Building a Better Playground for All

Social responsibility can be natural for outdoor enthusiasts -
by John Antos

As an outdoor enthusiast you understand the strong connection between humans and nature. Outdoor enthusiasts also recognize the undeniable connection between the impoverished people living in the world’s mountainous regions and what a thriving outdoor industry can do to help these people continue to survive.

The mountains are our playground, and the care of the people and environment that make up that playground is our direct concern. Just as many outdoor enthusiasts are sensitive to environmental threats to the mountainous regions that we enjoy, so to must they be sensitive to doing business with socially responsible companies when it comes to the improvement of the lives of the local populations in these areas.

To be sure, the outdoor industry has been both responsible for some of the problems as well as potentially being a large part of the solution for bringing help to these impoverished mountain people.

For example, tens-of-thousands of men and women are employed as porters in the trekking industry in Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. Currently, neither the large international aid organizations nor the global donor community recognize the issue of these porters’ working conditions. Many outdoor enthusiasts have come into direct contact with these porters during their journeys. While the providing of employment is a plus, the poor conditions under which they work cannot be overlooked by outdoor enthusiasts who have trekked with them. With so many other problems in the world, decades may pass before the treatment of trekking porters makes it on to the agendas of the international community.

Making a Difference.

This is your chance to make a difference and improve the mountain playground you enjoy for yourself, the environment, and the impoverished people who live there. The companies that support The Mountain Fund recognize that their success and the success of the mountain community are linked. They further recognize that they can, through their support of The Mountain Fund have direct impact on the plight of porters and other key issues facing the mountainous regions of our world. Our supporters also have discovered some powerful business reasons for becoming involved with the work of The Mountain Fund.

8 in 10 Americans say that corporate support of causes winds their trust in a company. That number is up 21% since 1997, proof that customers are paying attention

86% of Americans say that they are likely to switch from one brand to another that is about the same price and quality if the other brand is associated with a cause. Proof that customers are loyal to companies they see as responsible.

72% of employed Americans would choose to work for a company that supports charitable causes when deciding between two otherwise comparable job offers.

Spending on cause related marketing is up 20% from 2005 and will reach $1.3 billion in 2006. The companies spending that kind of money on cause related marketing read the first three statements and clearly saw the trend.

Call to Action – Make a Difference Today.

Basic corporate support of The Mountain Fund starts at only $250 a year. To understand the magnitude of this gift: Our volunteers spend more than $250 buying outdoor equipment for a single Mountain Fund trek; that same $250 can make a substantial improvement in many impoverished mountain areas. We appreciate these generous gifts and we support these companies who support us by wearing their logos on our volunteer trips. It’s not just about doing the right thing. It’s about inspiring social change while inspiring consumer consumption. Good deeds and good companies, more than ever, just naturally go together. Contact us for more information on becoming a supporter.