La Sportiva North America will become a vendor partner next year to the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, a group of independent outdoor shops dedicated to the sustainability of the specialty outdoor channel and the quality of the outdoor enthusiasts experience.
The decision to join Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is part of La Sportivas holistic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR). Part of La Sportivas mission is to ensure the success and well being of all of its stakeholders, from employees to retailers to the end customer. This meshes perfectly with the Grassroots Outdoor Alliances stated goal: to help retail members succeed, as well as their local economies and communities.
“At La Sportiva, we are committed to the health and well being of the specialty outdoor retail channel. The retail members of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance represent some of the very best retailers in the country. They support our customers who live and love the outdoor lifestyle every day,” said Jonathan Lantz, president of La Sportiva, N.A.
The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is an organization that works to enable business success for its 34 independent, specialty outdoor retailer members. Grassroots advocates for independent outdoor specialty stores on the national level by providing a unified marketing presence to the group. Each member is 100-percent committed to supporting environmental causes in their respective regions.
As part of their membership in the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, La Sportiva has worked closely with the groups members and board of directors to create an innovative new fund raising program, GIVING GREENBACK$, that will support three different non-profits dedicated to environmental protection, humanitarian causes and renewable energy.
La Sportiva is donating $1 for every pair of Mountain Running or Hiking shoes sold at participating Grassroots Outdoor Alliance retailers.
La Sportiva will contribute, on the customers behalf, to one of the following three charitable organizations:
- Carbonfund.org will receive donations for their work in the field of renewable energy.
- The Conservation Alliance will receive funding for protecting habitats.
Global Water will receive funding to improve drinking water around the world.
At the time of purchase the customer will receive a GIVING GREENBACK$ card explaining the program and the three charitable organizations. This card will direct them to visit a webpage that will introduce the customer to Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, explain the three charitable organizations in depth, and host an online form to donate automatically. La Sportiva will send confirmation e-mail when their dollar has been donated. The best part about the program is that it is the customers choice.
“This kind of programming speaks to the heart of what our members are doing on a daily basis; engaging our customers and encouraging them to act locally and think globally,” said Dave Matz, executive director of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.
La Sportiva will support the GIVING GREENBACK$ program with national, regional and local support to ensure its success, and the success of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance members. This support will include:
· GIVING GREENBACK$ POP shelf talkers
· GIVING GREENBACK$ shoe eco-pin for each floor model
· In store posters
· La Sportiva Grassroots Outdoor Alliance web page
· GIVING GREENBACK$ consumer seed paper cards
· GIVING GREENBACK$ retail floor staff program cards
· 2 GOA/La Sportiva new school/super cool La Sportiva/GOA beach cruisers (to be awarded to the store and individual sales staff that donates the most money to the causes)
