OIWC, which landed a multi-year $1.5 million grant from REI last year to foment female leadership in the outdoor industry, has hired a director for its new People and Culture Department, which seeks to drive creativity and business sustainability in member companies through happier, more diverse, and inclusive workplaces.
The department builds upon OIWC’s CEO Pledge initiative, which seeks to convene influential industry CEOs in the outdoor industries – outdoor, cycling, snow sports, etc. – around the common goal of accelerating women’s leadership within their companies. To head these efforts, OIWC has hired Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin, J.D., CDP, as Director of People and Culture; and Dr. Jennifer Boldry, of Breakaway Research Group, as OIWC’s research provider of record.
Immediate goals of the new department are to:
- Develop assessment tools that help companies identify successes and opportunities for growth in their women’s inclusion and advancement initiatives.
- Work with member companies to develop best practices around the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the workplace.
- Implement a study to examine the impact of these best practices on companies’ bottom line.
