Since 2015, a select group of forward-thinking companies have helped finance the core costs of the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA), on behalf of the European outdoor leisure sector, benefitting conservation. This year, EOCA is delighted to announce that not only are there now eight Sustaining Members of EOCA, with a new member having just signed up this week, but four of them are supporting EOCA for the tenth year in a row, meaning they have each donated an additional €100,000 to the association since the programme started.
The Sustaining Membership category was launched at OutDoor in Friedrichshafen in 2015, as a way of supporting the core costs of EOCA. Companies donate €10,000 each year on top of their annual membership fee. Since then, this funding has enabled the association to grow and move to two funding rounds per year. Nikwax, KEEN, Pertex and the European Outdoor Group (which founded EOCA in 2006) have been Sustaining Members of EOCA since it was launched. Between them, this has contributed an extra €400,000 to EOCA over that time, ensuring it can continue its vital work, supporting hands-on conservation work protecting and restoring nature worldwide.
Polish lightweight outdoor gear manufacturer, Cumulus, is the group’s newest Sustaining Member, having just made the commitment to support EOCA in this way. Anna Wylęzek, Communications Officer for the brand commented, “Despite being a relatively small company, Cumulus takes its responsibility for looking after the environment very seriously. By becoming a Sustaining Member, we can ensure our contribution multiplies what EOCA can achieve, really making a difference in the right places”.
Tanya Bascombe, Joint General Manager of EOCA added, “The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss must be tackled together. By putting money into protecting and restoring vital ecosystems, EOCA is doing just that. Thanks to our Sustaining Members, we are able to put so much of our membership and fundraising income directly into on the ground conservation projects. Without these companies, EOCA would not have been as effective as it is or achieved nearly so much. To have had the support of four companies in this way for a decade now, is an incredible testament to them and their priorities, investing in our collective future”.
The other Sustaining Members of EOCA this year are The North Face, Stanley and Osprey, each of which have supported EOCA in this way for a number of years, and the association is very grateful for their ongoing support.
There will be more detailed articles about each of these four members and why they continue to support EOCA in this way, over the coming months. To find out more about the Sustaining Membership programme, please go to this link.
INFO: EOCA
