REI Careers, Benefits, Review

REI’s commitment to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization.
Building on its efforts to fight for racial equity in the outdoors and beyond, REI Co-op is committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. Since July 2020, the co-op has been assessing its current practices and identifying where it can become more inclusive, affirming, and welcoming for everyone. This important next step will require a transformation of REI’s business and ways of working to become an organization that: 

• Recognizes and addresses racism as a barrier to diversity and inclusion, and embraces multicultural diversity as an asset.
• Embodies a culture and practices that engender belonging and full participation with diverse groups.
• Actively works to eliminate policies and beliefs that lead to racial inequities in the co-op, the outdoor industry and society.
• As a predominantly white organization in a predominantly white industry, REI has directly contributed to systems of inequity. Therefore, we must actively work to dismantle the policies and beliefs that lead to the inequities we see in our co-op, our industry and in society—policies and beliefs that harm all of us.

Becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization requires every one of us to do our part to engender belonging and full participation of diverse racial groups and other groups that have been historically excluded.

Employee Resource Groups
In 2020, we launched our employee resource groups, known internally at REI as Inclusion Networks. We started with networks for people of color, LGBTQ+, women, and military service. Inclusion Networks, led by employees who share historically excluded dimensions of diversity, welcome all employees and align to the co-op's values of workplace racial equity, diversity and inclusion.

Over the past year, the Inclusion Networks have connected with thousands of employees across the co-op to celebrate cultural moments, provide mentorship opportunities, and create safe spaces to connect with others who share similar dimensions of diversity. More than 10% of our employee base has joined the Inclusion Network program, identifying as either a member of the affinity group or an ally of those members. While the Inclusion Network program continues to evolve, these groups have made an immediate impact on co-op employees and in transforming our workplace culture. We are committed to their long-term success. To support this effort, Inclusion Network leaders receive a stipend for their service, in addition to their earnings from their primary employment role at REI.

Who we are

At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived.

We believe that it’s in the wild, untamed and natural places that we find our best selves, so our purpose is to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all.

Since 1938, we have been your local outdoor co-op, working to help you experience the transformational power of nature. We bring you top-quality gear and apparel, expert advice, rental equipment, inspiring stories of life outside and outdoor experiences to enjoy alone or share with your friends and family. And because we have no shareholders, with every purchase you make with REI, you are choosing to steward the outdoors, support sustainable business and help the fight for life outside.

So whether you’re new to the outdoors or a seasoned pro, we hope you’ll join us.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• As an Equal Opportunity Employer, REI takes reasonable steps to protect the right of every employee to work in an environment free from intimidation and harassment. REI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or any other basis protected by law or company policy.

At REI, we inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship – to learn more about our company or its products and services please visit www.rei.com

Workforce Diversity

We start with our belief that time outside is a human right. The REI Co-op and the outdoors should be places where everyone feels safe and welcome to be themselves, access opportunities, and find their place. We are committed to becoming a multicultural, fully inclusive, antiracist organization; to fostering welcoming, inclusive spaces outside, and a co-op where everyone can feel respected, represented, and connected with all they need to live their best outdoor life.  

We recognize that we have work to do as a co-op, as individuals, and as a society. Evolving the outdoor industry and outdoor culture to be more reflective and inclusive of the many ways that people enjoy time outside is a high priority for us. Together with our members, employees, industry, and community partners, we are helping lead an industry-wide effort to ensure that everyone feels welcome and safe outside. We’re also working to amplify all voices and experiences in a meaningfully representative way. Through stories we tell, products we sell, and steps we take, we’re working to enable a future where everyone can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.

While we understand that “the way things are” may work for some, it does not work for all. Because the past is not our future, we are focusing on what lies ahead and leading the movement for change toward being a more equitable and inclusive company, always keeping our Values in Action in the center.

These are our Values in Action:  

• We fight for life outdoors
• We are here to do our best work
• We go further, together
• We start from a place of respect
• We strive for harmony in work and life
• We believe the outdoors are for all
• We courageously embrace change
• We hold ourselves to a higher standard
• We are all responsible for the Co-op’s results

We believe we can best serve our customers and the communities where we live and work by ensuring our teams reflect our communities. This means cultivating a co-op community that is demographically representative of a culture that embraces belonging, full participation, and shared power with historically excluded or underrepresented communities. This important next step requires a significant transformation of REI’s business and ways of working to become an organization that recognizes and addresses racism as a barrier to diversity and inclusion and embraces multicultural diversity as an asset. As a predominantly white organization in a predominantly white industry, REI has historically contributed to the current-state of systemic inequities. To become a fully inclusive, antiracist, multicultural organization requires every one of us to do our part in creating the culture of acceptance and celebration we’re working to build.

Learn more about how REI is working to build an inclusive workforce.

As part of this philosophy, we are also actively working to dismantle systemic racism and structures that uphold racist practices in our industry and society at-large.

Community Outreach

While we lean into our Values in Action and keep them at the core of REI Co-op’s identity, we recognize that across the country, opportunities to enjoy the outdoors aren’t always equitable. Too few Americans aren’t exposed to the breadth of meaningful ways to experience the outdoors, which can range from neighborhood bike rides and walking your pup, to hiking in national parks or summiting high peaks. We recognize not everyone aspires to have the same adventures, and that some of us are comfortable experiencing the outdoors at sea level from dry land while others seek to push the boundaries of their comfort zones. Whatever way you choose to seek time outside is valuable and important, and we believe access to pursue your outdoor adventures- however they look- should remain unlimited.

The leadership of underrepresented trailblazers who are bringing visibility to life outside is often overlooked, leading to a disconnect from mainstream efforts. That’s why we’re helping to lead an industry-wide effort to ensure that the full range of outdoor enthusiasts feel a strong sense of belonging and safety, regardless of how they identify. By working to ensure that all voices are meaningfully represented in the fight for life outdoors, we are focusing on:

• Investing in work that removes the barriers to belonging that underrepresented communities face in the outdoors
• Delivering locally and culturally relevant products, experiences, and expertise to better equip and inspire the next generation of outdoor stewards
• Working to cultivate a member and employee base that is demographically representative of the communities we serve
• Leading efforts across our industry to engage people and communities historically underrepresented in outdoor media and culture

Here are some of the ways we’re working to make good on the promise of a life well-lived for everyone:

• Expanding our online library of expert advice, featuring diverse voices from all over the country, to assure that you have all the information you need to learn new skills, choose and maintain gear, prep for trips, and have amazing adventures- no matter your level of experience
• Offering more rental and pre-owned gear to lower price points and reduce landfill waste
• Continuing to support organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community members, LGBTQIA folx, and women who are all working to build a more equitable outdoor environment
• Launching a new community-supported public charity, the REI Cooperative Action Fund, which is focused on harnessing the collective power of our 21 million members to fight for a more equitable and inclusive outdoor community through grassroots organizing and influencing legislation to protect the environment and public lands
• Creating Path Ahead Ventures, a new investment arm that will invest $30 million in 300 founders of color as they start and scale their businesses in the outdoor industry
• Forming and developing our external Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Advisory Council to support the development and implementation of the co-op’s enterprise-wide strategy.
• Making partnership commitments with minority-owned businesses to bring unique, size-inclusive outdoor gear to our customers and Co-op while amplifying underrepresented voices, stories, and experiences

Learn more about our Community Advocacy initiatives.

We value our employees!

REI is committed to recognizing and rewarding our employees with a total rewards package that includes competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, generous Pro-Deals and other perks, as well as programs that support good health and work/life balance.

For an overview of REI's Pay and Benefits Programs please visit the ‘For Your Benefit’ site here: http://foryourbenefit-rei.com/

Here is a quick compensation overview…

Pay

• Incentive Pay

Retirement and Profit Sharing

• Our Retirement and Profit Sharing Plan is unique in the retail industry

Healthcare

• Health, Life and Disability Plans available to all employees

Living the REI Culture

• At REI, we believe an outdoor life is a life well lived. REI supports outdoor adventures by offering all employees one day off every six months to go outside and play, it’s called the REI Way Day. Way Days give employees a chance to get inspired by the outdoors, by taking on a new activity or help create access to inspirational places through stewardship and bring that feeling back to the workplace.

Professional Growth & Development

• Tuition Reimbursement – opportunity to get financial support to pursue higher education
• Challenge Grant – determine a personal outdoor challenge and apply for a special grant to achieve your goals

Time Away from Work

• Paid Time Off – PTO includes vacation pay, sick pay, 8 paid holidays and sabbatical pay
• Family and Medical Leaves – leaves for Family and Medical reasons
• Personal Leave of Absence – employees can request up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year

Employee Discount and ProDeals

• 50% discounts on REI Gear and Apparel, free gear rentals for personal use from any REI store and 30% off our vendor merchandise and ProDeal Discounts 

REI Adventures

• Discounts on trips with our own travel company – REI Adventures offers active trips across the globe as well as close to home.

Recognition

• Formal opportunities abound for everyone to be acknowledged and rewarded for a job well done

Work/Life Employee Assistance

• Services to help you find balance between work and home

Public Transit Subsidy

• 50% subsidies for bus, trains or other public transit methods

Employee Referral Bonus

• Refer someone to REI and, if they are hired, you can receive a bonus

Relocation Support

• To full-time employees who move more than 50 miles to fill a job

REI Sabbaticals

• Paid sabbatical after 15 years of service

Adoption Assistance

• Reimbursement to apply toward adoption costs

The list goes on and on…

• Other rewards include: annual holiday gift; employee anniversary celebrations; appreciation awards; team-building staff events, etc.

Our humble beginnings

Born from a need for quality and affordable gear, REI was founded by a group of 23 friends who were united by their love of the outdoors- climbing, in particular. What started with an ice axe and a limited selection of gear on one shelf in a Seattle, WA farmers market co-op has since grown to: 24.5 million lifetime members (and counting!), over 15,000 employees, more than 178 physical locations across the United States and District of Columbia, and a thriving ecommerce business.

While much has changed since REI’s beginnings, for us, it all comes back to our passion to inspire and enable life outside, for everyone.

REI Co-op: A different kind of company

Because we’re a member owned co-op, our focus lies on shared values, not the value of company shares. This means, annually, more than 70 percent of our total profits are invested back into the outdoor community through dividends to REI members, employee profit-sharing and retirement, and investments in partnerships with nonprofits dedicated to protecting and advocating for life in the outdoors.

Since 2015, we’ve closed all our stores on Black Friday to allow our team time to #OptOutside with friends and family. In 2022, we made that change permanent. It is important to us that we keep purpose before profits, and we’re proud to have more than 700 organizations and millions of people joining us in this tradition.

By staying true to our roots, prioritizing work/life balance for our teams, and making commitments to Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion company-wide, we've earned a place on Forbes Magazine's 2022 list of Best Places to Work for Women. We have also enjoyed recognition from FORTUNE Magazine as a Best Company to Work For over several consecutive years. Through the REI Cooperative Action Fund, a community-supported public charity designed to harness the collective power of the co-op's members and employees, we have worked to influence and help pass legislation to build a more just, equitable, and inclusive outdoor culture. We work hard - and play hard - to earn and keep our reputation for quality and integrity every single day.