Deckers Brands Logs Over 5,000 Volunteer Hours for Its August 2022 Art of Kindness Event
Deckers Brands recently held its fifth biannual Art of Kindness (AOK) week of volunteering where employees across the globe united to make a collective impact on their local communities. During their Fall AOK, Deckers employees volunteered a record of over 5,000 hours at 278 global organizations and nonprofits, exceeding the prior AOK’s record of 4,800 hours.
For the HOKA team, AOK coincided with the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix, France, where many team members were located for the week. That didn’t prevent them from giving back. They partnered with Water Family to collect water samples from rivers, lakes, and waterfalls to provide data to scientists and academics. The protection and preservation of water is hyper-relevant for Chamonix and UTMB, where water is critical to the local eco-system and preserving waterways.
Deckers added an educational element to their AOK programming by sharing a video series with employees called the Art of Learning. The series featured interviews with three nonprofit partners: The Loveland Foundation, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the California Family Life Center.
“The AOK event is one of the things that makes Deckers so special. Invariably, I end up working with people I don't see that often or don't get a chance to talk to outside of work. Beyond the impact we have as a company, it is a great way to stay connected,” said one employee.
Deckers was also joined for the third time by local Santa Barbara based Village Properties, who since the last AOK doubled their volunteer hours and supported 23 different charitable organizations. It was an inaugural AOK week for Mission Scholars, one of Deckers’ selected organizations for its 2022 social and racial justice giveback. In APAC, suppliers joined the Deckers team efforts again to support waterway clean ups in Vietnam and China, recording over 2,000 hours. They are part of a growing contingent of local and regional partners joining Deckers’ collective effort to broaden the reach of Art of Kindness.
“’That is so amazing that the company you work for allows you to volunteer during the workday.’ This is a statement I have heard countless times this week from family and friends when I have talked about my various volunteering adventures. I truly feel grateful that Deckers encourages and allows employees to volunteer. It's a passion of mine in my personal life to be able to volunteer, and to be able to mix that with my workdays makes volunteering more possible,” said another employee.
From plogging on stand-up paddle boards, to building a humanitarian garden, to writing letters in retail stores, Deckers is proud of their employees for showing up with creativity and compassion.
