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2009-09-08

CONTACT: REI Public Affairs (253) 395-5958

REI’s Annual Stewardship Report Highlights Co-op’s S ocial and Environmental Work

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, has released its third annual stewardship report that provides an evaluation of the co-op’s social and environmental efforts in the 2008 calendar year.

Available online at www.rei.com/stewardship, the report updates progress toward short and long-term goals, including the co-op’s environmental aspiration of being carbon-neutral and zero-waste-to-landfill by 2020. REI is also committed to increasing outdoor participation, especially among youth, and ensuring natural spaces are available for all to enjoy.

“REI’s stewardship report is an important part of our commitment to share our progress and opportunities with our employees, members and communities,” said Sally Jewell, REI’s president and CEO. “While we are proud of our accomplishments, we embrace the challenges that remain on the long path ahead.”

REI’s 2008 stewardship report content is structured into three sections — Community; Environment; and People. Highlights include:

Community:

14,481 acres of land and 6,520 miles of trail maintained through the co-op’s investment in conservation and recreation nonprofits.

1,573,138 volunteer hours donated through the “sweat equity” of 130,347 individuals through REI’s nonprofit support.

182,834 youth learned how to recreate outdoors responsibly through the Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids (PEAK) program via REI’s partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

Environment:

LEED Gold certification for REI’s Boulder, Colo. store and a second green building prototype store in Round Rock, Texas, featuring solar panels and forward-thinking lighting, materials and design strategies.

85.1 percent of all paper was purchased from “acceptable sources” according to REI’s paper policy, including 25.6 percent that was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Recycling 84.8 percent of the operational waste generated, such as cardboard, wooden pallets, cans and bottles.

People:

An 86 percent employee engagement score through the company-wide annual survey, underscoring REI’s ranking as #12 on the FORTUNE magazine “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” list.

A new recruiting strategy to ensure REI’s staff is reflective of the diversity of its communities.

95 percent of the dollar value of REI-brand products had a third-party factory audit under the co-op's compliance program to ensure factories manufacturing REI products provide appropriate working environments.

To supplement the online content, a brochure can be downloaded from www.rei.com/stewardship or picked up in any REI retail store. An online survey offers readers the opportunity to provide feedback on the report and the company’s progress.

REI’s 2008 report is the co-op’s third stewardship report.  The co-op’s first report, which highlighted efforts during the 2006 calendar year, established a process of milestones, metrics and data, and storytelling surrounding the company’s stewardship commitments in its headquarters, retail locations, distribution center and supply chain manufacturing. All past REI stewardship reports are archived and maintained with open access for future reference

About REI
REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.

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