Despite a large grassroots effort organized in recent weeks to save the struggling Canadian co-op MEC from being sold to an American investment firm, it appears the acquisition will proceed. This month,?British Columbia supreme court justice Shelley Fitzpatrick green-lighted the sale, dismissing a request by members of the opposition group Save MEC to delay it.

In anticipation of the ownership change, MEC leadership sent layoff notices to dozens of employees late last week, informing them of immediate termination without severance pay. It’s unclear exactly how many employees were laid off, but according to MEC’s board of directors, 15 percent of current active staff members will lose their jobs as a result of the sale. One store out of the company’s 22 will also shut down.

NEWS 1130 in Vancouver reported that the number of layoffs might be artificially deflated, however, as it’s unclear how many of the company’s?1,300 furloughed staff members¡ªmost of them temporarily laid off in March and April¡ªwon’t return to work.

Under British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act, employees temporarily laid off after June 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic are entitled to severance pay, provided they weren’t hired back to their positions before August 30. Greg Crosby, a MEC employee for nearly 12 years, has accused MEC of avoiding its duty to pay him severance.

Out about $10,000 in expected severance pay, an ex employee says he feels swindled after the Employment Standards branch explained he should have received severance on September 2nd before the sale ever took place – details on on air

— Ash Kelly (@AshDKelly)

What Will Become of Save Mec?

One question that remains is how the protest group Save MEC, which raised over $100,000 to fight the sale, will proceed from here. Elliot Hegel, one of the group’s organizers, says the community of more than 150,000 petition signatories has three basic options: restructuring the cooperative that underlies MEC as a business (which still technically exists and belongs to the group’s 5.7 million members, independent of the company’s sale), forming a new co-op from the ground up, or refocusing attention on co-op advocacy more broadly in Canada.

“We’re still waiting for Justice Fitzpatrick’s written reasoning behind the judgment. That will proceed how we move forward,” Hegel told OBJ.

He noted that, even though MEC was founded?under the Cooperative Association Act of British Columbia, it filed for?creditor protection under federal legislation, through the?Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. It was this latter piece of legislation that allowed the sale to proceed without the direct consent of MEC’s member-owners.

“The federal law that allowed this to happen doesn’t address the differences between a co-op and a regular corporation,” Hegel said. “It exposed a major gap in legislation. Co-ops need special consideration and special protection. That’s one of the things we’re interested in seeing when Justice Fitzpatrick releases the written reasoning behind her ruling. We want to see how she balanced the provincial legislation with the federal legislation. It was only because of the federal law that the board of MEC was able to shut out its member-owners.”

Bruno Roelants, director-general of the International Co-operative Alliance, expressed his support in a letter addressed to all?MEC members.

“The 5 million members and owners of MEC need to exercise their democratic voice to shape the future of their cooperative. Any decision regarding the sale and termination of the cooperative cannot be taken without the approval of the members¡¯ assembly,”?Roelants wrote.

The letter did not, however, address the “gap in legislation” that eventually delivered a defeat to Save MEC. That legal gray area, Hegel says, will continue to affect the fate of cooperatives in Canada for many years to come, especially given the precedent established by the sale of MEC.

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Members of the struggling Canadian retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op have raised more than $90,000 in recent days to prevent an American investment firm, Kingswood Capital Management, from acquiring the company. More than 132,000 people have also signed a petition opposing the sale and calling for an “open, fair, and democratic” election to replace the board members who approved it.

The grassroots initiative, which organizers are calling “Save MEC,” grew rapidly after the company announced the potential sale in a press release on September 14. A?Facebook group?created just hours after the announcement quickly spun into a larger campaign with?multiple petitions circulating online and a GoFundMe that has received donations from more than 2,200 people.

Members Speak Out

Elliot Hegel, a student at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and a former MEC retail employee, says he got involved with the effort after organizers of the Facebook group put out a call for volunteers. He now works as a communication manager for Save MEC.

“What we’re really trying to do is get representation for the members,” Hegel told OBJ. “The board decided, without consulting the members, to sell our co-op. We’re trying to get a seat at the table.”

To do that, organizers of Save MEC have?retained Victory Square Law Office in Vancouver to represent?co-op members at upcoming court proceedings meant to finalize the sale between MEC and Kingswood Capital. Funds collected through the group’s GoFundMe campaign will be used to cover legal costs.

We're launching a legal strategy to – trying to get our voices into the proceedings, represent members, and tell the Court and lenders that there's a different way to do this that keeps the co-op a Canadian co-op. We need your support!

— kevin harding | ºÎ„PÎÄ (@kevinharding)

Hegel and other organizers of Save MEC say they do recognize the difficult position the company finds itself in. In 2019, the retailer lost a reported $11.487 million on annual sales of $462 million¡ªa harsh slump that capped years of disappointing performance. This year, the pandemic brought the situation to a crisis.

“We do realize there is a problem at MEC. It has drifted from its mission,” said Hegel. “We’re trying to get representation so we can actually suggest alternatives.”

Asked what those alternatives might be, Hegel says members of Save MEC have shown widespread support for increased, ongoing member dues. For many years, MEC has charged members a one-time fee of $5.

“I think a lot of people would be willing to give $5 a year, or even more,” Hegel said. “People pay $60 or $70 a year for their Costco membership.”

Questions About the Co-op Model

The news of MEC’s potential sale has stirred some debate in the industry over the long-term viability of retail co-ops more generally. In response to the?MEC acquisition, some have questioned whether a co-op can survive for decades without losing its core values, its profitability, or both.

A representative for REI¡ªone of the largest retail co-ops in the world¡ªdeclined to comment. However,?Jerry Stritzke, REI’s chief executive from 2013 to 2019, offered some thoughts to OBJ this week.

“When it’s executed well, is a pretty compelling way of doing business,” Stritzke said, echoing sentiments he expressed in an interview with The Atlantic in 2017. “Any business would kill to have its customers feel a sense of ownership in the company. That relationship is great to have, from a business perspective.”

At the same time, Stritzke says, it’s harder for a co-op to define success when thousands of member-owners bring their own ideas to the table about about what the company stands for and how it should be run. The key to managing that challenge, Stritzke says, is to maintain clear and honest communication between members and company leadership.

“There was certainly an opportunity to do a much better job communicating,” he said of the MEC deal, though he pushed back against the idea that MEC leadership pursued the sale “without the permission of MEC members,” as Save MEC has claimed.

“The directors of the co-op are elected to represent the membership. They’re accountable to the membership in that role, but?ultimately they have the ability to make decisions about the future of the co-op.”

Still, Stritzke says he understands the passion of members who feel slighted.

“Frankly, that just represents how much people care about the idea of a co-op and what it’s there to do,” he said.

‘The Only Option’

Despite the widespread dissent among MEC members, the company’s board of directors has stated publicly that?the only way to save the company from bankruptcy is to move forward with the acquisition.

“[MEC] sought refinancing from over 65 potential lenders, proactively explored and leveraged applicable government support programs, and examined funding MEC through voluntary member assessments,” the board wrote in a statement.?“Ultimately, a sale was the only option.”

On September 18 and 21, respectively, both MEC and Kingswood Capital released letters to co-op members explaining the rationale behind the sale and offering assurances about the company’s future.

In MEC’s letter, board chair Judi Richardson cited “increasing performance issues since 2016” and “exacerbated financial challenges” during the pandemic as the primary reasons for pursuing the sale under protection of the Companies¡¯ Creditors Arrangement Act, which has allowed the business to continue operating while the acquisition is finalized.

“In exercising our fiduciary duty, the board¡¯s top priority was preserving jobs and saving MEC from bankruptcy or liquidation. In short, we prioritized MEC¡¯s survival,”?Richardson wrote.

Kingswood Capital’s letter?laid out specific goals for the future of the company and asked MEC members to “give us a chance to earn your trust.”?In addition to promises of streamlining product development, investing in store renovations, and improving ecommerce, the firm also wrote that it expects to “keep at least 17 of MEC’s 22 stores open and retain over 75 percent of its active employees.”

Representatives from MEC and Kingswood Capital declined to comment further.

In spite of these appeals, organizers of Save MEC remain unconvinced that the new owners will be able to maintain the community spirit built over the company’s 49 years as a consumer cooperative. The fundamental promise of the co-op model¡ªthat members are central to stewardship and decision making¡ªhangs in the balance, they argue.

“MEC is Canada’s largest cooperative, and we’re very worried about the precedent this will set if it can just be sold without anyone batting an eye,” Hegel said. “We still own MEC. We’re member-owners. The board is supposed to represent the members and they’re not doing that, so we’ve had to start a movement to fight for our own representation.”

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The Canadian retail chain Mountain Equipment Co-op announced yesterday a unanimous decision by its board of directors to sell substantially all of its assets to?Kingswood Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based private investment firm.

Under the new ownership, the 22-location company will eliminate its co-op structure, ending the 49-year run of Canada’s largest consumer cooperative. The new CEO and longtime MEC member Eric Claus?stated publicly?that it’s?“highly unlikely” the company’s five million members will get their $5 shares back.

According to a release, the elimination of the co-op structure is “needed to ensure a stable future for MEC’s retail business.” In 2019, the retailer lost a reported $11.487 million on annual sales of $462 million, a slide that capped years of disappointing performance for the company.

Kingswood confirmed that it will purchase the company through the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), though further financial details weren’t disclosed. MEC did confirm that the board of directors explored numerous options for keeping the business viable, including?“refinancing from a variety of potential lenders,?leveraging applicable government support programs, and funding MEC through voluntary member assessments.”

In the end, however, the board concluded that the only realistic path forward was a sale to?Kingswood.

“After careful consideration of all viable options, the board made this difficult decision,” said chair Judi Richardson. “No strategy could have anticipated or overcome the impact of the global pandemic on our business. Today’s announcement, including the transition from a co-operative structure, is creating a positive path forward for MEC.”

Kingswood reportedly plans to keep at least 17 of MEC’s 22 stores in operation and lay off no more than 25 percent of the company’s workforce.

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“Excuse me. Can you tell me where the CamelBaks are?” I asked a hovering, green-vested employee in a big metro REI store last fall. “We don’t carry CamelBak anymore,” she said. Obviously well-versed, she continued, “Their parent company also owns a semi-automatic rifle manufacturer, and we stopped selling all their brands back in March 2018. But I can show you some other great hydration systems this way.” Of course I knew that REI didn’t carry CamelBak or any other Vista Outdoor brands, and I realized my slip up moment I said it. I broke the news in a viral story when both REI and its Canadian counterpart MEC dropped the hydration company along with Blackburn, Camp Chef, Giro, and Bell, after the school shooting in?Parkland, Florida.

However, a little more than a year later, most of that has changed.?Vista sold off its gun making-companies (but still owns ammo brands), so REI welcomed the outdoor brands back to its shelves with open arms. Meanwhile, MEC hasn’t changed its mind yet. And Vista¡ªwith numerous hook and bullet brands¡ªcontinues to be an adamant supporter of the NRA because ¡°it¡¯s the crux of who we are,¡± CEO Chris Metz said in an interview with American Rifleman (the publication displayed a Savage banner ad at the top of its website Friday).

Business as usual? It is nowadays. The boycott and REI’s immediate reversal illustrates the pressure and responsibility businesses face to take stances on hot-button issues: Patagonia leading the fight for public lands and climate; Unilever and Dove pushing for healthy body image; Dick¡¯s Sporting Goods stopping gun sales.

In fact, consumers are expecting it more and more.

“Years ago, you didn¡¯t really know the company behind a brand,” said Leslie Gaines-Ross, New York-based chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick. She researches CEO and consumer activism. “There used to be a very strong belief that the product brand was more important than the parent brand. What we¡¯ve seen today is that the parent brand is just as important, if not more important than the product brand.”

A Recap of the Boycott

In February 2018, Aaron Naparstek, a journalist and cycling advocate, first tweeted about Vista’s ownership of some of his favorite bike brands alongside “America’s largest manufacturer of ammunition.” His tweet came six days after 17 people were killed and 17 others were injured in a shooting at?Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.?The thread garnered hundreds of likes, retweets, and responses, and it prompted some independent bike retailers to drop Vista brands. Erik Tonkin, owner of Portland, Oregon’s Sellwood Cycle Repair was one of the first.

“When I made the decision, I made a very specific public statement: I will start selling Giro when they are sold off from Vista,” he said. (Since Giro and the other brands are still owned by Vista, Tonkin is continuing to keep them out of his store.)

Mega retailers MEC and REI quickly joined the boycott, amplifying the message. REI specifically halted orders because Vista didn’t “engage in the national conversation about common-sense gun safety¡± and the co-op didn’t want to help them “profit directly from the sale of guns.”

In May 2018, Vista’s Metz said a transformation plan that included divesting Savage Arms and eyewear brands had been in the works long before the boycott. But it¡¯s unclear if the move was accelerated by the Parkland shooting and the boycott, or both or neither. OBJ reached out to REI, Vista, and CamelBak multiple times over the last year to try to understand how the boycott has impacted business. Our calls were not returned and/or our questions were deflected.

This week, after the $170-million sale of Savage Arms, Vista again declined to answer OBJ¡¯s direct questions, but did say: ¡°We have had productive discussions with REI. Our brands offer some of the most innovative, respected and sought-after products in their respective categories, and we look forward to continuing our dialogue with REI to bring our products back to their shelves.¡±

Customers Vote With Dollars

In both instances¡ªREI’s boycott and decision to bring Vista back¡ªcustomers’ reactions were mixed. There were those who were offended, those who applauded the move, and those who didn’t really care. Overall, the aftermath highlighted two things: how splintered hikers and hunters can be despite their crossover and shared appreciation of the outdoors; and how much a company¡¯s response matters.

Drew Youngedyke, who manages communications for a national conservation organization, and also hunts, fishes, bikes, runs, and kayaks, said he appreciates when companies stand up for their values¡ªit’s not something he’s going to punish them for. He said he intentionally rewards Patagonia with his purchases for their public lands stance.

Youngedyke commented on a Facebook post: ¡°Still buy Federal copper [a Vista-owned ammo brand] for my deer rifle, still wear a Giro for my bike commute, still shop at REI for my trail running & backpacking gear. We don¡¯t have to be either/or as hunters & outdoor recreationists, it doesn¡¯t have to be liberal vs conservative. Companies did what they felt was best, now they¡¯re all back together. Why is everyone so upset with that?¡±

Tonkin, of Sellwood, feels he’s doing what’s best for his shop by sticking to his word and keeping Vista brands out, even though he thinks nobody would notice¡ªand even though he loves their products. He had just ordered $20,000-worth of Vista merchandise before the boycott.

“I¡¯m doing this because I want to spend my corporate dollars intentionally and I don¡¯t want my dollars to go to the NRA,” Tonkin said.

Some might say the boycott didn¡¯t really accomplish anything because Savage Arms is still out there. Tonkin has a different take.

¡°I think the so-called ¡®accomplishment¡¯ was getting those large outdoor industry companies to think critically¡ªand to think out-loud, I’d say¡ªabout what they do, how they spend, and with whom they partner,¡± he said.

Although no one was willing to prove actual numbers to measure the impact, Gaines-Ross says research shows it does affect companies’ bottom lines and reputations. The NPD Group in 2017 reported that CamelBak was one of biggest brands in the hydration market based on dollar sales. Their most recent data from 2018 to 2019 still ranks CamelBak as one of the top five brands. At REI, the hole left by CamelBak and the others was naturally filled by competitors. Around that time, Osprey was relaunching in the hydration category (consisting of lumbar packs and mountain biking packs) and currently holds 39 percent of the market share in hydration, said marketing director Vince Mazzuca.

But, he said, the timing was a coincidence.”We¡¯re not one to capitalize on somebody¡¯s issues like that. We believe that any sort of momentum shift had more to do with the investments we were making and how aggressively we were going after that channel already.”

Regardless, consumers will intentionally stop and start buying based on disagreeing or agreeing with a company. A study by Weber Shandwick found that 83 percent of consumer activists support companies that “do the right thing” by buying from them.

Because of that, companies are trying to balance their values and financial performance, making sure they get it right. It’s tricky and there’s no safe middle ground for companies today. But one thing is for sure.

¡°Remaining silent can sometimes be the more dangerous spot,¡± Gaines-Ross said.

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In a photograph posted to Instagram early last March, Judith Kasiama is the absolute picture of alpine joy, posed on a summit with a smile as radiant as the snow frosting the peak beneath her feet. The caption, however, reflected the Vancouverite¡¯s frustration with the outdoor industry¡¯s skewed portrayal of what it looks like to enjoy the natural world¡ªnamely, the misconception that only white people recreate outdoors.

Kasiama, a hiker, runner, and researcher who first connected with the outdoors as a child in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is black. Despite her own lived experience and her recognition of other BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) on local trails, she wasn¡¯t seeing herself¡ªor others¡ªreflected in outdoor media and marketing.

¡°I’m like, well, I am interested in those things, I do do those things, and I see a lot of community of color doing those things,¡± she said. ¡°Why aren’t their stories reflected into the media that’s trying to promote physical activity and being out in nature?¡±

Hoping to spark conversation, Kasiama tagged several outdoor companies in her post. Only one responded¡ªCanadian outdoor retail giant Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC).

MEC Acknowledging the Problem

Kasiama¡¯s assertion that outdoor companies like MEC have historically perpetuated a distorted view of outdoor recreationalists is one that its CEO David Labistour happens to agree with. In an open letter released earlier this week, he acknowledged the company¡¯s role ¡°in underrepresenting people of colour in the outdoors,¡± and asserted that, ¡°moving forward, we will make sure we¡¯re inspiring and representing the diverse community that already exists in the outdoors.¡±

The timing of Labistour¡¯s letter wasn¡¯t spontaneous¡ªit was based on data the company recently received through its regularly-conducted member surveys. The questions within those surveys periodically change, prompted by company research and review of demographic shifts across Canada. In the most recent round, which occurred between Fall 2017 and Spring 2018, a question was added that allowed respondents to indicate whether they identified as a person of color. The collected data showed that people of color in Canada ¡°spend more time and participate in a wider range of outdoor activities than white people.¡±

¡°We currently have an executive team which is more female than male. We have a lot of gender diversity in the organization,¡± said Labistour. ¡°But really, where we¡¯ve dropped the ball is diversity and inclusion through representing the Canadian demographic.¡± The survey results ramped up the internal work MEC was already doing, which in turn prompted Labistour¡¯s public statement.

The reaction to Labistour¡¯s letter was immediate¡ªand passionate. While many people voiced support on the brand¡¯s Facebook page, there were also detractors who suggested that MEC was simply ¡°virtue signaling,¡± ¡°dabbling in identity politics,¡± or ¡°riding the current racism wave to profits.¡± Labistour is not immune to the feedback. ¡°We¡¯ve had a lot of criticism for grandstanding on this, and I understand there¡¯s a lot of cynicism around brands and business today, so I get it,¡± he told OBJ. ¡°I think it¡¯s up to us to deliver on it.¡±

MEC Vows to Go Beyond Lip Service

While some might dismiss Labistour¡¯s statement as nothing more than a public relations stunt to capitalize on ¡°diversity¡± initiatives and conversations happening across the industry, MEC has spent several years quietly rebuilding their internal infrastructure to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within all aspects of the company.

¡°If we want to be relevant and viable and a trusted brand in the future, we do have to reflect what is happening in our demographics,¡± said Labistour. ¡°If we really want to build this relevance, it has to be a systemic approach.¡±

Internally, the company has made shifts across the board, from staff training that addresses implicit bias and its effects on the workplace, to hiring practices that recognize diversity as being about one¡¯s lived experiences, rather than their ability to tick a set of boxes as part of a quota.

In fact, if you apply for a job with MEC, you¡¯ll notice one set of boxes missing from the application¡ªthose related to gender. ¡°More and more people are opting out of wanting to be labeled in any context,¡± said the brand¡¯s chief people experience officer, Nahal Yousefian. ¡°The numbers won¡¯t be able to tell you whether you¡¯re doing a good job, anyways; it¡¯s going to be about¡­the celebration of diversity that organically happens through the narrative, rather than through the number.¡±

There¡¯s also an internal Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee, helmed by Amil Reddy, who leads the brand¡¯s Outdoor Nation program, an effort that encourages and supports young people, ages 18 to 35, to not only engage in outdoor recreation, but also to increase access by leading programs in diverse communities.

They also spearheaded the effort for MEC to be the first Canadian company to sign the Outdoor Industry CEO Diversity Pledge launched by Teresa Baker, founder of the African American Nature and Parks Experience.

While it might appear as though Labistour¡¯s letter and MEC¡¯s overall efforts are solely focused on diversity as it relates to race or ethnicity, Reddy noted that the company is also working to address recreationalists of different abilities and those who have asked for expanded apparel sizing, while also focusing on improving allyship with Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ communities.

¡°I think that the most important thing would be to just acknowledge that we don¡¯t have all the answers,¡± said Reddy. ¡°This is just the beginning of a conversation.¡±

The Changing Face of MEC

What will be more immediately apparent to those outside of MEC are its efforts to address its past shortcomings by increasing representation and visibility through social media and marketing as well as via community-facing initiatives like Outdoor Nation and their ambassadorship program. ¡°We¡¯re a loved brand, we¡¯ve been around for 48 years, and our purpose is to get everyone active and outdoors,¡± said Labistour. ¡°If we want to live up to our purpose and if we want to be around in the future, we have to change.¡±

In this regard, Kasiama¡¯s post couldn¡¯t have come at a more perfect time. ¡°It almost felt like it was serendipitous, like we were waiting for someone to call us into this conversation from a lived experience perspective, and Judith did that,¡± said Reddy. ¡°She essentially opened the door for us to dive deeper into this conversation.¡±

Back in March, Reddy had seen Kasiama¡¯s post via the Melanin Basecamp feed and wondered¡ªhow would the company respond? They had only been with MEC for a little over two weeks at the time, but had already considered expanding the company¡¯s existing athlete ambassador program to the Outdoor Nation community.

Reddy reached out to Kasiama, who had previous experience with MEC through one of their Outdoor Nation summit events and was ready to engage more deeply with the brand; her original goal with the post was to spark conversation, after all. Reddy¡¯s hope was to listen and begin building a meaningful relationship. The outcome was that Kasiama became the company¡¯s first Outdoor Nation Ambassador.

Kasiama decided to partner with MEC because she recognized that they had already engaged in research and had started doing the work internally, which meant she wouldn¡¯t necessarily have to go through the ¡°emotional labor¡± and education process to bring them up to speed on issues of representation and inclusion in the outdoors.

She also relished the opportunity to help change the perception of who belongs outdoors. ¡°It’s empowering and enables the next generation to really strive forward instead of just this continued narrative that POC or black people don’t do this activity because that’s not actually true. It’s a complete myth.¡±

¡°I’m just really proud to be born in a generation where a lot of people are fed up with the system and how the system is set up, that they’re taking action,¡± said Kasiama. ¡°With the power of social media, it’s people from the bottom who will have now the power to tell their own story.¡±

The post The Real Story Behind MEC¡¯s Open Letter on Diversity appeared first on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Online.

When Backcountry Hunters & Anglers president Land Tawney reflects on the history of land and wildlife preservation in the U.S., he notes how great things have been accomplished during times of darkness.

In the early 1900s market killers were wiping out big game to put food on tables in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, hunters stepped up and help pass legislation making the sale of wildlife illegal as well as putting into place the first game laws.

In the dirty 1930s when the lid was coming off the prairie, the dust bowl, the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act was enacted to tax ammunition and firearms and put that money back into conservation and the North American Wildlife Conference was born along with Ducks Unlimited and the National Wildlife Federation.

In the 1960s when wilderness areas were spoiled by the development boom, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Clean Air Act were established.

Right now, Tawney says, could be another one of those times.

Following another mass shooting in February, a debate over whether outdoor companies should have any associations with gun companies failed to acknowledge that while hunters buy guns, they also buy hiking boots and hydration packs, Tawney said. A boycott by two major outdoor retailers unintentionally pit hikers against hunters, throwing their alliance in the fight for public lands and their funding of land conservation in jeopardy.

¡°I think we should be focusing on our conservation legacy and I think if we do that, there¡¯s plenty of synergy there,¡± Tawney said. ¡°If we divide our ranks, we all lose.¡±

The crux of the issue is a lot deeper than guns, and it¡¯s going to take time to fully understand the impact and repercussions regarding outdoor companies. But how did we get to where we are and where do we go from here?

Who Is Vista Outdoor?

Take a look at the floorplan for the 2018 Shot Show that happened in January, and you¡¯ll see that two of the biggest footprints are Utah-based Vista Outdoor and the National Rifle Association, side by side.

Before it became Vista Outdoor, the company was called Alliant Techsystems, or ATK, in the 1990s. In the following two decades, ATK acquired various ammunition, hunting, and firearms companies, including Blount International, Weaver Optics, Eagle Industries, Blackhawk, Caliber Company, Bushnell Group Holdings, and Savage Arms, a manufacturer of assault-style rifles.

In 2015, in an effort to diversify and ¡°bring the world outside,¡± ATK was renamed Vista Outdoor, and brought in outdoor brands alongside its gun brands. Its first acquisitions were Jimmy Styks SUPs for $40 million and the hydration company CamelBak for $412.5 million.

The next year, Vista Outdoor took several bicycle brands under its wing, including Bell, Giro, Boll¨¦, Blackburn, and Camp Chef, the outdoor cooking equipment company.

What Went Down?

At the end of February, Vista Outdoor fell under intense scrutiny after the high school shooting on Valentine¡¯s Day in Parkland, Florida. A 19-year-old former student used a legally-bought Smith & Wesson M&P 15 .223 semi-automatic rifle to kill 17 students and teachers, according to multiple news reports.

Even though the gun was not one of Vista Outdoor¡¯s, the corporation owns the company Savage Arms, which manufacturers its own brand of semi-automatic assault rifles.

And because Vista Outdoor also owns CamelBak, Camp Chef, and other camping and outdoor recreation brands, thousands of members of REI and MEC pressured the retailers¡ªthrough social media and petitions¡ªto stop selling the water reservoirs, camp stoves, and other outdoor products, thus taking a stance on gun violence and severing support to the gun industry.

On February 28, MEC suspended future orders with Boll¨¦, Bushnell, CamelBak, Camp Chef, and Jimmy Styks. REI followed suit the next day, saying it made the decision because Vista Outdoor was not planning ¡°to make a public statement that outlines a clear plan of action.¡±

REI declined to comment about any discussions since the decision. MEC has also remained mum. And in addition to not making a public statement, Vista Outdoor has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

The Running Room, a nationwide running store chain, also suspended future orders from CamelBak.

Some independent stores followed suit, including Boulder Cycle Sports, Sellwood Cycle Repair, Gladys Bikes, and others in Portland, Oregon, and BicycleSPACE in Washington D.C.

OBJ polled readers on where they stand: 4,104 readers said they would not boycott Vista brands, 2,035 said they would, and 366 said they were thinking about it.

What Was the Response?

The public reaction to boycotts has been loud, but not cohesive. When we posted the breaking OBJ story on Facebook, some readers threatened to tear up their REI membership cards over what they considered a ¡°knee jerk reaction.¡± Others said they were proud of the retailer for taking a stance on the gun control debate.

¡°It was an ethical decision,¡± said Nick Allen, who has more than 50 years of experience as both a combat Marine officer and an outdoor industry executive with W.L. Gore and CamelBak. ¡°Those retailers made a statement about who they are and who they want to be. Will it make a big difference? Who knows yet.¡±

Another group of commenters argued that the boycott would only hurt the Vista employees making the products for CamelBak and the others.

¡°This wasn¡¯t an indictment on the products or the employees,¡± said Justin Hoese, co-owner of Boulder Cycle Sports, a bike shop in Colorado. ¡°It was really unfortunate. I had to replace a lot of gear.¡±

CamelBak, Giro, Bell Racing, and the other brands have tried to distance themselves from Vista¡¯s gun-slinging operation. CamelBak, founded in 1989, released a statement saying there¡¯s an incorrect assumption that the purchase of its products supports the shooting sports, and that it ¡°operates separately from Vista Outdoor¡¯s Shooting Sports segment.¡±

Boulder Cycle¡¯s Hoese says he hopes Vista Outdoor feels mounting pressure to put the outdoor brands up for sale to release them from the shadow of gun violence. He said, ¡°We know they¡¯re not going to get out of the gun business because it¡¯s a billion-dollar business and cycling is a fraction of that.¡±

Dan Hughes, owner of Sunflower Outdoor and Bike in Lawrence, Kansas, says his store carries only a small assortment of CamelBak products, and a Giro helmet or two. He says he didn¡¯t feel like dropping them would create a big enough dent, especially in a state where gun support is plentiful. Hughes was waiting for the bigger stores to weigh in.

¡°Now that they have, it’s vexing to me that even REI’s massive purchasing power has done little to nothing to sway Vista,¡± Hughes said. ¡°It kind of underscores my feeling that boycotting those brands is only going to hurt the reps that work for Camelbak and the outdoor brands themselves. I don’t think Vista gives a hoot.¡±

So, What¡¯s Next?

Vista Outdoor isn¡¯t the only corporation with gun-related companies alongside outdoor brands in its portfolio.

So far, there has been no boycott of Black Diamond and avalanche safety equipment brand Pieps, whose parent company,?Clarus Corporation, also owns Sierra Bullets, maker of handgun (and rifle) ammunition.

Even though Black Diamond has not faced the same pressures as brands under Vista Outdoor, the company is monitoring discussions, said spokesman John DiCuollo, with Backbone Media.

“Clarus Corp operates all its brands in completely separate and discrete manners,” DiCuollo said. “Each brand¡¯s teams are compiled of experts in their respective fields that are aligned to serve specific markets. For BD, that¡¯s climbing and backcountry skiing.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation data shows that thousands more people are killed every year with handguns than rifles, shotguns, and other firearms most commonly used by hunters.

¡°On the broader scale that is true,¡± Allen said. ¡°But one of the the clear distinctions is that a pistol is a defensive weapon. A rifle is an offensive weapon.¡±

While that distinction may be splitting hairs, one thing is certain: this isn¡¯t¡ªand never was¡ªabout hunting.

But the boycott has raised important ethical and moral questions within the outdoor industry.

¡°I understand the frustration that people feel about nothing being done, so doing something, like boycotting a brand under the same parent company umbrella is better than doing nothing at all,¡± Hughes said. ¡°But as a retailer, I also have a strong pragmatic streak¡ªone that tells me that more effective measures can be taken against gun violence at the ballot box. That’s where I’ll be seeking to affect change, even in a state as red as Kansas.¡±

Rather than be divided by a stance on the availability of guns, Tawney said there¡¯s an opportunity for the outdoor and hunting industries to unite around multiple initiatives:

• The Land and Water Conservation Fund that sunsets this September

• The ¡°Backpack tax¡± that would essentially tax some outdoor goods for the sake of public lands, which the Outdoor Industry Association opposes

• The Restoring American¡¯s Wildlife Act that would annually redirect $1.3 billion of existing revenue to state-led wildlife conservation efforts.

¡°Hunters and hikers are in this together,¡± Tawney said.

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REI has placed a hold on future orders with Vista Outdoor brands, such as CamelBak and Giro, as a global gun control debate mounts.

The U.S. cooperative’s decision comes the same day as its counterpart in Canada, Mountain Equipment Co-op, severed ties with several outdoor brands owned by the parent company of a semi-automatic gun and ammunition manufacturer.

Thousands of members have been pressuring?both major outdoor retailers to do so in the wake of a Parkland, Florida, school shooting last month, in which the shooter used an AR-15 to kill 17 people.

Vista Outdoor, a company with many gun and ammo brands in its portfolio, also owns outdoor brands CamelBak, Bell, Boll¨¦, Camp Chef, Jimmy Styks SUPs, and Blackburn.

Vista, based in Utah, has not responded to our request for comment.

REI in a statement on the company’s website Thursday evening said it has been in active discussions with Vista. The statement, in part, read:

“REI does not sell guns. We believe that it is the job of companies that manufacture and sell guns and ammunition to work towards common sense solutions that prevent the type of violence that happened in Florida last month. In the last few days, we¡¯ve seen such action from companies like Dick¡¯s Sporting Goods and Walmart and we applaud their leadership…This morning we learned that Vista does not plan to make a public statement that outlines a clear plan of action. As a result, we have decided to place a hold on future orders of products that Vista sells through REI while we assess how Vista proceeds. Companies are showing they can contribute if they are willing to lead. We encourage Vista to do just that.”

David Labistour, MEC¡¯s CEO, in a statement on the company¡¯s website said that demonstrating leadership and leveraging the power of community are core values of the outdoor retail giant.

¡°With this in mind, we have taken time to listen to our members¡¯ views, consult internally and reach out to others in our industry,¡± Labistour said. ¡°From what we¡¯ve heard, we know that no decision we make will satisfy everyone. We are in the midst of a complex and highly charged debate with as many opinions as there are people expressing them.¡±

Effective immediately, MEC is suspending further orders with Boll¨¦, Bushnell, CamelBak, Camp Chef, and Jimmy Styks. Existing inventory will be sold.

Members have reached out on all sides of the gun control debate, and Labistour in his statement mentioned the outdoor industry¡¯s and his own ties with guns.

¡°I have proudly served in the military and grew up in a rural area where hunting was commonplace,¡± he said. ¡°I can readily identify with our members who are on all sides of this debate. At the same time, my personal experience has taught me about the power of engagement. I believe that engagement is the path to change, as tough as it might be.¡±

CamelBak on Thursday finally addressed the debate in its own statement. The company, bought by Vista for $412.5 million in July 2015, said the boycott centers on an incorrect assumption that the purchase of products supports the shooting sports.

¡°That is not the case,¡± the company wrote. ¡°Our brand falls within the Outdoor Products segment of our company, which operates separately from Vista Outdoor¡¯s Shooting Sports segment. Since 1989, CamelBak has been committed to forever changing the way people hydrate and perform. Our passion and love for the outdoors is unchanged. We are deeply committed to the individuals and communities we serve and we proudly partner with organizations to promote the enjoyment of the outdoors.¡±

The company asked that consumers stand by its 30-year reputation.

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