Nau Inc. plans to open 10 more retail locations in 2008. Plans for new markets include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Boston and Bethesda. Second stores will be opened in the existing markets of Seattle and Portland, OR. It currently has four doors in Portland, Bellevue, Boulder and Chicago.


The technical outdoor and lifestyle apparel company, based in Portland, OR, also announced its second round of giving through Partners for Change, a customer-directed program in which Nau gives 5% of every sale to community partner organizations. The company is in the process of distributing $161,000 to its local, national and global community partners, bringing its total giving since the start of business to more than $223,000.
 
Launched in March 2007, Nau said its unique approach enables customers to participate directly in the giving process by allowing them to choose which nonprofit partner organization will receive Nau’s donation. Five percent of every sale is allocated in this manner – some 70 times the national average for corporate philanthropy as a percentage of sales. To date, more than 90 percent of customers have consciously engaged in this process rather than selecting the option “Let Nau Decide.”


“For any thoughtful nonprofit organization, it’s a serious decision to enter into a partnership with a for-profit organization,” said Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of Mercy Corps, one of Nau’s Partners for Change. “The good news is that there are more thoughtful companies taking a look at the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit), but I’ve seen very few with the vision to design a business that completely integrates the triple bottom line into every aspect of its business – and does so successfully. Nau’s commitment to its partners goes far beyond monetary and is an example for others to follow.”

In addition to Nau’s retail expansion, the company is continuing to enhance its online experience, including its blog, the Thought Kitchen, and has officially launched its Spring ’08 collection.


“Design has enormous power, and we’re trying to use it to rewrite the rules of business. We approach design as a tool: one we use to shape everything we do, from our company’s unique approach to business, to the clothing we make,” explains Chris Van Dyke, CEO of Nau Inc. “I’m proud of our journey so far, and am excited to expand our store reach in ’08, as well as grow our Partners for Change program and the impact we can have in solving some of the world’s toughest problems.”