenece a esos espacios.

¿Qué es lo que le entusiasma de la Outdoor Foundation y de su rol como presidente de la Junta Directiva?

Estoy emocionada por lo que es posible cuando las comunidades se juntaron para aprovechar sus recursos locales y programas para asegurar que más niños y jóvenes pueden pasar tiempo de calidad al aire libre. Vemos cómo iniciativas creativas, desde la programación integrada para toda la familia de Boulder hasta el Fondo de Equipos y Suministros de Chicago, puede hacer posible tiempo al aire libre para más jóvenes, como mejora su salud mental y físico, y los inspirar a ellos. Agradezco que asociaciones con comunidades locales, la industria del aire libre, y otras partes interesadas son el núcleo del trabajo del Outdoor Foundation.

¿Cuál es tú visión de un espacio al aire libre ideal?

Es un lugar donde gente de todas las identidades se sienten completamente bienvenidas y pueden disfrutar la paz y la reposición que trae la naturaleza. Idealmente, también, la gente puede entender la importancia de cuidar de la naturaleza para que estos lugares pueden ser sostenidos para futuras.

5 Ways Benchmarking Can Drive Growth and Profitability for Your Outdoor Brand

In today’s competitive outdoor industry, brands need to make data-driven decisions to stay ahead. Benchmarking is a powerful tool that allows you to measure your brand’s performance against your competitors and industry standards, uncovering opportunities for growth and profitability. Here’s how benchmarking can help your outdoor brand blaze new trails to success:

1. Optimize Financial Performance

Benchmarking provides a clear picture of your brand’s financial health by comparing key financial ratios and indicators. By analyzing metrics like revenue growth, profit margins, and inventory turnover, you can identify areas where your brand excels and where improvements are needed. For example, understanding how your profit margins compare to industry leaders can highlight pricing strategies or cost management practices that could be adopted or refined. Similarly, tracking inventory turnover rates against top performers helps ensure that your capital isn’t tied up in excess stock, boosting cash flow and profitability.

2. Streamline Business Operations

Your brand’s operational efficiency is critical to sustaining growth. Benchmarking allows you to assess core business operations, focusing on metrics such as SKU count, sales channel mix, marketing mix and ROI, sourcing mix, number of employees, and sales per employee. By comparing these metrics with industry averages or top performers, you can identify inefficiencies or areas for optimization. For instance, understanding the right balance in your sales channel mix or the effectiveness of your marketing spend can lead to better allocation of resources, improved customer reach, and ultimately, higher sales.

3. Implement Actionable Best Practices

Benchmarking goes beyond identifying gaps; it can often unlock actionable strategies for your brand’s specific needs. For outdoor brands, this could mean adopting best practices for revenue and gross margin optimization, asset management, or payroll control. These practices help you streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance profitability. For example, if your payroll expenses are higher than industry norms, benchmarking can guide you in implementing more efficient workforce management practices, or if your gross margin is below average, it might suggest pricing adjustments or cost-cutting measures that align with industry standards.

4. Gain Targeted Insights

Not all outdoor brands are alike. Segmenting by company size and product line allows you to pinpoint opportunities within your specific market segment, whether you’re a niche specialty brand like OIA member Gossamer Gear or a large, diversified outdoor company like The North Face. By comparing your performance to similar-sized companies or those with a similar product mix, you can identify the best strategies for your unique circumstances, ensuring that your growth efforts are both targeted and effective.

5. Catalyze Continuous Improvement

Benchmarking is not a one-time exercise but a continuous process that drives ongoing improvement. By regularly measuring your brand’s performance against industry benchmarks, you can stay ahead of trends, anticipate challenges, and adjust your strategies proactively. This ongoing evaluation ensures that your outdoor brand remains competitive, agile, and poised for long-term growth.

Ready to incorporate benchmarking into your business strategy? OIA makes it easy. Our new 2024 Outdoor Brand Benchmarking Report provides decision-makers access to exclusive industry benchmarks across all major business functions so that you can make informed decisions and lead your outdoor brand to success. Learn more and gain access to the data and insights today.

Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean Collaborate to Reduce Supply Chain Emissions and Protect the Planet

These outdoor brands came together, in partnership with their suppliers, to reduce emissions across the outdoor industry value chain.

To reach a more sustainable future, we must take bold, collective action against climate change. Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean came together through  Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Carbon Leadership Project CoLab to cut carbon emissions across the industry’s supply chain. This collaboration, supported by the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), focused on jointly reducing emissions across shared member supply chains. The OIA spearheaded the project and identified common suppliers among members, while Aii provided the framework of the Carbon Leadership Project to drive emission reduction efforts. 

“The Carbon Leadership Project guided our manufacturing partners in initiating their decarbonization journey.  Brand peers co-nominated suppliers to participate in the project, maximizing resources and driving momentum in carbon reduction.  Furthermore, the action plans were customized for participants based on their climate target maturity.  As long as the risk of climate change is not mitigated, we will continue to advocate for the Carbon Leadership Project” Ian Lee, Sustainable Manufacturing Program Manager at Columbia Sportswear. 

Aii’s Carbon Leadership Project framework assists suppliers in measuring GHG emissions at the facility level, setting targets, and effectively reducing GHG emissions. This program not only aids members in achieving their climate objectives but also aligns with OIA’s mission to lead the charge in sustainable business innovation so that all people can thrive outside, today, and in future generations. Learn more about the Carbon Leadership Project here. 

Bryant LaPres, senior director of industry engagement at Apparel Impact Institute, adds “Through our work with the OIA, we demonstrated the value of collaboration between brands and suppliers. The OIA played a critical role in bringing this work from concept to action. Their member brands played an equally critical role, emphasizing alliance with shared suppliers rather than going alone. We are excited to move into implementation activities to achieve direct emissions reductions and look forward to the results”. 

The primary goals of the Carbon Leadership Project CoLab were to support shared suppliers across the outdoor industry in measuring their emissions and setting carbon reduction targets. Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean nominated two shared suppliers to participate in the CoLab. OIA’s Impact CoLabs are collaborative, pre-competitive emissions reduction initiatives led by OIA and service providers. These initiatives help members meet their sustainability goals more efficiently and cost-effectively by working together. 

Carbon Leadership Project CoLab Steps + Impact

Launched in 2022, the Carbon Leadership Project aimed to work with shared suppliers on setting science-aligned reduction targets and creating reduction action plans to achieve their targets. 
 
CoLab Milestones 

1. Supplier nomination and overlap assessment: Members submitted facilities of interest, OIA completed an overlap mapping exercise to seek shared suppliers to maximize impact  

2. Carbon tech assessment: Aii and their service provider partner, RESET Carbon, completed benchmarking for the nominated facilities to identify carbon saving potential and define next steps  

3. Carbon Target Setting: RESET Carbon collaborated with suppliers to identify their carbon reduction potential and set reduction targets  

4. Reduction Action Plan: A carbon reduction plan tailored to each facility was created 

5. Brand engagement with suppliers to implement reduction action plan (in progress)  

The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab supported facilities in completing a carbon tech assessments to benchmark their emissions and set reduction targets.  The final product was a tailored carbon reduction plan for each facility to reach its target.  Member brands are engaging with their suppliers to implement these reduction action plans. 

“The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab provided organizations with skills and tools to measure, monitor and report on their partnered facility’s carbon emissions. It allowed the organization to establish a clear baseline and achievable targets”, Grace Wong, Senior Sustainability Specialist Traceability, Helly Hansen. 

The decarbonization opportunities identified in the reduction action plans were prioritized based on their total emissions reduction potential and expected implementation timeline. The roadmaps were delivered via an Excel-based tool, where suppliers could input their intent and prioritization for implementing solutions. The tool also provided estimates of costs, return on investment, and tailored considerations to address before implementation to reduce risks. 

Pre-Competitive Collaboration: OIA’s Impact CoLabs  

Climate change is one of, if not the most, crucial issues the outdoor industry faces today. If there is not a thriving environment to recreate in, outdoor businesses do not have a future. Collaboration is necessary to significantly reduce climate impacts in the outdoor industry; the problem is too large for individual companies to solve on their own. Companies must work together to decarbonize the global supply chain, and OIA provides an avenue with a clear path to do just that. OIA’s Impact CoLabs are collaborative, pre-competitive, emissions reduction initiatives led by OIA and service providers to help members meet their sustainability goals in less time and with less cost by working together.  Through OIA’s six Impact CoLabs, 19 OIA members have invested in collaborative emissions reduction projects across their supply chains – working collectively to maximize impact and protect our planet.

 “The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab empowered members to take bold, collective climate action. OIA understands that tackling climate goals and reducing emissions can be daunting for individual companies, but we believe in the power of working together. By uniting to create shared solutions, we can accelerate progress and achieve significant emissions reductions. Through initiatives like the CLP CoLab, OIA supports members in reducing emissions across their supply chains”, said Breana Nehls, OIA Sustainable Business Innovation Manager. “Together, we are catalysts for sustainable growth.” 

 Learn more about OIA’s CoLabs and how you can catalyze meaningful change with us at outdoorindustry.org/sustainablebusiness.