Every year, the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) gives the ‘Conservation Champion’ award to members that have gone ‘the extra mile’ to support conservation. The award recognises members that have taken the initiative to raise extra money for and awareness of conservation through the Association. EOCA is delighted to name Smartwool and Vaude as its Conservation Champions for 2015.
Twenty four months ago, Smartwool approached EOCA with an innovative and exciting way in which they wanted to raise money for the Association at tradeshows. They have since hosted a “Smartwool sock vending machine” twice at both ISPO and OutDoor. The vending machine has proved extremely popular and has required regular restocking throughout the shows! This inspirational idea has raised awareness of EOCA as well as around €8,000 to date during four shows, 100% of which has been spent on conservation.
A founding member and long term supporter of EOCA, Vaude always makes a very generous donation to EOCA’s Conservation Fundraiser at OutDoor. This enables EOCA to raise significant additional amounts of money for conservation each year. In addition, Vaude organised a collection at their 40 year anniversary celebrations in 2014, with proceeds going to a conservation project at Lake Baikal, Russia via EOCA. Furthermore, Vaude supported, promoted and attended the launch of an EOCA funded project, which they had nominated for funding in Romania.
Catherine Savidge, Joint General Manager of EOCA said, “the Conservation Champion award is about recognising member companies large and small, who take the initiative to benefit conservation through EOCA in ways other than simply paying their membership fees. We are proud to work with these two companies. They are each passionate about the great outdoors and their responsibility towards it and have both come up with novel ways of raising additional funds for conservation.”
