How REI Co-op Is Tackling the Critical Issue of Climate Change Both Internally and Externally

While sustainability has become an increasing focus of the broader footwear industry, REI Co-op has long made it a pillar of its business. “Climate is the organizing ethos of all the work we do when we think about sustainability,” REI Co-op director of sustainability Matt Thurston told FN. “Within our corporate strategy, we think strategically across the enterprise to incorporate climate considerations into every aspect of the co-op’s work within our own four walls and beyond.” It’s so important to REI that in September 2019, CEO and president Eric Artz sent a letter to employees that was later shared publicly, declaring climate change as the greatest threat to the future of the outdoors and its business. Below, Thurston shares insights into multiple ways REI’s ecosystem is designed to create change for the better. BALANCING SALES GOALS WITH SUSTAINABILITY “That’s a conundrum every business needs to be solving over the next few decades. It’s critical from a climate perspective. In 2020, we committed to climate neutrality across our own brands, our outdoor experiences and the operations we own and control for our business. We take the cost of carbon and integrate that into how we run our business, so it’s part of our financials. Then we

Follow Footwear News on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

from Footwear NewsFootwear News https://ift.tt/3nTfhEI