In 2016, I started Emerger Strategies with a simple bet: that the brands making the gear we love could also help protect the places we love — and that doing right by the fish could make them stronger businesses, not just better-intentioned ones. Ten years later, I’m still betting on that. And I’ve got a…
Tag: Emerger Strategies
What’s New with REI Product Impact Standards (v4.0) in 2026?
Retailers like Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, REI, and even specialty retailers now expect brands to measure and improve their social & environmental performance. Why? Because these retailers have their own sustainability goals they are trying to achieve, such as: Net-Zero by 2050, Zero Waste, and others focused on climate, nature, waste reduction,…
The Compliance-Ready Brand Blueprint: How Fishing & Outdoor Brands Get Their Sustainability House in Order—Without Hiring a Full-Time Team
Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” for fishing and outdoor brands—it’s a requirement for doing business with today’s largest retailers, distributors, and increasingly informed consumers. From Walmart and REI to Amazon and specialty retailers, expectations around sustainability, transparency, and regulatory compliance are accelerating. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, chemical restrictions,…
Why Emerger Strategies Gives Back: Our Commitment to 1% for the Planet and Our Conservation Partners
At Emerger Strategies, sustainability isn’t just the work we do — it’s who we are. Inspired by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews who created 1% for the Planet by deciding to donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental nonprofits, we have are grateful to be 1% for the Planet members since our inception, making…
Why Brands Should Set Science-Based Targets for Nature — And How Emerger Strategies Can Help
If you are a fishing or outdoor brand, you already know that your business is 100% dependent upon a healthy environment. If you also understand the Laws of Nature, know that for billions of years, nature has operated under a simple truth: everything is connected, nothing is wasted, and balance sustains life, therefore, nature is…
Journal Entry: Lowcountry Love Letter
July 24, 2025 Dear Lowcountry, You are beautiful, charming, and truly one of the last great places. You also have a special way of showing off your beauty during an evening flood tide in summer with an orange, red, and pink sky which brings out purple and pastels as the sun sets to the West….