Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020 - 24

THE PULSE

Neutral Good

A nonprofit launched last summer wants to help brands run
climate-neutral companies-and the certification could be just what
consumers concerned about the future of the planet are seeking.
by Jenn Fields
THERE WAS NO MISSING CLIMATE NEUTRAL AT OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER MARKET.
Signs announcing the new carbon-neutrality-certification program were plastered on every entry
door at the Colorado Convention Center. And while the nonprofit's mission reaches far beyond
the outdoor industry, it makes sense it launched at the Show. After all, the leaders behind Climate
Neutral, Peak Design founder Peter Dering and BioLite founder Jonathan Cedar, run energetic
businesses in the industry themselves, and outdoor brands make committed national stands on
environmental issues more than those in other industries.
The Show was also the perfect place for encouraging personal commitment. The nonprofit was
able to ask brands, in person, to sign on and pledge to go carbon neutral, the first step in earning
their Climate Neutral certification and label. Once signed on, a company begins the certification
process by undertaking a third-party analysis of its carbon footprint. It then reduces that footprint
and offsets what can't be reduced through Climate Neutral's approved offset partners.
"Because of Outdoor Retailer, we had a flood of inbound interest, and we have been very busy ever
since. It was a huge step forward for us," said Jack Horowitz, Climate Neutral's program manager.
Hundreds of brands and retailers stopped at the Climate Neutral booth to learn more. Many
signed up on the spot. "We had 18 brands coming into Outdoor Retailer, and now the cohort has
roughly doubled," Horowitz said. Brands who signed on at the show included Nomad, Tentsile, and
Thousand helmets, and Gear.com announced its commitment after the show.
Any hesitation to sign on at the Show often came down to cost. "What we are saying, conservatively, is that it will come down to .4% of annual revenue to become Climate Neutral [certified],"
Horowitz said. "So oftentimes companies and their in-house teams just need to mull those numbers over and think critically about how this fits into their sustainability plans."
According to Shira Norman, Climate Neutral's director of brands and partnerships, a lot of those
who approached them at the Show were already thinking about their carbon footprints.
"Some of them have been looking to create
their own climate neutrality certification systems, and they were relieved to find they didn't
have to reinvent the wheel."
WITH RISING PUBLIC CONCERN OVER
climate change, consumers are actively seeking out conscious companies. Climate Neutral
launched a consumer-facing initiative, including a Kickstarter this fall, breaking its
$100,000 goal well before its December 12
deadline. "A big piece of the eco-label challenge is marketing and consumer awareness,"
Horowitz said. "When consumers have a clear
understanding of what it means to be Climate

24 OUTDOOR RETAILER

/ Winter 2020

Neutral, and what the logo means, companies
will want to sign up, because they'll want to
meet that consumer need."
As an easy-to-understand label, Climate
Neutral aims to become as well known for
carbon neutrality as "USDA Organic" or "Fair
Trade Certified." To that end, the certification program has its sights set beyond the
already eco-aware outdoor industry. Climate
Neutral has been engaged in talks with Lyft,
SalesForce, and several other large companies.
"In the outdoor industry, there's much more of
an organic fit with our mission," Horowitz said.
"But of course, we're looking to expand beyond
it. Our goal is to have every company on the
planet become Climate Neutral."
The outdoor industry is still the best barometer for public response to Carbon Neutral.
"For us it was a pretty obvious no-brainer,"
said sunglass maker Sunski's cofounder Tom
Stewart, who joined before the Show. Sunski is
a 1% for the Planet member, and the company
spent several years sourcing injection-moldable recycled plastic to use for its frames.
Stewart wasn't sure the label would instantly
translate into increased sales for Sunski, because its customers already know the company is paying attention to sustainability, but
the certification is another layer that fits the
brand's mission. "For the people who know
enough about Sunski to know this is in our
DNA, it will further deepen that connection
with that core group of followers." O.R.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE
Alaska's Columbia Glacier has
receded 12 miles since 1980.
Proponents of climate neutrailty
hope to help slow these effects
of climate change.

Ethan Welty

THE BIG PICTURE

http://www.Gear.com

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020