COVID-19 responses in the outdoor industry
Last March, when the pandemic began, everyone’s attention shifted to COVID-19 and focused all their energy on the news. Just like much of the economy in 2020, the outdoor industry took a huge hit while Coronavirus swept the nation.
During the beginning of the pandemic it became so apparent to me which corporations cared about its employees’ working conditions, the well-being of its consumers, the essential workers and who simply cared about making a profit. Even if companies didn’t like it the pandemic made its mission, beliefs and social responsibility crystal clear.
Many companies in the outdoor industry pride themselves in their timely responses to the pandemic to answer concerned consumers questions and how they redirected their resources to support others. I have listed a few of the most impressive brands that are fighting the spread of Coronavirus.
Chaco Footwear paddles onward
Chaco, originally a whitewater sport footwear brand, has expanded its products to fit the needs of all adventure enthusiasts. Chaco was one of the brands that I was most impressed with at the beginning of the pandemic.
The website states, “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic at hand, Chaco is retrofitting our ReChaco factory operations to aid in the production of protective masks. Please pardon our delay as usual factory operations are temporarily paused to serve this need.”
In addition to producing masks, Chaco has followed strict sanitation protocols to protect workers. The company also temporarily halted orders to produce masks for essential workers.
Coronavirus hits Outdoor Research hard
Outdoor Research prioritized the health and safety of the company employees in a big way last year. The company is based in Seattle which was one of the first hot spots in the US, so they had to take action quickly. OR found ways to keep the workplace clean such as making doors to the restrooms hands free to open and close. The company dedicated an entire floor to mask production, after purchasing proper equipment, in record time.
L.L. Bean steps up
Last April, L.L. Bean joined the list of companies willing to fight against the spread of Coronavirus. The company stepped up and rerouted their production line. Instead of producing dog beds out of its material, the company created medical-grade masks. Its goal was 10,000 masks a day to support its local health care system.
Every class I took in the spring, as I pushed through the abrupt transition to online learning, was focused on COVID-19 in some sort of a way. In a way it was exhausting not being able to have school be an escape from the daily news. But, every day I remembered why I study public relations. We have a responsibility to be the ethical storytellers of the world. We are essential for holding others accountable and making the world a better place. Large corporations have the power to make a huge difference in the world.