TOGETHER WE CAN #TAKEPRIDEOUTSIDE
LGBTQ+ people want to work for, buy from, and believe in organizations that say, “you belong here”. The LGBTQ+ Outdoor Equality Index™ is a powerful accountability tool to aid organizations in building credibility, trust, and a better, more inclusive outdoors for LGBTQ+ people.
LGBTQ+ people want to work for, buy from, and believe in organizations that say, “you belong here”. The LGBTQ+ Outdoor Equality Index™ is a powerful accountability tool to aid organizations in building credibility, trust, and a better, more inclusive outdoors for LGBTQ+ people.
* learn more about this font, created to celebrate Gilbert Baker the creator of the Rainbow Flag
THE OUTDOOR EQUALITY INDEX™ (OEI)
Data about the LGBTQ+ outdoor experience simply doesn’t exist, yet large inequality exists. The Index looks to fix that by providing much needed transparency on the outdoor industry's engagement with the LGBTQ+ community and from that the industry can grow, learn, share, and celebrate progress.
OEI Principles:
- ABOUT COMMUNITY
Elevate and represent the voices, values, and needs of the queer community - POSITIVELY TRANSFORMATIVE
Advance and inspire the outdoor industry's efforts to welcome, celebrate, and support LGBTQ+ people outdoors
- EMPOWER
Create space and agency for LGBTQ+ people to engage
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
We want to hear from you to ensure the criteria in the Index and the companies we survey are meaningful to you! SUBMIT YOUR INPUT >>
FUND THIS WORK
Financial assistance is needed to support the development and delivery of the LGBTQ+ Outdoor Equality Index. Your sponsorship demonstrates industry-wide transformation is indeed possible and acknowledges that bolder change will occur only through the accountability that comes from the transparency offered by tools like the OEI.
OUTDOOR INDUSTRY
Join fellow outdoor leaders and be the change the industry needs. Participate in the current OIE and send a clear message to LGBTQ+ people - You belong here. Survey period ends May 15 2021.
Step 1 | REGISTER
Whether nominated or volunteering, your first step is to submit a registration. You’ll receive an information packet and a link to the survey. REGISTER NOW >>
Step 2 | TAKE THE SURVEY
Access the survey using the link provided during registration and complete the 36 question survey. (Typically takes 1/2 hr.)
Step 3 | SUBMIT DOCUMENTS
Once the survey is completed, optional supporting documentation may be submitted. SUBMIT HERE >>
View list of outdoor companies nominated or volunteered to participate.
LET'S GET REAL
Each organization’s participation in the OEI contributes to data that has the power to transform the industry for the better. To achieve this, a commitment to transparency is needed. The OEI seeks this commitment and rewards organizations that demonstrate transparency as well as rewards the extent of an organizations meaningful engagement with the LGBTQ+ community.
Based on one’s transparency in the OEI, an organization may receive one of two badges to use on the their website, social media, on products, etc to help signal to the LGBTQ+ community and their industry peers its commitments to creating a place where LGBTQ+ people belong.
OEI participants will also receive:
an initial report summarizing their responses to the OEI
a final report at the end of the reporting year comparing their results to other in their sector and the overall industry
opportunity to receive one-on-one consulting to help identify next steps in strengthen its engagements
The LGBTQ+ Outdoor Equality Index is an annual survey that serves as a tool to provide transparency on the outdoor industry’s engagement with the LGBTQ+ community. Through the data collected, the various published findings, and the resulting accountability, it catalyzes and advances the outdoor industry’s efforts toward LGBTQ+ inclusion while elevating voices, values, and needs of the queer community.
The OEI is a series of yes/no based questions grouped into six analysis areas of business practice that are important to the LGBTQ+ community. The answers to those questions serve as indicators of where an organization, a sector, and the whole outdoor industry is in their LGBTQ+ engagement. The current survey period starts in summer 2020, lasts 6-8 months, and concludes in the summer of 2021.
The OEI is a series of yes/no based questions grouped into six analysis areas of business practice that are important to the LGBTQ+ community. The answers to those questions serve as indicators of where an organization, a sector, and the whole outdoor industry is in their LGBTQ+ engagement. The current survey period starts in summer 2020, lasts 6-8 months, and concludes in the summer of 2021.
As a whole, the LGBTQ+ community lacks representation, access, safety, opportunity, and overall visibility in the outdoors and the outdoor industry. The community is often hidden, overlooked, or excluded from outdoor experiences. For many, getting outdoors or working outdoors is expensive, elusive, and even dangerous due to sexist, homophobic, or transphobic actions by others.
This is further complicated by the fact that no single experience in the outdoors or in the outdoor industry can define “the LGBTQ+ experience”. The range of experiences are influenced by the community’s diversity across race, income, urbanism, age, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities. Additionally, stigma (enacted, felt, or internalized), culture (queer, cis, straight), family, and wealth influence each person’s outdoor experience.
Further, misconceptions, a lack of familiarity, or general uncomfortableness with the LGBTQ+ community leave many outdoor organizations struggling with how to effectively connect with and welcome this community in the outdoors.
The OEI aspires to help change that.
To begin that change, data about the LGBTQ+ outdoor experience and the outdoor industry’s engagement with LGBTQ+ people is needed to identify gaps and successes. However, that data simply doesn’t exist, and little is known about efforts organizations are or are not making to engage this community.
The OEI will collect that much needed data, creating a point from which to celebrate progress, and chart a better, more inclusive path forward.
This is further complicated by the fact that no single experience in the outdoors or in the outdoor industry can define “the LGBTQ+ experience”. The range of experiences are influenced by the community’s diversity across race, income, urbanism, age, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities. Additionally, stigma (enacted, felt, or internalized), culture (queer, cis, straight), family, and wealth influence each person’s outdoor experience.
Further, misconceptions, a lack of familiarity, or general uncomfortableness with the LGBTQ+ community leave many outdoor organizations struggling with how to effectively connect with and welcome this community in the outdoors.
The OEI aspires to help change that.
To begin that change, data about the LGBTQ+ outdoor experience and the outdoor industry’s engagement with LGBTQ+ people is needed to identify gaps and successes. However, that data simply doesn’t exist, and little is known about efforts organizations are or are not making to engage this community.
The OEI will collect that much needed data, creating a point from which to celebrate progress, and chart a better, more inclusive path forward.
Creating industry-wide changes around LGBTQ+ inclusion are difficult given the decentralized nature of the outdoor industry and the various types of organizations that compose and interact with it. Yet the $400B outdoor industry wields incredible influence in defining the outdoor experience. If sufficiently motivated, organizations working together can change the industry.
Sufficient motivation exists. Climate change, shifts in customer base, and now a pandemic, threaten the profitability or operating funds of outdoor organizations all while there are increasing calls for social and corporate responsibility. The path forward can look murky.
The OEI's goal is to help clear that path by connecting the interests of the outdoor industry with those of the relatively untapped LGBTQ+ consumer group and their $1 trillion of buying power. Generally, LGBTQ+ people are sophisticated consumers, who on average are 75% more likely to adopt and be loyal to brands that support them. If properly engaged, the LGBTQ+ outdoor consumer can not only contribute to the outdoor economy but help make it more resilient.
Sufficient motivation exists. Climate change, shifts in customer base, and now a pandemic, threaten the profitability or operating funds of outdoor organizations all while there are increasing calls for social and corporate responsibility. The path forward can look murky.
The OEI's goal is to help clear that path by connecting the interests of the outdoor industry with those of the relatively untapped LGBTQ+ consumer group and their $1 trillion of buying power. Generally, LGBTQ+ people are sophisticated consumers, who on average are 75% more likely to adopt and be loyal to brands that support them. If properly engaged, the LGBTQ+ outdoor consumer can not only contribute to the outdoor economy but help make it more resilient.
MORE TO CHEW ON
LGBTQ+ people lack representation, access, safety, opportunity, and overall visibility in the outdoors and in most diversity initiatives! The reasons to change this are many.
40% of queer youth contemplate suicide
70+% of LGBTQ+ people report being harrassed or assulted in the workplace or in public
$400B outdoor industry wields incredible influence in defining the outdoor experience
$1.3T of LGBTQ+ spending power is largely ignored by the outdoor industry
75% of LGBTQ+ consumers would change to a brand that supported them
35% above average profitabilty when diversity measures are in place
SHOW YOUR PRIDE
The OEI assessment evaluates an organization’s operations and business model impact on its workers, our community, and the industry. The OEI badges are awarded to help celebrate and inform others of one’s commitments and progress.
CURRENT PARTICIPANT LIST
The following organizations have either volunteered or have been nominated to participate in the 2020/2021 LGBTQ+ Outdoor Equality Index. Nominations or requests to participate will be accepted until May 15 2021.
Nominated Or Want To Participate?
Whether your organization was nominated or you are stepping up voluntarily to participate, start the process by completing our registration form.