Bivouac Proud to Join The Outdoor Safety Retail Partnership

The Outdoor Safety Retail Partnership (OSRP) is now three strong with the addition of Bivouac. Mountain Safety Council (MSC) chief executive Mike Daisley is proud to announce that Bivouac is the third major New Zealand outdoor retailer to confirm its statement of intent. The OSRP has been designed to give those exploring the outdoors a clear and consistent message about their role in staying safe in the outdoors.

“It’s really encouraging to see major retailers putting their commercial competitiveness to one side in the interests of consistency. This allows the participant, who is the focus for us, to receive a clear safety message regardless of where they happen to visit,” he said.

"I’ll reiterate: New Zealand outdoor retailers already do a good job promoting safety. We're simply enabling a more focused discussion in-store and online, one that is consistent and easy to understand,” Daisley concluded.

Bivouac’s Company Director, Wayne Martin, who has experience in outdoors instruction and a lifetime passion for the outdoors, has been personally involved in the establishment of this relationship with MSC.

“Not only do we supply top New Zealand and international brand outdoor clothing to our customers, but also technical equipment necessary for safe participation in numerous outdoor pursuits,” he said.

Martin went on to say “From crampons, ice axes, ropes and harnesses through to Personal Locator Beacons and Avalanche Transceivers. Having the right tools for the job is only part of the equation though, and a focus on acquiring the basic knowledge and skills required to be safe in the sometimes-extreme outdoor environment is equally important.”

Having major outdoor retailers come together in collaboration through the OSRP is an important step in providing a single, clear message to all outdoor recreation participants. It also allows the sector to pool resources and collaborate towards a shared outcome which ultimately benefits the end-users and positively impacts their experiences in the New Zealand outdoors.

Bivouac’s Operations Manager, Graeme Allen is proud of the number of skilled outdoor enthusiasts within Bivouac staff as well as the active outdoors culture throughout the company.

“It is important for our customers to have access to knowledgeable staff, to receive accurate information and advice when looking at the myriad of technical equipment required for various pursuits,” he said.

“MSC already provides a great resource and the OSRP is an extremely worthwhile initiative; an opportunity to focus on awareness and safe practices and a platform for providing a consistent message regarding the important role individuals have in ensuring their safety in the outdoors,” he said.

“We are excited about providing our customers access to MSC resources, both within our stores and online, and are committed to our continued involvement with future initiatives,” he concluded.

Daisley said the OSRP project is expected to grow to around six or seven retailers in the next few years with a focus on Tramping, Hunting, Mountaineering, Trail Running and Mountain Biking in the first 24 months.

"We've got a roadmap for where this initiative and it follows our insights pathway that we began in 2016 with ‘There and Back’ where we focused on these five activities."

“By supporting the Bivouac staff we’re able to influence the discussions they might have with their customers. We know that the staff are seen as ‘experts’ in the eyes of many customers, so we’re trying to enable an informed discussion about safety.”

“It’s about helping the staff to help customers understand kiwi conditions and how to prepare. That might mean a discussion about equipment, but it’s going to include where to get information, what a weather forecast looks like and what to look for as well as the importance of telling someone your plans,” he concluded.

With more announcements planned in the next few months, outdoor enthusiasts should look out for wallet sized cards at the point of sale as well as articles on

Bivouac is a 100% New Zealand owned outdoor retail chain with shops nationwide. Its stores are the go-to place for specialist hardware and apparel for rock, alpine and ice climbing, backcountry ski, ski-mountaineering, trail running and tramping. Information about the company and the range of product it offers, along with store location details can be found at www.bivouac.co.nz

For more information on this project head to the MSC blog or Facebook page via the links below.

MSC Blog | MSC Facebook Page

mountainsafety.org.nz

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