Type: OIA Press Room

BOULDER, Colo. – Today, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) celebrated the Biden administration’s historic action to launch the American Climate Corps, which will be tasked with building a clean and climate resilient economy and promoting a strong outdoor workforce.

“It is outstanding to see this administration take another big step forward in the fight to conserve and restore our lands and waters, bolster community resilience, and modernize the country’s outdoor infrastructure for the 168 million Americans who participate in outdoor recreation every year,” said OIA President Kent Ebersole. “Tackling climate change requires tremendous leadership at all levels of government and industry. The Biden administration continues to deliver on their ambitious conservation agenda, from five new national monument designations and land protections to this newly redesigned American Climate Corps. These policies are imperative not only to turn the tide on climate change, but to safeguard our environment and the long-term economic health of the $862 billion outdoor recreation industry.”

OIA and its members have consistently supported the establishment of an American Climate Corps and investments in natural climate solutions. OIA has hosted webinars, sent letters to congressional leadership, gathered industry leaders, worked with lawmakers, spoke to the public, and built a policy platform that calls for a fully-funded American Climate Corps.

Additionally, OIA’s Climate Action Corps – outdoor businesses united on the bold goal to become the first climate-positive industry by 2030 – has already made significant progress in reducing their carbon footprints according to science-based targets, removing their remaining carbon emissions from the atmosphere, and advocating for robust climate policy. OIA looks forward to working with the Biden administration to support the next generation of clean energy, conservation, and resilience workers. Read the full 2022 Impact Report and Climate Action Corps Member Progress Reports here.

Read more on how OIA and 100 outdoor companies are pioneering a collaborative model to accelerate science-based climate action and influence policy here.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a catalyst for meaningful change. A member-based collective, OIA is a passionate group of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting – and growing access to – the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. For more than 30 years, OIA has catalyzed a thriving outdoor industry by supporting the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas: market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. OIA delivers success for its members through education, events, and business services in the form of solutions and strategies, consultation, collaboration, and opportunities for collective action. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org

 

 

Swift and strategic action puts outdoor collective on track to become the first climate positive industry by 2030

 

BOULDER, COLO [August 16, 2023] – Today, Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Climate Action Corps proudly released the latest data from its 2022 Impact Report, summarizing the group’s objectives, methodology, results, and findings, as well as an assessment of its overall impact to date. 

 A member-led collective of outdoor brands, specialty retailers, and suppliers both big and small, OIA’s Climate Action Corps consists of leading outdoor businesses that have united around the bold goal to become the first climate positive industry by 2030. The Corps’ 2022 Impact Report reveals in detail how the sustainability collective continues to make significant and crucial progress on measuring, setting targets, reducing emissions, and advocating for bold policy action in Congress.

Some of the most notable highlights from the Climate Action Corps’ 2022 Impact Report include:

• 99% of Corps members have measured their operational greenhouse gas emissions (measured, estimated, or in progress for scope 1 and 2 emissions) – up from 96% from last year and 84% in 2020.
• 91% are measuring their value chain emissions (measured, estimated, or in progress for scope 3 emissions) – up from 83% last year and 69% in 2020.
• 87% have set Scope 1 and 2 targets and 76% have set targets for Scope 3 (set or in progress).
• 13 Corps members are engaged in 4 Impact CoLabs – in addition to 7 members who have already completed 2 CoLabs – to help accelerate emissions reductions.
• 76% have engaged in advocacy actions, such as endorsing a climate solutions campaign or sign-on letter, participating in a government meeting, or corresponding directly with U.S. Congress or administration officials – up from 59% last year.

“We applaud the bold leadership of our Climate Action Corps members and their commitment to collective action and sustainable growth. This work is not easy. It takes perseverance, courage, and a tremendous amount of time and energy. But together, our combined efforts can drive innovation, mobilize millions of consumers, drive meaningful policy change, and be a model for other sectors to follow. Our industry’s long history of collaboration has shown time and again that we can unite to confront even the most complex issues,” said OIA President, Kent Ebersole.

Many of OIA’s Climate Action Corps members share this common vision. 

“REI’s mission is to connect every person to the power of the outdoors and engage them in the fight to protect it. The OIA Climate Action Corps has been a key partner in helping us build coalitions to solve some of our biggest environmental challenges. Their platforms allow brands to advocate for collective environmental shifts in the outdoor industry, they educate members on regulations and policies, and they offer support to ensure every brand is moving forward with their climate goals,” added Danielle Fraser, Merchandising Sustainability Manager at REI. 

“Climate Action Corps has created a unique community of support for its membership. Learning from other brands and how they approach and structure their sustainability initiatives has been valuable and reassuring that we are all on this journey together,” said Kristen Bandurski, Sustainability Program Manager at Vasque.

“L.L.Bean has always had the environment as one of our key stakeholders,” said Brian O’Connor, Director of Sustainability and Global Compliance at L.L.Bean. “OIA’s Climate Action Corps has been instrumental in helping us turn our corporate intentions into impact.” 

“We are so proud to see our industry rally around the climate crisis and take bold, science-based action to combat it. Climate change has no barriers – it impacts each one of us, and the planet upon which we all recreate. While each individual action to address this crisis has an impact, together as an industry and as a collective of Climate Action Corps members, we have greater potential to catalyze sustainable growth and affect systemic change,” added Ebersole. 

Read the full 2022 Impact Report and Climate Action Corps member Progress Reports here.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a catalyst for meaningful change. A member-based collective, OIA is a passionate group of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting – and growing access to – the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. For more than 30 years, OIA has catalyzed a thriving outdoor industry by supporting the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas: market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. OIA delivers success for its members through education, events, and business services in the form of solutions and strategies, consultation, collaboration, and opportunities for collective action. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Compose[d], a digital strategy and creative services agency, is pleased to announce their partnership with the Outdoor Industry Association to help brands effectively develop and authentically communicate their company’s ongoing sustainability efforts and climate goals across all marketing, advertising, and consumer touch-points.

“We’re incredibly excited to partner with OIA to continue to help brands communicate their sustainability efforts and any other digital needs for their business,” shares Compose[d] President and CCO, Jason Parkin. “The Outdoor Industry has been, and continues to be, a leader when it comes to sustainability and climate action, which is why we’re so happy to not only be a part of it, but further commit ourselves to the industry. With the new regulations around PFAS, the FTC’s Green Guides regulations, and an increasingly savvy consumer base, it’s critical that brands are authentic in their communications, and avoid any hint of greenwashing.”

A Certified B Corp since 2020, Compose[d] is uniquely positioned to support the long-term success of the outdoor industry by incorporating CSR values and achievements into the marketing narratives of businesses around the world and across industry verticals.  With this new partnership, OIA members can now save up to 12 percent (12%) on services rendered by Compose[d].

ABOUT COMPOSED

Compose[d] is a digital strategy & creative services agency dedicated to driving positive impact. As a Certified B Corp®, we leverage our expertise to help clients effectively develop and authentically communicate their sustainability efforts, e-comm, digital marketing/advertising solutions, and consumer insights; from established global brands to up-and-coming challengers across all industry verticals.

2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report reveals record growth in outdoor base and increasing diversity, especially among new and young participants

 

BOULDER, COLO [June 19, 2023] — Today, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Outdoor Foundation (OF), longtime authorities on outdoor participation data, jointly released findings from the 2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report. The report reveals that the outdoor recreation participation base grew 2.3% in 2022 to a record 168.1M participants, or 55% of the U.S. population over the age of 6. The report also found that the new participant base is becoming increasingly more diverse in terms of ethnicity, race, age, and sexual and gender identity.

“For any business that wants to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, understanding the evolving consumer base and how they choose to spend their time outdoors is essential knowledge,” said Kent Ebersole, President of OIA. “Industry growth is dependent on attracting and retaining the “core” and increasingly diverse “casual” participant through innovation, valued sustainability practices and pursuing policies for increasing equitable access to the outdoors for everyone.”

Key findings in the report include:

• The participation rate for Hispanic people increased from 34% in 2015 to 56% in 2022, the highest participant growth rate for any single group.
• The participation rate for Black people increased more than 5% in 2022 to 40.7%, the only group with increased average outings and the highest number of outings on average compared to any other ethnic or racial group.
• LGBTQIA+ participants make up 11% of the participant base and are the most active of any adult cohort.
• A significantly higher percentage of seniors are participating in outdoor recreation. At 35% of the base, seniors now represent 1 in every 5 outdoor participants.
• Gateway activities, where new participants begin their outdoor recreation journey, continue to drive new entrant outings and frequency of participation.
  80% of outdoor activity categories experienced growth, including camping, fishing, sport climbing, skateboarding, and hiking.
• Record growth in the participant base does not translate to participation rates, which are down for the first time since the pandemic, especially amongst “core” and “youth” segments.

“The findings of this year’s report underpin the critical need for initiatives like Thrive Outside that seek to address outdoor equity barriers,” said Stephanie Maez, Outdoor Foundation Executive Director. “While the growth in ethnic and racial diversity in the participant base is encouraging, we must strive to do better. Outdoor participation should reflect the diversity of the U.S. population overall and currently, it does not.”

For over 15 years, the report has served as the most trusted and comprehensive source of insights and narratives around who’s doing what, when, and how outdoors. The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, funds the research and publishes the findings in partnership with OIA every year.

The 2023 report reflects data gathered during the 2022 calendar year and garnered a total of 18,000 online interviews consisting of people ages six and older. While the executive summary of the report is available to the public, the full report is available exclusively to OIA members and OF partners.

About 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.

About the Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a catalyst for meaningful change. A member-based collective, OIA is a passionate group of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting – and growing access to – the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. For more than 30 years, OIA has catalyzed a thriving outdoor industry by supporting the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas: market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. OIA delivers success for its members through education, events, and business services in the form of solutions and strategies, consultation, collaboration and opportunities for collective action. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

New member program, working group, and consulting service to support phase-out of harmful chemicals through scalable plans, supply chain solutions, and timely advocacy 

 

BOULDER, CO (June 14, 2023) – A member-led collective and the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today proudly announces the launch of its new Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition (CCMC), a comprehensive program, working group, and consulting service to provide OIA members with strategies, scalable action plans, and solutions for thoughtfully phasing out PFAS and other harmful chemicals from their products and guide members through complicated sustainability regulations across the country.

CCMC is designed to support outdoor retailers, brands, manufacturers, and distributors each in a way that’s unique to their product category and life stage. The central purpose of the program is to help OIA members balance financial and product management risks while eliminating and replacing materials, delivering transparency to supply chain, recycling, and emission disclosures. It will also inform members of future chemical and sustainability compliance laws and regulations that are likely to impact the outdoor industry.

“For the outdoor industry, the path towards phasing out forever chemicals includes finding safer replacement materials that don’t sacrifice performance,” said Kent Ebersole, President of OIA. “Recently, many leading outdoor brands have become committed to phasing out PFAS, and members like REI, Keen, and Patagonia are already supporting the cause by screening products for PFAS and eradicating toxic materials from their own product lines. With the new CCMC, OIA looks to catalyze even broader compliance by bringing the entirety of our industry to the forefront of this vital chemical phase-out,” added Ebersole. 

“Our sustainability commitment has always been about balance as well as urgency, increasing the ability of our members to reduce harm, apply safe alternatives in the supply chain, and become a climate positive industry by 2030,” said Sarah Rykal, Director of Sustainable Business Innovation at OIA. “We are here to support members as they navigate and innovate on sustainability practices and continue to build consumer trust in, and loyalty to, their favorite outdoor brands and gear. For a problem of this nature, OIA is all in. We are investing in this program to share our collective resources and expertise so outdoor companies don’t have to invest in costly but valuable new sustainability measures alone.”

OIA will work to share execution plans in the form of legislative and technical resources, a roadmap of market and product restrictions by state, as well as complicated compliance timelines so that all members can comply with legislation with minimal impact and reduced risk to their hard and soft goods businesses. OIA members will also have access to CCMC technical and legislative experts for further consultation on custom approaches, including toolkits for testing thresholds, research on alternative materials, and critical information on how to identify and phase out harmful chemicals from the supply chain. Additionally, members are invited to participate in monthly working group discussions hosted by industry leaders and experts to learn more on driving existing and future strategies for chemical action. The member-led working groups will be set up to offer further guidance on crucial topics like ongoing supply chain management and testing, chemical testing labs and methods, templates, and talking points for engaging with suppliers, inventory management and disposal, consumer messaging, and marketing best practices. 

“Whether our members are just starting out on the trail or cresting the summit to PFAS elimination or other sustainability measures, the CCMC is poised to provide timely, user-friendly information and ‘getting started’ insights for the industry at large,” added Ebersole. “Together we can create more sustainable practices to ensure the outdoor industry is successful for the health of business, people and the planet.”

To learn more about the Outdoor Industry Association’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition, please visit OIA’s website.  

 

About Outdoor Industry Association  

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a catalyst for meaningful change. A member-based collective, OIA is a passionate group of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting – and growing access to – the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. For more than 30 years, OIA has catalyzed a thriving outdoor industry by supporting the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas: market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. OIA delivers success for its members through education, events, and business services in the form of solutions and strategies, consultation, collaboration and opportunities for collective action. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org