May 5, 2016, Beijing — GORE-TEXTMThe Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance was officially established today in Beijing. The alliance is jointly initiated by the outdoor sports associations/clubs of seven top domestic business schools — Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, Peking University’s National School of Development BiMBA, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management, Renmin University of China’s School of Business, Xiamen University’s School of Management, and CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) — along with the GORE-TEX® brand.
As a leader in outdoor fabrics, the GORE-TEX® brand has long been committed to promoting the dream and belief of outdoor exploration through diverse means, driving the development of outdoor sports. For the launch of this alliance, carefully planned outdoor experiences such as skiing and rock climbing were arranged, with Guo Dandan, China’s first world champion in skiing, and Sun Bin, former coach of the national mountaineering team, providing full guidance. They led the council members to personally experience professional outdoor activities, thereby conveying the spirit of challenging oneself and strengthening the cohesion among council members.
As a leader in outdoor fabrics, the GORE-TEX® brand has long been committed to promoting the dream and belief of outdoor exploration through diverse means, driving the development of outdoor sports. For the launch of this alliance, carefully planned outdoor experiences such as skiing and rock climbing were arranged, with Guo Dandan, China’s first world champion in skiing, and Sun Bin, former coach of the national mountaineering team, providing full guidance. They led the council members to personally experience professional outdoor activities, thereby conveying the spirit of challenging oneself and strengthening the cohesion among council members.
Speaking about the reasons for establishing the alliance, Ms. Hou Yunhui, Greater China Marketing Director of the GORE-TEX® brand, said: “Since March 2015, we have been promoting the GORE-TEX™ Business School Outdoor Experience Camp among various institutions, hoping to leverage the power of the brand to help more people from business schools engage with the outdoors. During this process, we found that each school has its own unique strengths and experiences. If there were a platform that could seamlessly connect the networks and resources of these institutions, it would undoubtedly accelerate the healthy growth of outdoor sports among business school communities. Once this idea was proposed, it was immediately embraced by the major business schools — it was truly a meeting of minds. Therefore, the unification of outdoor activity organizations across institutions was inevitable; we can only say that the GORE-TEX® brand provided the bridge and accelerated the process.”TMBusiness School Outdoor Experience Camp activities, hoping to combine the power of the brand to help more business school individuals get outdoors. In this process, we discovered that each school had its own unique strengths and experiences. If there was a platform that could seamlessly connect the networks and resources of these institutions, it would surely be twice as effective in promoting the healthy trend of outdoor sports among business school populations. This idea was immediately well received by all major business schools — a perfect match. Therefore, the union of outdoor activity groups across schools was inevitable; we can only say that the GORE-TEX® brand helped build this bridge and speeded up the process.
Inheriting the efficient style typical of the business school community, this idea quickly materialized. Within just one month of its proposal, the Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance was swiftly formed with the active participation of eight outdoor associations/clubs from seven top business schools. Each of the eight founding member units appointed two association leaders to serve as founding council members, forming the first council of the alliance. The inaugural council meeting was held in March this year at Beijing’s Benliu Extreme Park. The council set the direction for the alliance’s development and introduced its first-phase slogan: “Go big — play wild,” reflecting how elite professionals can take charge in their careers and also embrace unrestrained fun. It encourages more people to break free from their routine lives and take the first step into the outdoors.
GORE-TEXTMFirst Council of the Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance
Considering the limited outdoor experience of many business school individuals — most members get introduced to the outdoors through competitive events like the Gobi Challenge or Desert Challenge, often with a focus on competition, resulting in a relatively narrow understanding of outdoor sports. They also have limited circles of outdoor enthusiasts and often give up on desired routes or activities due to lack of companions — the GORE-TEX™ Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance proposes the “1+3” plan, encouraging business school participants to achieve both vertical and horizontal expansion through alliance activities:TMThe GORE-TEX™ Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance proposes the “1+3” plan, encouraging business school participants to achieve both vertical and horizontal expansion through alliance activities:
• Expand from one outdoor skill to three outdoor experiences.
It is hoped that through professional guidance within the alliance, members can experience a variety of activities — expanding from a single skill like hiking or long-distance running to include mountaineering, skiing, rock climbing, outdoor photography, and more — thus exploring new fields while having fun and acquiring new skills.
• Shift from solo enjoyment to group adventures.
By offering activities of varying difficulty levels, the alliance hopes members will invite family or a few friends to join, increasing shared time together. Outdoor sports can become a new way to connect, influencing more people to participate and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
GORE-TEXTMThe Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance promises: for its members, outdoor instructor training will be professional; outdoor guidance and equipment advice will be comprehensive; and real outdoor experiences will be diverse and enjoyable. Outdoor sports are not about reckless challenges but about a joyful, high-quality way of life.
At the inaugural council meeting, the GORE-TEX™ Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance confirmed that it will hold one public-oriented business school outdoor experience event and one annual challenge event each year, with participants recruited by member schools. Inter-school competitions will also be organized periodically to effectively create a platform for business school individuals, combining resources and strengths from each institution to offer more cross-school outdoor experiences and exchange opportunities.TMThe Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance confirmed that it will hold one public-oriented business school outdoor experience event and one annual challenge event each year, with participants recruited by member schools. Inter-school competitions will also be organized periodically to effectively create a platform for business school individuals, combining resources and strengths from each institution to offer more cross-school outdoor experiences and exchange opportunities.
To enhance communication among schools and members, an alliance WeChat account will be launched in June of the same year for membership registration, management, and event sign-ups. It will also regularly share information about the outdoor alliance, school activities, outstanding alumni, professional outdoor knowledge and skills, as well as related promotions.
Since 2015, the GORE-TEX® brand’s “Business School Outdoor Gentleman” selection has nominated five candidates from Peking University’s Guanghua, Tsinghua SEM, Tongji UTA, and CEIBS, showcasing their outstanding performance in their careers and their continuous exploration and drive in outdoor pursuits, generating strong resonance within the business school community. The alliance will continue this selection to encourage more dedicated professionals to step outdoors and discover new sides of themselves.
GORE-TEXTMThe establishment of the Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance connects several major business schools, creating an interconnected platform among them, marking a milestone for the future development of outdoor sports within the business school community. In addition to supporting business school outdoor activities, the GORE-TEX® brand will continue to promote outdoor sports to a broader audience and will launch more creative brand campaigns. For details, follow the GORE-TEX® brand on WeChat (GT-20121205) or Weibo.
GORE-TEXTMThe founding council members of the Business School Outdoor Activities Alliance each have deep influence and strong community roots in the business school outdoor scene. Their collaboration will combine their strengths to foster a better outdoor activity atmosphere and environment. (Listed in no particular order, sorted alphabetically by first character)
About Gore
Founded in 1958, Gore is a technology-driven company focused on research, exploration, and product innovation. Its products include high-performance textiles, medical implants, industrial components, and aerospace electronics. The company is globally renowned for its waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX® products. Headquartered in the United States, Gore employs approximately 10,000 associates worldwide, with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Germany, the UK, Japan, and China, and a global sales network. In Asia, Gore has offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taipei, Seoul, Singapore, Mumbai, Sydney, Tokyo, and Okayama. Since the inception of the “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” list in 1984, Gore is one of the few companies to have been listed every year. Additionally, Gore has been recognized as a “Best Place to Work” in South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, and the UK. Visit gore.com.cn for more information.
About the GORE-TEX® (Gore-Tex®) Brand
The GORE-TEX® (Gore-Tex®) brand is a multifunctional fabric brand under W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. in the United States. In the mid-1970s, Gore innovatively bonded its lightweight, thin, durable, and strong GORE-TEX® membrane with traditional textile materials to create a unique fabric with superior waterproof, windproof, and breathable properties. It overcame the limitation of traditional waterproof fabrics that were not breathable, earning the title “Fabric of the Century.” The birth of this fabric revolutionized outdoor sports, giving people true all-weather protection for the first time. Fortune magazine listed it as one of “The 100 Best Products of America.” Subsequently, the GORE-TEX® brand launched functional, protective, and stylish apparel, accessories, and footwear, becoming a leader in outdoor sports products. Today, the brand’s continuously innovative technologies are widely applied in outdoor sports, aerospace, military, medical fields, as well as urban casual wear and footwear, perfectly combining fashion, comfort, and protection. Visit gore-tex.com.cn for more information.