In a sign of changing times within the outdoor and running specialty industries,  Camber Outdoors late last month made the surprise and difficult decision to cease operations later this month. The reason given: “Continued industry headwinds combined with the fact that outdoor industry companies are moving beyond the focused workplace tools that Camber Outdoors traditionally has provided.”

Camber continued in announcing the decision: “While DEI work is by no means complete, the outdoor industry has made gains and progressed with more companies bringing DEI resources in house and investing in national, regional and local DEI consultants. Camber Outdoors is proud to have helped move this work forward in the industry.” 

For 28 years, Camber Outdoors has worked on behalf of underrepresented groups in the outdoor industry. When Camber started as the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition in 1996, the industry lacked organizations supporting gender diversity in the workplace. From its inception, OIWC focused on professional development, education, networking, mentoring, and leadership programming that promoted women’s advancement in the Outdoor Industry. 

On its 20^th anniversary in 2016, OIWC was rebranded Camber Outdoors as the nonprofit expanded its focus to workplace DEI tools that prepare the industry to attract and retain underrepresented groups.

“It has been an honor to help the outdoor industry make strides toward building a more diverse workforce and better serving the increasingly diverse outdoor recreation participants,” says Reggie Miller, president of the Camber Outdoors board of directors. “Since joining the board in 2019, I am pleased to see real commitment to the work, progress being made by many industry leaders, and a wide range of consultants and industry organizations supporting this work. Now is the time for these organizations and workplaces to carry this forward.”

Among Camber’s accomplishments in its almost three decades of effort:  is proud of its impact and the progress its partners have made:

• Over 200 organizations and 15,000 individuals participated in annual Camber programming.
• There were also over 1200 mentors and mentees in the Ann Krcik Professional Mentoring program since inception and 50 interns from underrepresented groups placed over the past three years.
• 74 percent of Camber Partners utilized resources focused on an inclusive hiring process while the workforce's demographic has shifted from 17 percent underrepresented groups in 2020 to 41 percent in 2023, according to the 2023 Camber Survey System conducted with the Claremont Evaluation Center.

In announcing the decision Camber Outdoors recognized current and former partners, staff, past board members and those that recently supported this work at a transformational level, including: REI, VF Corp, Keen, Brooks Running, Winnebago Industries, Noto Group, People for Bikes, Burton, Fox Racing, Deckers, and Perkins Coie.

“We are incredibly proud of the progress made over nearly three decades,” says Tiffany Smith, CEO of Camber Outdoors. “The landscape of DEI in the outdoor industry has transformed dramatically and it has been an honor to be a part of this journey. We celebrate the growth of numerous grassroots and industry-wide organizations that Camber worked closely with and that are now leading DEI efforts.

“From the Outdoor Industry Association, People for Bikes, Outdoor Afro, Latino Outdoors to the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, these groups and others are driving significant change,” smith adds. “Our legacy is the vibrant network of organizations and leaders now championing this cause.”

Camber Outdoors is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to removing barriers and providing access to women and other underrepresented groups by supporting workplaces as the vehicle of change to create diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces across the outdoor industry.