Our Company's Purpose, Mission, Vision and Values

What does Outside Sports represent as a company and as a family of like-minded adventure enthusiasts? To answer this question definitively, twenty key individuals from various areas of our organization gathered in Wanaka in early winter 2024. Together, we dedicated the day to exploring our purpose and crafting a shared vision that resonates with us all. We’re excited to share these insights with you.

Staff members gathered after our annual meeting, dedicated to brainstorming and planning how we can enhance your outdoor adventure experiences.

At Outside Sports, we believe life is better with outdoor adventures. Our purpose is to inspire and equip individuals to explore the great outdoors, fostering a deeper connection with nature and each other.

Our mission is to ignite and nurture the spirit of adventure at every level through world-class gear, honest technical advice, and convenient store locations in epic outdoor destinations.

We envision a world where everyone, regardless of their experience level, can access the outdoors and enjoy its benefits. We believe that outdoor adventures act as a catalyst for positive change, fostering personal growth, strengthening communities, and preserving the environment for future generations.

Our values underpin our culture, shaping how we want to be known and how we treat one another and our customers.

• Trustworthy: Our depth of knowledge and training enables us to provide unparalleled guidance and support to anyone passionate about adventure.
• Expertise: Our depth of knowledge and training enables us to provide unparalleled guidance and support to anyone passionate about adventure.
• Inclusivity: We strive to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels respected and valued, actively engaging with and supporting our local community.
• Enthusiasm: Our friendly and passionate approach, rooted in our love for the outdoors and our family-owned ethos, infuses every interaction with excitement and enjoyment.

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to our customers, sustainability, and creating an empowered workplace for our team. These guiding principles shape our actions and ensure we're always moving forward. Here's how we’re turning our goals into reality:

Customer Focus

We believe in creating exceptional experiences for our customers. Here's how we're addressing each aspect:

• Enhance the customer experience: We provide continuous training for our staff to stay knowledgeable and passionate about outdoor adventure gear, ensuring personalized recommendations and expert advice at every level.
• Maintain a wide and deep range of world-class products: We partner with leading brands and constantly refresh our inventory to offer the latest innovations in outdoor gear, catering to all adventure enthusiasts.
• Share our knowledge of outdoor adventures: Our team regularly contributes to blogs, social media, and newsletters, sharing insights, tips, and stories from the great outdoors to engage with and inspire our customers.
• Deliver consistent service across all stores: We ensure each store adheres to our high standards through unified training programs and a customer-first approach, whether you're visiting us in-store or online.

Commitment to Sustainability and Community

Sustainability is at the core of our mission, and we are committed to making a positive impact on both the environment and our community:

• Promoting sustainable practices: We actively support brands that prioritize sustainability, such as Patagonia and Picture, and donate 1% of gross Patagonia sales as part of our commitment to 1% for the Planet, ensuring that our business leaves a lasting, positive mark on the environment.
• Becoming a trusted authority on eco-friendly adventures: Although we’re still in the early stages, we’re committed to promoting sustainable travel and outdoor practices through future educational content and partnerships with conservation organizations. This will be a key focus moving forward.
• Renewing and strengthening partnerships: We work closely with environmental and community partners to continuously align our vision for a more sustainable future. This includes collaborations with organizations like Queenstown Trails and Fiordland Trails Trust, which focus on restoring and maintaining biking trails.
• Engaging in community and environmental initiatives: While we don’t yet participate directly through staff activities, we contribute by supporting environmentally friendly organizations and those that help preserve and restore our local outdoor playground, such as bike trail-building efforts. Additionally, we proudly sponsor local athletes who embody our values and inspire others in the community.
• Hosting events that support causes: We're excited to work towards organizing events that align with our sustainability goals. Hosting these events will give us the opportunity to further support causes we believe in while engaging our community.

Empowered Workplace and Employee Development

We believe that investing in our employees leads to a better experience for our customers. Here's how we’re fostering a positive and supportive work environment:

• Cultivating a Positive Work Environment: We embody our values daily to create a workplace that inspires and motivates.
• Prioritizing Employee Well-Being: Our policies allow for remote work, and we are lenient with parents, providing the flexibility to leave early for school pickups or take a day off when a child is unwell.
• Fostering Strong, Supportive Teams: We focus on building strong relationships among team members, promoting collaboration and trust.
• Offering Advanced Training and Promoting Knowledge Sharing: We invest in training opportunities, such as ski tech training through the NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority), and encourage knowledge sharing through tech sessions and our weekly staff newsletter.
• Encouraging Open Communication: We promote sharing ideas and feedback to create an inclusive workplace.

By nurturing our employees and aligning our values with sustainability, we empower them to enjoy and protect the natural world they love.

In Summary

At Outside Sports, we are dedicated to our purpose of inspiring and equipping individuals for outdoor adventures while fostering a strong sense of community and sustainability. Our commitment to our customers, employees, and the environment drives us to continually evolve and enhance the experiences we offer.

If you’d like to learn more about our donations and how we support local initiatives, please visit our sponsorships page. Together, let's make the great outdoors accessible and enjoyable for everyone!