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REI is All-In On Inclusion

REI Staff|

Today, more than 60 CEOs of leading outdoor companies will announce that they are signing a pledge to lead an industry-wide effort to ensure that the full range of people who have a passion for the outdoors feel represented and welcome, outside.

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We, the leaders of REI, fully support this aspiration and effort. We believe the outdoors are for all and we commend the commitment that our colleagues in the industry are making. That’s why we are proud to stand with our industry partners to let our employees and members know that we are all in.

This is not new territory for REI. Since its founding in 1938, the co-op has always worked to awaken a life-long love of the outdoors in more people. And, in recent years, we have invested more focus in those for whom outdoor culture may not feel as welcoming.

  • Supporting, scaling and learning from leading national organizations like GirlTrek, Latino Outdoors, and Outdoor Afro, as well as outdoor groups like 52 Hike Challenge and Unlikely Hikers
  • Reframing how women are represented in outdoor media and setting out to make the outdoors “the world’s largest level playing field” through our Force of Nature efforts
  • Investing in research to help veterans and others experience and embrace the transformational and healing power of the outdoors
  • Elevating stories about adaptive outdoor life
  • Supporting marriage equality and opposing actions taken in some parts of the country to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community
  • Participating in annual Pride events in cities across America, supporting an active Outside with Pride employee group and bringing Pride merchandise to market for the first time
  • Investing in inclusion training for all 14,000 employees, seeking to raise awareness of implicit bias and the negative effects it can have in the workplace and beyond

These are just some steps in a far broader journey to a reality where everyone has the opportunity to be themselves, to access opportunities and to find their place in the outdoors. We acknowledge that this aspiration is not the reality today for everyone. Systemic bias and its legacy in outdoor culture have led to barriers to participation—and it’s our job to help break them down.

If you have any question about the need to do this work, just read or watch some of the stories REI has told in the past year or so:

Five Ways to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive | La Cumbre | I Am Here | Brotherhood of Skiing | Akuna Hikes | Safe Haven | The Mirnavator | Within Reach | Brothers of Climbing | The Path Ahead

Each of these stories illustrates that this work is never done. That is why each of us, both in our roles at REI and as individuals in society, supports the CEO Outdoor Equity Pledge. Each company will tackle the challenge of driving more diversity, equity and inclusion in its own way. At REI, that means:

  • Investing in work that removes the barriers underrepresented communities face to getting outside
  • Delivering relevant products, experiences, and expertise to equip and inspire a new generation of outdoor stewards
  • Cultivating a workforce that reflects the demographics of the markets we serve
  • Leading the industry’s efforts to welcome people and communities historically underrepresented into outdoor media and culture

Co-operation helps us to achieve more, faster. We look forward to continuing our work together on this important effort. We believe the health and sustainability of our industry depend on it.

The leaders of the REI Co-op, 

Jerry Stritzke, President and Chief Executive Officer
Eric Artz, Chief Operating Officer
Rick Bingle, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain
Leslie Garrard, Vice President of Experiences
Raquel Karls, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Curtis Kopf, Chief Digital Officer
Rachel Ligtenberg, Vice President of Retail
Chris Putur, Chief Information Officer
Tim Spangler, Senior Vice President of Retail
Chris Speyer, Vice President of Co-op Brands
Ben Steele, Chief Customer Officer
Mark Stoddard, Vice President of Merchandising Planning, Inventory and Solutions
Rebecca Straka, Vice President of Information Technology, Enterprise Technology and Shared Services
Dan Shull, Vice President of Information Technology, Commerce and Experience
Alex Thompson, Vice President of Brand Stewardship and Impact
Susan Viscon, Senior Vice President of Merchandising
Wilma Wallace, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Tracie Winbigler, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer 
REI Co-Op
REI Staff

REI Co-op’s editorial staff is a team of passionate editors, writers and producers. We’re dedicated to covering the outdoors: the people who inspire you, the issues and events impacting our community, the skills and gear you need for your next adventure, and the places you want to go. Learn more about our editorial guiding principles.

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7 Comments

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  1. Dot

    While I completely understand and appreciate what you folks are doing, I’ve got to say that the way that the first sentence was worded made me smile. It sounds like REI supports and welcomes people from all kinds of backgrounds – so long as they STAY outside. ;-D

    Reply
  2. B.N.

    Dear REI, although your new pledge to these efforts may seem noble on the surface, it is, of course, a perpetuation of a tired agenda which tries to divide us more and more by our “groups”. The industry you hope to sustain will only suffer from this, especially the “inclusion training” to be imposed on your employees, as they unfortunately endure it, some I suspect, only for the sake of keeping their jobs. This news is sad and unfortunate. I was very much looking forward to shopping at your store.. hopefully more individuals will take caution as to where this project is headed. Not good..

    Reply
  3. Eddy Kim

    For those who are reading this, please take a moment and read about the backlash that is happening around the Camber CEO Pledge that REI signed onto. Camber completely ignored grassroots efforts from other groups and influencers to co-opt the Diversify Outdoors Coalition CEO Pledge.

    “It’s clear to me that more than 50 mostly white-led outdoor brands just publicly declared that they either preferred or were more comfortable working with a white-led organization on flipping diversity, equity and inclusion than one pre-existing one led by a black woman and supported and facilitated by other people of color,” said journalist Glenn Nelson.

    https://www.snewsnet.com/news/camber-ceo-outdoor-equity-pledge-gets-major-backlash

    I support the effort and intention behind this move, but deciding to ignore the work of people of color who are already leading this movement is just insulting.

    I urge REI to sign onto the Diversify Outdoors Coalition and support grassroots efforts by underrepresented communities to diversify the outdoors space: https://www.diversifyoutdoors.com/pledge

    Reply
  4. Zander Goepfert

    A little more context around Camber’s CEO Equity Outdoor Pledge: https://www.snewsnet.com/news/camber-ceo-outdoor-equity-pledge-gets-major-backlash

    Reply
  5. Carol-Anne Petit

    If you are really in support of inclusion you need to be supporting Teresa Bakers original pledge and not Camber Outdoors white washed pledge!!

    Reply
    • Carol-Anne Petit

      https://www.snewsnet.com/news/camber-ceo-outdoor-equity-pledge-gets-major-backlash

      Reply
  6. Mark Franchett

    Hello REI Board,

    I have been a member since 1990 and my member ID is 2497364.

    I live in the Detroit metro area. The closest REI store to my home is the store in Troy MI store. I am concerned with the lack of diversity I have observed for the last 15+ years at your Troy MI store. I visited “our” Troy store earlier this week to pick up a few skiing items. As well, I purposely circulated through the entire store noting each REI employee. In the entire store, there were ZERO people of color employed and working. My observation leads me to believe that REI hiring practices are discriminatory based on the make up of “our staff.” Whether purposely or not, the results of REI’s hiring practices for the Troy MI store is that racial makeup of the store’s employees do not represent that of Detroit or the Detroit metro area.

    The city of Detroit and the people of the city could use your help. I would like the REI to consider the following action :

    1. Establish hiring practices with the goal of achieving a workforce that is representative of the Detroit metro area at each of your Detroit metro area stores.

    2. Establish an REI store in the city of Detroit !!!! Not only could this store support the ongoing revitalization of Detroit, it could also serve as a community outreach center helping people experience the outdoors and wilderness.

    I do not think REI should be an organization that only supports white people living in the suburbs. I do not believe the REI board does either but currently REI is operating this way in the metro area of Detroit.

    Regards,
    Mark Franchett

    Reply