membership for the outdoor industry

Build a legacy, not a campaign.

Campaigns end. A 1% commitment keeps going, every year, for the planet your business is built on and the wild places we love. Certified, verified, and backed by the partners and brands you already know.

Plan your 1% commitment Talk to our team

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Craig Mathews smiling at a 1% for the Planet member's retail shop

Born in the outdoors

1% for the Planet originated along the banks of the Madison River when two longtime friends and successful businessmen went for a fishing trip in 2001.

Realizing businesses are responsible for their environmental impact, they pledged to donate 1% of their annual sales—not profits—to environmental organizations.

In 2002, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, created 1% for the Planet and started a global movement.

Over the last decade, our network has grown to span more than 100 countries and 65 industries. Although the movement was born in the outdoors, more outdoor and sports brands still have an opportunity to take investing in nature seriously.

The business case

Outdoor customers are paying attention.

On both sides of the Atlantic, the outdoor economy is bigger than ever, and customers and regulators reward brands that can prove their commitments.

United States

183.2M

Americans got outside in 2025 — a record, and nearly 30 million more than in 2019.

Source: Outdoor Industry Association, 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report ↗

$1.3T

in U.S. economic output from outdoor recreation in 2024, supporting 5.2 million jobs.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (2024 data) ↗

28% vs 20%

five-year growth for products making ESG-related claims vs. products that don’t.

Source: McKinsey & Company and NielsenIQ, 2023 ↗

Europe

78%

of Europeans say environmental issues directly affect their daily life and health.

Source: European Commission, Special Eurobarometer “Attitudes of Europeans towards the environment,” 2024 ↗

~6 in 10

Europeans are willing to pay more for products that are repairable, recyclable or sustainably produced.

Source: European Commission, Special Eurobarometer, 2024 (via European Environment Agency) ↗

€6.1bn

wholesale value of the European outdoor market in 2022. Germany, France and the UK/Ireland make up over half.

Source: European Outdoor Group, State of Trade 2022 ↗

New in the EU · Since 27 September 2026

Uncertified sustainability labels are now banned in the EU.

Under the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo/ECGT), a sustainability label may only be shown if it’s established by a public authority or based on a certification scheme with independent third-party monitoring. It applies to every brand selling to EU consumers, wherever it’s based.

See how 1% for the Planet certification meets ECGT requirements →

Source: Directive (EU) 2024/825, applicable from 27 Sept 2026 ↗

53%

of green claims in the EU gave vague, misleading or unfounded information.

1 in 2

EU green labels had weak or no verification.

Source: European Commission green claims study, 2020 ↗

Global

9.7%

average premium consumers say they’ll pay for sustainably produced or sourced goods.

Source: PwC, 2024 Voice of the Consumer Survey (20,000+ consumers, 31 countries) ↗

76%

of consumers find sustainability claims more credible when backed by credible certification or transparent calculations.

Source: Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions, “Greenwashing vs. Greenacting,” 2023 (8,000 consumers in 8 countries incl. Germany and the US) ↗

71%

say partnering with environmental organizations makes a company’s sustainability claims more credible.

Source: Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions, 2023 ↗

There’s an obvious special bond for those of us in the outdoor industry as those who live for and by nature. And there is no business on a dead planet. But you can also argue there is a real business case for joining 1% for the Planet.

David Ekelund

Chief People Planet Profit Officer, Icebug

Campaigns come and go, 1% stays with you.

One-off campaign or partnership

1% for the Planet membership

Timing

Ends when the campaign does

Every year, as long as you're in business

Proof

Self-reported

Certified annually by a third party

Who you support

One partner, one moment

Vetted impact partners you choose, and can change

What customers see

A promo

A logo they already recognize and trust

Campaign performance

Has to stand on its own

Gives every campaign a stronger hook

I’d rather be a brand that has stood the test of time and hasn’t been a fair-weather sustainability brand. I want to be able to show that we’ve stuck to our values in good weather and bad weather.

Annie Nyborg

Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Peak Design

High impact, low lift.

The 1% for the Planet model is convenient for businesses, credible for consumers and impactful for people and the planet.

Commit

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Commit to contributing 1% of your annual revenue to vetted impact partners.

Contribute

Contribute 1% of your annual turnover directly to one or more impact partners.

Certify

Submit proof of annual revenue and contribution receipts to our team each year to complete your certification.

Amplify

Connect with the 1% for the Planet network, share your 1% story, and leverage the power of our logo to communicate your commitment.

There are three levels of 1% for the Planet membership

a woman hiking with a cotopaxi backpack with an actual cotopaxi carrying cotopaxi packs as well

Full Company Membership

Brand Level Membership

Product Line Membership

Flexibility is baked in.

We believe in the power of relationships between businesses and impact partners.

Contributions to impact partners can include any combination of:

Monetary gifts
In-kind donations (products or services)
Employee volunteer time

Members may also direct up to 50% of their 1% contribution (via monetary support) to vetted enterprise impact partners.

This enables more access to critical environmental solutions and integration with a company's broader sustainability strategy.

Ready to learn more?

See what already counts toward your 1%

A Rozalia project volunteer day pulling plastic from waterways onto the beach and recording the progress

An op-ed by Kate Williams and Paul Hendricks.

Businesses Can’t Afford to Lose Public Lands

An op-ed by Kate Williams and Paul Hendricks.

These 3 organizations help outdoor brands support initiatives that protect wild places.

United for Europe and the United Kingdom’s Outdoors

These 3 organizations help outdoor brands support initiatives that protect wild places.

A celebration of Peak Design's membership story.

A Decade of Impact: A Conversation with Annie Nyborg of Peak Design

A celebration of Peak Design's membership story.

1% for the Planet was founded on the idea that a company has a responsibility to give back for the use of our planet’s resources. It started with that core idea and almost 25 years later, we’re still helping businesses make good on their commitments.

Talk to our team