Overview

• REI's new CEO, Mary Beth Laughton, publicly retracted the company's January endorsement of Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior, calling it a mistake.
• The retraction follows customer backlash and reflects REI's recommitment to its core values of environmental stewardship and public lands protection.
• Laughton criticized recent federal actions perceived as threats to public lands, including executive orders prioritizing coal mining and deregulation on federal lands.
• REI announced the launch of a coalition with The Conservation Alliance and other brands to advocate for transparency and public input on decisions affecting public lands.
• The coalition is urging Congress to pass legislation preventing the sale of federally-owned public lands and waters to private buyers.