REI Co-op announced that Wilma Wallace has been promoted to chief diversity and social impact officer, effective immediately. Wallace has served as the retailer’s general counsel and corporate secretary since 2017. Outside of REI, Wallace serves on nonprofit boards for organizations focused on equity and human rights, including Camber Outdoors and Landesa.
“Since joining the co-op in 2017, Wilma has played a number of critical roles—leading our legal team, serving as executive sponsor of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) inclusion network and helping shape our organizational REDI strategy,” said REI Co-op CEO Eric Artz. “Her rich experience in global human rights and her passion for advancing racial equity at the co-op and in the outdoor and retail industries make her the ideal person to lead this work forward.”
In her new role, Wallace will build and lead a new Diversity and Social Impact Office to champion the company’s racial equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI) work at an enterprise level.
“The co-op is uniquely positioned to lead in transforming the outdoor industry into a more diverse and inclusive space where all can thrive outside,” said Wallace. “This is a moment for the co-op to make a difference, and I am grateful to be able to bring together my life-long commitment to advancing equity, inclusion and justice, my love for the outdoors and my own lived experience and passion for social change in my work.”
The legal division will continue to report to Wallace as REI Co-op searches for a new general counsel.
