How lucky am I?
Right time, right place. Lucky to have moved to Costa Mesa, CA in the early 90s thereby putting myself squarely in the heart of what was then often referred to as “Velcro Valley.”
Lucky to have chosen a college just 15 minutes from all the (sometimes/depends on where else you normally surf) world-class breaks that Newport Beach has to offer, and lucky to have also been just a 2 hour drive to the lifts at Big Bear Mountain (elevation 6,752’). That meant, if you wanted to you could be snowboarding after coffee in the morning, and be surfing an evening session before the sunset, no problem (H2O Winter Classic, anyone??).
I was also “lucky” enough (ok, I admit, I believe that for the most part we build our own luck, more on that later) in 1996 to stumble into the surf, skate & snowboarding industry and land an entry-level job at the venerable brand Volcom just in time for the career ride of a lifetime.
I spent nearly 20 years with that team before going out on my own. But it wasn’t before also being lucky enough to stumble upon a career in sustainability. “Lucky enough” might indeed apply here because I can tell you this… I wasn’t looking for it.
If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you too are – in some way – a part of the surf and/or snow industry (lucky you). But I would confidently bet that “sustainability” hasn’t yet become a key component of your title, your job description, your evaluation process, your incentive package, or your performance metrics. But I’d also bet that you’d like it to be or agree with me that it should be.
But here’s the deal: When it comes to tackling sustainability, luck will only get us so far. It’s time to get intentional.
This is a call to all the brands, companies, and people that created and built this amazing “industry.” And to those who will continue its legacy… It’s time to get intentional when it comes to tackling sustainability and climate change. Intentional in our strategies, intentional in our supply chains, intentional in choices, and our actions. We cannot leave this to chance.
If you’ve read any of my previous Industry Insight pieces, you’ll have already heard me wax poetic about my beliefs that we’re not doing enough fast enough, and that too few of us are working on too big of a problem in too many silos, and that the only way forward is for us to normalize Sustainability & Climate Action. You’ve also inevitably heard me talk about my “Educate, Empower, Activate” theory, and my belief that it won’t be the experts who save us. I stand by all of this. But what to do?
It’s time to come together because none of us can do this on our own.
Announcing the 1st Surf and Snow Sustainability Sessions.
In partnership with SIMA (Surf Industry Members Association) and SIA (Snowsports Industries America), we’re rolling out a 12-Week Sustainability & Climate Accelerator program focused on getting YOUR TEAM the resources and background they need to make sustainability and climate action at your company intentional.
This is a collaborative learning & workshop experience in the spirit of our “multi-sport” lifestyle, to make your team confident and competent in the language that’s influencing business across the globe.
A class of 20, limited spots available – We’re looking for up to 3 people in any role, from 7-15 different SIMA or SIA member companies, to reach out across roles, across companies, and across industries to make sustainability & climate action a foundational component of jobs, strategies, metrics, initiatives, and perhaps industry survival.
Here’s what’s included in this cohort experience that starts March 9th, 2023:
- 24-Hours of on demand lecture content broken up into 3 levels of advancement (Core Competency, Advanced Understanding, and Professional Proficiency)
- 12 weekly video meetups with the group, led by me, Derek Sabori, The Underswell
- 12-Mini quizzes
- 3 college-level exams for an opportunity at Certificate of Completion
- Resource & link downloads
- Collaborative assignments to benefit the group
- Networking opportunities, and more
Feeling lucky? Learn more about it, get pricing, ask questions, and/or enroll members of your team at theunderswell.com/simasiacohort01. Not a member? Become of SIMA and SIA, and join us.
Derek Sabori is the Founder and CEO of The Underswell | Sustainability Training for everyone on your team. Masterclass Sessions, Group Accelerator Programs, Membership Resources, and more. Learn more at www.theunderswell.com.
Contact moreinfo@theunderswell.com to schedule an exploratory call and then get started on your learning journey by scanning the code and getting access to our Free Sustainability Learning Resource:
