Type: OIA Press Room

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug made the following statement this evening following today’s events at the U.S. Capitol:

“President Trump began his tenure trying to dismantle important symbols of our uniquely American democracy, our public lands. For almost four years, we have endured assaults by his administration on many of the staples that our communities, our economy and our country need to thrive, but we believed we would survive as a result of our democracy and the will of the voters. Now, President Trump is inciting rioting, loss of life and the destruction of our core American democratic principles. President Trump must be stopped immediately, and the peaceful transfer of power must be ensured.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association:
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – President-elect Joe Biden today announced U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) as his nominee to be Secretary of the Interior, the position responsible for overseeing federal land and natural resources. Outdoor Industry Association executive director Lise Aangeenbrug made the following statement about the historic nomination: 

“The Outdoor Industry Association is pleased to see Rep. Haaland nominated as Secretary of the Interior. She is a strong advocate for our nation’s public lands and waterways. In his nominations so far, President-elect Biden has demonstrated a commitment to several of the outdoor industry’s priorities, including protecting and increasing access to public lands and waters and addressing climate change. Rep. Haaland continues that trend. Beyond her obvious qualifications as a policy leader on our issues, she is a tireless advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every American should have the right to thrive outside. When outdoor spaces are welcoming, accessible, and safe for all – regardless of geography, income, or prior experience – everyone benefits. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has increased Americans’ appreciation for the outdoors. Now, the Biden administration has an opportunity to recognize this demand by creating a more thriving environment for people, the planet, and the outdoor recreation business community. A Department of Interior led by Rep. Haaland will be an important partner in keeping our lands and waters healthy and accessible for all.” 

The Secretary of Interior requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate. That process is expected to begin in early 2021.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association 

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org. 

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) commends Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) for introducing the “Ocean Based Climate Solutions Act” today. The bill would authorize federal funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to invest in ocean-based solutions to greenhouse gas emissions and conservation of coastal communities, as well as outline a national policy to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.

“This landmark proposal leverages the power of conservation to combat climate change and positions our coastal communities to be an integral part of the solution,” said Executive Director of OIA, Lise Aangeenbrug. “Further, it focuses on establishing social and economic criteria to ensure our public lands and waters remain accessible, where appropriate, to all Americans and the businesses that rely on them. It is essential to have the right balance between conservation and providing Americans the access they need to thrive outside and participate in our robust outdoor recreation economy. We are pleased to see Rep. Grijalva’s legislation achieves this important balance.”

OIA’s 2020 Policy Platform, released in October 2020, supports the swift scale-up of natural climate solutions as a strategy for both climate mitigation and climate resilience across a variety of lands, waters, and habitat types – including the forests, rivers, lakes, streams, oceans, and coastal areas.

The bill awaits consideration by the House Committee on Natural Resources.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Local communities across the United States have a new resource available to help them diversify their outdoor spaces and programs, thanks to a model resolution released today at the Outdoor Economy Conference by a coalition of partners including the In Solidarity Project, Growing Outdoors Partnership, and the NC Recreation and Park Association.

This Outdoor Diversity Resolution is a resource for all communities interested in making their outdoor spaces a key asset in building an inclusive and healthy community. The model resolution is inspired by the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge, which businesses and nonprofits can commit to as a powerful tool connecting leading outdoor brands with inclusion advocates to advance representation for people of color across the outdoor industry.

“As the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge has spread across the country and around the globe, we kept hearing from local and state government leaders who wanted an equivalent document they could sign and commit to,” said Teresa Baker, founder of the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge and In Solidarity. “We are excited to announce this new resolution so that government organizations can move forward along with the Pledge’s business and nonprofit partners in diversifying the outdoors.”

The outdoors are essential for our communities – both for the individual people who need outdoor access for their own health, and for the community itself via things like heat island reduction, flood control, and climate resilience. The Resolution lays out the benefits of time spent outdoors, what has led to a lack of diversity in outdoor spaces, and what specific steps local communities can take to ensure that their outdoor spaces and programs are more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive.

This Resolution grew out of the “Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” working group of the Outdoor Economy Conference, which held up the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge as a clear step forward that conference attendees could take and noted the need for a government equivalent. Diquan Edmonds, program coordinator at the NC Recreation and Park Association, reached out to Baker and her Pledge co-founder Chris Perkins to see if something already existed.

When it turned out there was not something like this in place, Edmonds led the development of a model resolution that could easily be adapted to fit the needs of communities across North Carolina and nationwide, while the In Solidarity Project volunteered to host the Resolution alongside the Pledge on their website, and to help reach out to the many communities that had contacted them asking for a tool like this Resolution.

“We know that action starts in our local communities,” said Edmonds. “We are excited to empower professionals, volunteers, and community members with the tools to coordinate action across North Carolina and get this resolution implemented. The biggest opportunity comes from working with peers across the country to create shared learning and accountability nationwide.”

Conference organizers are excited to see the resolution emerge and take on a life of its own. “This resolution is such a clear way to ensure that whatever kind of organization you are—a business, nonprofit, or government entity—you can make a public commitment to diversify the outdoors,” says Outdoor Economy Conference organizer Noah Wilson. “What starts here can quickly take root across the country and even the globe, because everyone needs access to open spaces, wild places, and great jobs. And that starts with us taking responsibility for just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive access to outdoor places and the outdoor industry in our own communities.”

About the Outdoor Economy Conference

The Outdoor Economy Conference connects, educates, and inspires leaders and doers working to grow the outdoor industry and craft an economy that’s intimately tied to the well-being of their places and communities. With the outdoors more essential than ever, this year’s conference is bringing together outdoor leaders from around the country to advance five timely topics and ensure a better future for the outdoor economy and the people and places it serves. These five topics include: Healthy Communities Through Recreation; Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Outdoor Innovation + Entrepreneurship; Next Generation Outdoors; and Building Outdoor Communities.

About the In Solidarity Project and the Outdoor Industry CEO Diversity Pledge

The Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge connects leading outdoor brands with inclusion advocates to advance representation for people of color across the industry. We’re focused on enhancing representation across staff and executive teams, media and marketing, and athletes/ambassadors. By building a relationship of support, empathy and understanding, versus external skepticism and internal stress, we’re moving the outdoor industry towards authentic inclusion.

About the NC Recreation and Park Association

Founded in 1944, the North Carolina Recreation & Park Association (NCRPA) is the premier nonprofit education and advocacy organization, dedicated to the advancement of the park, recreation and leisure professions in our state. NCRPA empowers park and recreation professionals and community board members through educational opportunities that enhance their ability to change lives and impact communities on a daily basis for the people of North Carolina.

Platform Covers Outdoor Recreation Priorities for Climate Change, Public Lands and Waters and Trade

BOULDER, Colo. – Today, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) released its policy platform for 2020 after first sharing its recommendations with both presidential campaigns. The document, titled “Blazing a Trail to Economic Recovery, Growth and Prosperity: Outdoor Industry Association Policy Platform,” outlines OIA’s vision for abundant, safe and welcoming public lands and waters, balanced trade and its first-ever climate policy agenda.

“We represent more than 1,200 companies, whose millions of loyal customers and employees live in all 50 states in communities large and small, rural and urban, red, blue and purple,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of Outdoor Industry Association. She continued, “What unites us is a shared passion for the outdoors and a belief that our industry is essential to getting America’s economy back on track. OIA’s platform serves as a guidepost for candidates who are prepared to take bold, meaningful actions to ensure thriving communities, thriving outdoor businesses and a thriving planet.”

Below is an overview of the main objectives detailed in the platform.

Climate Change

• Incentivize businesses to take bold action to reverse the climate crisis
• Preserve our nation’s lands and waters as natural climate solutions
• Invest in parks and paths to help build low-carbon, climate-resilient communities
• Accelerate our nation’s transition to renewable energy

Public Lands and Waters

• Make public lands and waters a cornerstone of economic recovery by doing the following:
• Making public lands an essential part of individual and community health
• Making new investments in recreation and green infrastructure, including Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and close-to-home recreation
• Conserve public lands and waters
• Make the outdoors accessible, equitable, welcoming and safe for everyone regardless of geography, income or prior experience for all Americans
• Protect core conservation laws and reverse regulatory rollbacks

Balanced Trade

• Conclude an agreement with China that protects U.S. IP and lifts all punitive tariffs
• Rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and pursue new bilateral and multilateral trade deals
• Renew and Expand the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process
• Prioritize sustainable trade initiatives
• Develop a North American supply chain for PPE

To read the full document, click here.

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About Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – Today, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) released its policy platform for 2020 after first sharing its recommendations with both presidential campaigns. The document, titled “Blazing a Trail to Economic Recovery, Growth and Prosperity: Outdoor Industry Association Policy Platform,” outlines OIA’s vision for abundant, safe and welcoming public lands and waters, balanced trade and its first-ever climate policy agenda.

“We represent more than 1,200 companies, whose millions of loyal customers and employees live in all 50 states in communities large and small, rural and urban, red, blue and purple,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of Outdoor Industry Association. She continued, “What unites us is a shared passion for the outdoors and a belief that our industry is essential to getting America’s economy back on track. OIA’s platform serves as a guidepost for candidates who are prepared to take bold, meaningful actions to ensure thriving communities, thriving outdoor businesses and a thriving planet.”

Below is an overview of the main objectives detailed in the platform.

Climate Change

• Incentivize businesses to take bold action to reverse the climate crisis
• Preserve our nation’s lands and waters as natural climate solutions
• Invest in parks and paths to help build low-carbon, climate-resilient communities
• Accelerate our nation’s transition to renewable energy

Public Lands and Waters

• Make public lands and waters a cornerstone of economic recovery by doing the following:
• Making public lands an essential part of individual and community health
• Making new investments in recreation and green infrastructure, including Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and close-to-home recreation
• Conserve public lands and waters
• Make the outdoors accessible, equitable, welcoming and safe for everyone regardless of geography, income or prior experience for all Americans
• Protect core conservation laws and reverse regulatory rollbacks

Balanced Trade

• Conclude an agreement with China that protects U.S. IP and lifts all punitive tariffs
• Rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and pursue new bilateral and multilateral trade deals
• Renew and Expand the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process
• Prioritize sustainable trade initiatives
• Develop a North American supply chain for PPE

To read the full document, click here.

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About Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – Today, Executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), Lise Aangeenbrug made the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the “America’s Conservation Enhancement Act,” legislation that will reauthorize wetlands conservation, officially establish the National Fish Habitat program, and address threats from invasive species and chronic disease: 

“At a time when Americans are experiencing both the joy of wanting to spend more time outside and concern over natural disasters made worse by climate change, funding for the outdoors is all the more important,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of OIA. “This important legislation will protect our nation’s lands and waterways and strengthen the outdoor recreation industry’s ability to do what it does best – support people, our economy, and our planet.” 

“In particular, we commend the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senators John Barrasso and Tom Carper, as well as Senator Martin Heinrich for their leadership. We also thank the Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congressman Raul Grijalva, and Congressmen Mike Thompson and Joe Cunningham for their work in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to pass this bill.” 

The bill now awaits the president’s signature to become law. 

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About the Outdoor Industry Association 

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org. 

BOULDER, Colo. – September 30, 2020 – The Outdoor Foundation (OF), the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), is pleased to announce that Stephanie Maez, a longtime strategic policy advocate and nonprofit executive and a former state legislator from New Mexico (House District 21), has been named its new managing director.

Through community grant-making and groundbreaking research, the Outdoor Foundation works with young leaders and partners to mobilize a major cultural shift to lead all Americans to the great outdoors. The Foundation’s Thrive Outside Community Initiative awards multi-year, capacity-building grants to diverse communities in order to create or strengthen partnerships between existing local organizations, such as schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs and nonprofit conservation and outdoor organizations that create repeat and reinforcing positive outdoor experiences for kids and families. The core goal of the Thrive Outside Community Initiative is to create healthy individuals, communities and economies by making the outdoors a habit.

Stephanie currently serves as the senior fellow for race and diversity at the Topos Partnership, a strategic research and communications consulting firm. In this capacity and as an independent consultant, Maez supports the policy, advocacy and research efforts of foundations and civic engagement organizations across the country. Her recent clients include the Ford Foundation, the Energy Foundation and the New Mexico Black Leadership Council.

In her role with the Outdoor Foundation, Stephanie will help advance the organization’s development, communications and grant programs. In addition, she will be responsible for the coordination of work across all areas of the Foundation, including research projects, issue briefings, community engagement and grants administration. She will report to the Outdoor Foundation Board chair and the OIA executive director.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Stephanie to expand the Foundation’s reach and impact in neighborhoods, towns and cities across the country so that more kids and families experience the fun, joy, wonder and healing benefits of the outdoors,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of OIA. “Together, we hope to increase the Foundation’s programs from 4 to 16 cities over the next few years.”

Jen Mull Neuhaus, board chair of the Outdoor Foundation adds, “Stephanie has a personal lived experience which is going to help her connect to those we are trying to serve. She is a great storyteller and dynamic nonprofit leader. We are so pleased to have her joining our team.”

The Outdoor Foundation Board of directors led the search effort. More than 125 candidates from the outdoor industry and nonprofit and for-profit sectors applied for the position.

When asked about her new role, Maez said, “Joining the Outdoor Foundation in this leadership role is an honor. The Foundation, in partnership with communities across the country, are innovating the way we connect underrepresented children and families to the outdoors. I am eager to contribute to these efforts, helping to bring the Foundation to the next level and growing the number of Thrive cities we serve.”

In recent years, Stephanie served as the executive director for ProgressNow New Mexico and ProgressNow New Mexico Education Fund. Prior to that, she served as CEO at the Center for Civic Policy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Stephanie will start her new position in October of 2020.

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About the Outdoor Foundation
The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, is a national 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to getting people outside for their health, the health of communities and the health of the outdoor industry. Through community investment and groundbreaking research, the Outdoor Foundation works with many partners to get more people outside more often. Visit outdoorfoundation.org for more information.

Asheville, NC – Sept. 17, 2020 – The Outdoor Economy Conference, the nation’s premier event for those looking to grow the outdoor industry in their own regions, is thrilled to return for its third year, this time with an all-new virtual format. Split into five creatively crafted half-day virtual workshops, the 2020 Outdoor Economy Conference will take place every Thursday in October from noon-4 p.m. EST.

This year’s Conference will tackle five timely topics under one umbrella theme: The Future of the Outdoors. Through a series of keynotes, presentations, panels, and workshops, attendees will explore topics such as: Healthy Communities Through Recreation; Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Outdoor Innovation + Entrepreneurship; Next Generation Outdoors; and Building Outdoor Communities.

“This year’s conference reflects the most relevant issues in our outdoor industry ecosystem,” says Noah Wilson, program director of the Growing Outdoors Partnership and lead conference organizer. “That’s why we’re excited to have a diverse and powerful group of leading thinkers and doers from across the country coming together to map out and build our shared future. We’ve been intentional about providing inspirational stories, powerful connections and networking, and tangible tools and resources people can take home and put to work. Long story short, this isn’t just another webinar.”

The Conference’s impressive speaker lineup includes such industry titans as Teresa Baker, founder of the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge; Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association; Jessica (Wahl) Turner, executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable; and Ray Rasker, executive director at Headwaters Economics. Attendees will also hear from a wide range of industry innovators, including Abby Dione, owner of Coral Cliffs Rock Climbing Center, and Dr. Nooshin Razani, director of the Center for Nature and Health at UCSF.

Conference organizers hope the virtual format will allow those who would not otherwise be able to attend to participate. “At a time when the outdoor industry as a whole has been grappling with questions around access, barriers, and inequities, we have been doing the same,” says Wilson. “By going virtual this year, our hope is the Conference will be able to reach a much wider audience, lower the barriers to attendance, and expand the impact of this event to reach even more states and communities.”

All Access Passes are available now for just $149, and Single-Session passes are also available. Attendees will also have access to recordings of all conference materials for at least six months. To view the full agenda or to purchase tickets, please visit outdooreconomy.org. For media inquiries, please email ashleigh@darbycommunications.com.

About The Outdoor Economy Conference

The Outdoor Economy Conference connects, educates, and inspires leaders and doers working to grow the outdoor industry and craft an economy that’s intimately tied to the well-being of their places and communities. With the outdoors more essential than ever, this year’s conference will bring together outdoor leaders from around the country to advance five timely topics and ensure a better future for the outdoor economy, and for the people and places that it serves. These five topics include: Healthy Communities Through Recreation; Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Outdoor Innovation + Entrepreneurship; Next Generation Outdoors; and Building Outdoor Communities. Learn more at outdooreconomy.org or follow on social @growingoutdoors.

The Outdoor Economy Conference, the nation’s premier event for those looking to grow the outdoor industry in their own regions, is thrilled to announce its partnership with Asheville-based Darby Communications. Conference organizers have tapped Darby Communications as their PR agency of record to elevate awareness of the virtual conference and its impressive lineup of speakers and panelists.

The 3^rd annual Outdoor Economy Conference will virtually bring together outdoor leaders from around the country to advance five timely topics under one umbrella theme: The Future of the Outdoors. Through a series of keynotes, presentations, panels, and workshops, attendees will explore topics such as:  Healthy Communities Through Recreation; Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Outdoor Innovation + Entrepreneurship; Next Generation Outdoors; and Building Outdoor Communities.

“Looking toward the future and adapting to change has always been at the heart of the Outdoor Economy Conference. By going virtual this year, we are able to reach a much wider audience, lower the barriers to attendance, and expand the impact of this event to reach even more states and communities,” says Noah Wilson, program director of the Growing Outdoors Partnership and lead conference organizer. “That’s why we’re so excited to have such an innovative and forward-thinking partner in Darby Communications. In the early months of our partnership, Darby has already proven to be one step ahead of the curve in all things PR and digital marketing.”

Darby Communications, who has long served the outdoor, fitness, and wellness industries, is perfectly poised to heighten the conference’s brand awareness and boost its ticket sales through a mix of PR, email marketing, and social media management. The agency has a proven track record of success in event promotion, having partnered with trade show association 360 Adventure Collective and longstanding popular music festival FloydFest.

“In its 3^rd year, the Outdoor Economy Conference has proven to be a vital resource for outdoor industry professionals across the country,” says Angie Robinson, vice president of Darby Communications. “We’re thrilled we get to lend our expertise to help advance such important and timely topics as improving diversity in our industry, engaging youth in the outdoors, and investing in outdoor infrastructure to improve community health.”

This year’s Outdoor Economy Conference will be held entirely online every Thursday in October from noon-4 p.m. EST. All Access Passes, regularly priced at $149, are available for just $99 until September 7, while Single-Session passes, regularly $60, are available for $40. To learn more about the event or to purchase tickets, please visit outdooreconomy.org and look out for a second release coming soon for more information on keynote speakers, panelists, workshops, and more. For media inquiries, please email ashleigh@darbycommunications.com.

 

About The Outdoor Economy Conference

The Outdoor Economy Conference connects, educates, and inspires leaders and doers working to grow the outdoor industry and craft an economy that’s intimately tied to the well-being of their places and communities. With the outdoors more essential than ever, this year’s conference will bring together outdoor leaders from around the country to advance five timely topics and ensure a better future for the outdoor economy, and for the people and places that it serves. These five topics include: Healthy Communities Through Recreation; Growth Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Outdoor Innovation + Entrepreneurship; Next Generation Outdoors; and Building Outdoor Communities. Learn more at outdooreconomy.org or follow on social @growingoutdoors.

About Darby Communications

Darby Communications is a boutique PR & digital marketing agency serving the outdoor, fitness, and wellness industries through impactful content creation, media placement, email marketing, and social media management. Headquartered in Asheville, NC with a coast-to-coast portfolio, Darby Communications takes a team approach to everything they do for clients and have worked with many of the outdoor and fitness industries’ most respected companies. Their current client roster includes: 360 Adventure Collective, Appalachian Gear Company, Astral, Feetures, Hyland’s, Ignik, Industrial Revolution, Johnson Outdoors, LifeSaver, Ombraz Sunglasses, Outdoor Economy Conference, Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn, Sierra Designs, SylvanSport, Tarpestry, and Wildwater. Learn more at www.darbycommunications.com or follow on social @darbycomm.

OIA and PFB announce a partnership between the outdoor and bike industries to empower collective action to achieve measurable and meaningful carbon reductions by 2030 while simultaneously combining and amplifying the industries’ political voices.

DENVER, Colo. – September 1, 2020 – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and PeopleForBikes (PFB) have announced a unique partnership through which PFB members — bicycle manufacturers and retailers — will be able to join the OIA Climate Action Corps, an unprecedented, collaborative model for alignment, action and accountability to achieve industry-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in accordance with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines.

Launched in January 2020, the OIA Climate Action Corps supports and enables brands, retailers, manufacturers and suppliers to measure their greenhouse gas emissions, set reduction targets, develop company-specific reduction plans and publicly share their progress annually. More than 75 outdoor companies have joined the Corps since its launch and have begun using the Climate Action Corps Guidebook as well as the industry-relevant regular trainings and gatherings offered in the online community to take a step-by-step journey toward a climate positive future for their businesses and for the industry as a whole. This new partnership — the Corps’ first — represents the uniquely collaborative, precompetitive nature of the two trade associations as well as the intersectionality of their industries’ goals.

“Outdoor companies rely on healthy outdoor places and healthy people outdoors,” says Amy Horton, OIA’s Senior Director of Sustainable Business Innovation. “The Corps has a strong first-do-no-harm ethos. Members are taking responsibility for the gear they make to ensure it is sourced, manufactured and delivered to consumers in ways that don’t jeopardize the health of our climate, our outdoor treasures or the people who buy, sell, or make the products. They are also committing to advocating for climate policy. We are excited to have PeopleForBikes as our first industry trade partner, not only because of the potential to grow the Corps’ carbon reduction impact but also to grow its advocacy muscle.”

Through this agreement, PeopleForBikes member companies will be able to join the Corps and access its exclusive resources — including the Climate Action Corps Guidebook, on-demand webinars, free online workshops, and other community learning opportunities — at a discounted rate. In addition, members will have the option of participating in Climate Action Corps Impact CoLab projects, specific initiatives — such as widespread renewable energy procurement in the U.S., mill energy efficiency improvements in China, and increased use of recycled content — in which OIA will lead or facilitate partnerships to drive greenhouse gas reductions through collaboration, helping participating members to meet their targets in less time and for less cost and effort.

“Climate is so important to the health of the bike industry,” said JJ Trout, PFB’s Chief of Staff. “Natural disasters pose a threat to supply chains, directly impacting folks who want to ride bikes. PeopleForBikes supporters are advocating for the environment. Today’s consumer cares about the planet and wants to align with companies who are listening to their concerns and taking action.” said JJ, ‘The industry needs a clean planet with safe, fun and healthy places to continue riding.”

The Climate Action Corps Guidebook is an interactive roadmap that guides members on their journey to set and meet aggressive GHG reduction targets. Most notably, membership in the Climate Action Corps provides a dramatically faster and significantly cheaper path to meaningful reduction than any company could achieve on their own.

Since launching the Corps in January 2020, OIA has welcomed more than 75 outdoor companies into the cohort, adding several companies to the roster each week, even amid the coronavirus pandemic, signaling the industry’s and businesses conviction that this work is more important than ever. The partnership with PeopleForBikes signals a moment in time like no other, and with it comes tremendous responsibility for the organization and an industry that has largely been slow to respond. The bike industry brings a unique and valuable set of business perspectives to the cohort, as the bicycle supply chain and typical material sourcing and product manufacturing standards are different from many of the Corps’ outdoor companies’. More information about the Climate Action Corps can be found at outdoorindustry.org/climateaction. Media interested in interviews with PeopleForBikes or Outdoor Industry Association or with Corps member companies can contact Deborah Williams (dwilliams@outdoorindustry.org) or JJ Trout (jj@peopleforbikes.org).

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About Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

About PeopleForBikes

Based in Boulder, Colo., PeopleForBikes is making biking better for everyone by uniting millions of individuals, thousands of businesses and hundreds of communities. When people ride bikes, great things happen. Join us at PeopleForBikes.org.