An outdoor recreation retailer is vowing to increase diversity in its online ads and workforce after being called out on social media.
In an email sent to members Monday, Mountain Equipment Co-op said the company had let them down.
B次元官网网址淗istorically, the models weB次元官网网址檝e used in our catalogues and campaigns and on have been predominantly white,B次元官网网址� CEO David Labistour said.
B次元官网网址淎nd this imagery has perpetuated the vastly incorrect notion that people of colour in Canada donB次元官网网址檛 ski, hike, climb or camp. This letter is about recognizing the role weB次元官网网址檝e played in under-representing people of colour in the outdoors, and committing to change. ItB次元官网网址檚 not okay.B次元官网网址�
The retailer said its campaign was sparked after a post last March from Judith Kasiama, an avid hiker and a Vancouver-area Instagrammer.
B次元官网网址淭here seems to be a narrative that [black and Indigenous people of colour] donB次元官网网址檛 enjoy the outdoor compare to their white friends,B次元官网网址� Kasiama wrote.
B次元官网网址淭his is not rooted in actual reality but a myth perpetuated by marketing that caters to predominately white audience.B次元官网网址�
She tagged several outdoor recreation companies in her post, including MEC, Arcteryx and Helly Hansen, and said the brands B次元官网网址減aint a narrative that people like me donB次元官网网址檛 enjoy the outdoors.B次元官网网址�
Later that month, Kasiama said the company responded to her post and signed her on as MEC B次元官网网址渙utdoor nation ambassador.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭his gives me a chance to extend the conversation, speak directly to a young diverse audience and help them make the change they want to see in the world,B次元官网网址� Kasiama said in a video posted to the MEC website.
B次元官网网址淩epresentation matters because role models define whatB次元官网网址檚 possible.B次元官网网址�
The company released several videos with more diverse representatives, and said itB次元官网网址檚 committing to a more varied board of directors.
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