“EVO STRIVES TO MAKE LIVES BETTER BY CRAFTING ELEVATED CUSTOMER & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCES, FOSTERING HUMAN CONNECTION, AND IGNITING PASSIONS, WHILE LEVERAGING OUR SUCCESS TO GIVE BACK. WE DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS.”- evo
evo isn’t your typical store, there is more to their structure than a massive selection of outdoor gear and clothing. Through giving back and offering unique experiences via evoTrip Adventure Vacations, the company has managed to deepen their impact on the world.
Paid Volunteer Time
Each year, evo gives every employee 40 hours of paid volunteer time as an encouragement to become involved in helping their community, or those around the world.
“Many businesses play lip service to giving back. evo is actually doing it. In a material way they enabled me to break my routine, go to Esperanza and help remodel a house that will support a family or individual desperately in need of help. I’m super proud – and lucky – to work at a company that is seeing it through,” says Nathan Decker, E-Commerce Managager at evo.
evo’s IT lead volunteers as a mountain bike coach at a local high school. Through Art With Heart, an organization that helps kids overcome trauma through artistic expression, one of evo’s designers lends her time as a teacher.
Ashley Miller, general manager of evoTrip and giving back initiatives, partook in 166 volunteer hours last year. “I serve on a few different boards, including the Seattle Human Rights Commission and the United Way of King County’s Youth Impact Council, and I also cooked lunch for homeless and transitioning teens at Youth Care once a month last year with my coworkers,” says Miller. Employees are encouraged to record the time they serve beyond their paid 40 hours. Those paid hours spark inspiration in employees to pursue charity work further.
Donation Matching
evo will also match employee donations to their chosen charity, up to $250 yearly. Organizations which evo has donated to include:
FEEST– The Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team fighting against food injustices.
Northwest Avalanche Center – Reducing the impact of avalanches in Washington and Oregon through data collection, education and forecasting.
Summit Assistance Dogs – Creating life-changing partnerships between dogs and those with disabilities.
The High Fives Foundation – Supporting the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries.
These employee programs were instilled by the CEO as a way to show appreciation of their success, and the community. “This is a way for the company to both show our employees that we value their engagement in the community by providing the time and resources to do so,” adds Miller.
Charity Accomplishments
“One organization that we think is really awesome is Skate Like a Girl. Their mission is to create an inclusive community by promoting confidence, leadership, and social justice through the sport of skateboarding,” explains Miller. evo hosts the annual female skate competition, Wheels of Fortune , at the All Together Skatepark. “Our employees have served as volunteers in their skate programs, their board meetings take place at the evo HQ and we have made significant financial contributions for several years,” adds Miller.
evo has also been involved with The Service Board (TSB) for quite some time, through donations and volunteering. TSB is a Seattle-based organization focusing on leadership and snowboarding programs that help teens overcome personal and cultural challenges. “We continue to work with TSB today and I know that evo’s support has a huge impact for the small and powerful organization,” Miller continues.
evoTrip
You can also travel with evo and their partners, who are experts in adventure. By booking through the company, you are signing up for a “deeper” travel experience. “We are currently offering ten different activities / locations ranging from skiing in Japan and surfing in El Salvador, to mountain biking in BC. This is a quickly-growing program at evo, so we’ll be adding more destinations in the coming months,” Miller elaborates. “Most of our trips are about a week long and customers can sign up to travel individually or in small groups. We take care of the planning, lodging and activities (sometimes finding partners like Outdoor Leadership, a phenomenal guide team in Austria), and customers just have to show up and be ready for an adventure.”
I think it’s safe to say that there isn’t a company quite like evo. Employees dive into adventure, volunteering and opportunities far beyond simply selling outdoor wear. evo is truly spreading the good and promoting real life exploration.