Since the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) launched its Sustaining Membership programme in 2015, a distinguished group of companies have stepped up to provide ongoing finance to support the association’s core costs. This vital support enables 100% of membership fees donated by members to go directly to funding conservation work. It also provides the entire industry with a unique way to give back to nature, enabling businesses to work together to play their part in addressing the urgent issues of climate change and biodiversity loss.

EOCA has successfully multiplied the impact of the Sustaining Members’ donations, by using the funding to enable it to engage with increasing numbers of members. In 2021, EOCA turned this funding into a commitment of €665,000 for conservation projects – raised from membership fees, Summit Memberships and further fundraising efforts thanks to all of its members.

The association is delighted to announce its 2022 Sustaining Members, some who have continued this high level of investment since 2015, and others that have joined the programme more recently, in order to help realise the continued growth of the association and its impact.

EOCA’s 2022 Sustaining members are Messe München (ISPO and OutDoor by ISPO), Pertex, Keen, Nikwax, The North Face, Stanley - a brand of PMI, and the European Outdoor Group.

Emily Cichy, Corporate Responsibility Director at Stanley, which joined the programme for 2022, said:

Stanley is honoured to join our industry partners in becoming Sustaining Members of the European Outdoor Conservation Association. We have proudly partnered with EOCA for many years through funding and Board membership. We take this important next step to ensure that the world’s wild places thrive for generations to come.

Catherine Savidge, General Manager at EOCA said:

We are very grateful to EOCA’s Sustaining Members, who recognise that meaningful conservation costs time, money and dedication. These companies are showing that they believe this is a worthwhile and essential investment for the future of threatened environments around the world, on which we all and our industry depends. Their investment enablesEOCA to offer a unique service to the entire industry, ensuring the European outdoor sector plays its part in addressing the threats of biodiversity loss and climate change.

To find out more about the Association please go to: www.eocaconservation.org

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About the European Outdoor Conservation Association

The European Outdoor Conservation Association is an initiative from the European outdoor industry with the objective of protecting the wild areas it cares so passionately about.

Designed to harness the incredible power of the outdoor industry and to raise money to donate to grassroots conservation groups, the European Outdoor Conservation Association is funded by membership and other fundraising activities within the outdoor industry. 100% of membership fees go to the support of projects. Membership is open to anyone that can demonstrate an involvement in the European outdoor industry.

From January 2015, a select group of ‘Sustaining Members’ pledged their support to EOCA by committing to fund the sustainable growth of the organisation with an extra €10,000 per year over and above their annual membership fee. This money is being used to finance the Association’s core running costs, supporting its sustainable growth, and enabled a move to 2 funding rounds per year.