From the moment Jake Burton Carpenter carved his first snowboards in a Vermont barn, the company he founded was about more than gear—it was about vision. That vision has evolved over time, particularly under the leadership of Donna Carpenter, who has consistently asked how Burton could do more for people and the planet.
Now, Purpose is no longer a side initiative at Burton—it’s a company-wide strategy. Chief Strategy Officer Ali Kenney and VP of Purpose & Impact Ashley Laporte are leading this transformation, embedding social and environmental impact into the heart of the business. “We are intentionally shifting from simply having Purpose initiatives on the side to putting Purpose at the forefront of our company strategy,” says Kenney.
The shift reflects a new business imperative: tying financial success directly to long-term impact. “We are not successful unless we both achieve our business strategy and our purpose-impact strategy ambitions,” Kenney adds.
From passion projects to strategic accountability
Many of Burton’s earlier social initiatives started as passion projects across departments. But without dedicated resources, they often faded. “At the end of the day, employees focus on what they are held accountable for,” Laporte explains. That’s why Burton began building new systems of accountability—aligning Purpose with operational strategy.
Purpose now lives within the Strategy department. Annual business goals are set alongside Purpose goals, detailed in Burton’s internal “Trail Map,” which cascades from company-wide objectives down to individual targets. “By embedding Purpose into the highest-level five-year plan, we are working to ensure that annual goals, departmental goals, and individual goals all incorporate Purpose and therefore accountability in a way they previously did not,” says Laporte.
Kenney adds, “We are working to integrate Purpose-impact into everyone’s work—through job descriptions, key success metrics, performance management—hoping that Purpose ultimately becomes a key measure of holistic health and success for the whole company.”
Aligning impact with operations
To drive meaningful change, Burton centers stakeholder needs—from consumers and employees to the environment and communities—within its strategic planning. “We recognize we aren’t operating our business in a vacuum. We are a part of a larger ecosystem that needs to be healthy for our business to be healthy,” says Laporte.
One example: sourcing materials from vendors owned by historically underrepresented people. “You can shift significant volumes of money and power from over-resourced to under-resourced companies without necessarily affecting profitability,” Laporte explains.
Burton also looks to others in the impact space for inspiration, while tailoring its own model. “We’ve studied other companies... But at the end of the day, we’ve needed to create a strategy that fits Burton,” Laporte says, noting that B Corp standards and Fair Labor Association tools have been influential guides.
Purpose beyond promotion
Burton doesn’t view social impact as a branding opportunity. With initiatives like Culture Shifters, the company aims to transform narratives—not just optics. The annual event brings visibility to BIPOC snowboarders and helps connect them with major industry players. “Our goal is to highlight that BIPOC folks do indeed snowboard and to encourage more people to join in the fun,” says Laporte. “With Culture Shifters, we are hoping to shift perceptions and change the narrative in snowboarding.”
Staying the course amid resistance
As ESG and DEI face public and political pushback, sustaining momentum is a challenge. “We can’t hide from the fact that ESG and DEI work are facing major headwinds,” says Laporte. “From keeping employees engaged to navigating unforeseen external roadblocks.”
But Burton benefits from deep-rooted leadership. “When we get tired or overwhelmed... Donna reminds us this is in our DNA as a company – to push back, to break the status quo,” she says.
Burton’s four pillars of Purpose
To guide its efforts, Burton focuses on:
- Planet Impact: Measuring emissions, assessing material use, and reducing waste across the product lifecycle.
- People Impact: Committing to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) internally and within the snowboarding community.
- Snowboarding Advocacy: Expanding access and participation in the sport.
- Philanthropy: Donating approximately $2 million annually to nonprofits focused on equity and climate action.
A model for others
Burton’s privately held structure gives it agility. “There are fewer stage gates than at big, publicly traded companies. We can operate as an example,” says Laporte. This freedom also lets the company frame stakeholders more expansively. “When we map our stakeholders, we consider our employees, our consumers, our wholesale and distribution partners, suppliers, and even the planet.”
Ultimately, Laporte believes the line between shareholders and other stakeholders is more blurry than many assume. “Shareholders are people too. They require fresh air, clean water, housing, healthcare, and fair and equitable treatment. We’re all interconnected—shareholder, employee, consumer—all of us.”
FUTURE(S) is a 6-part eBook series exploring what the future of work demands—from purpose-driven growth to bold new strategies. Don’t miss “When purpose moves to the center” for a closer look at how Burton is using business as a force for change.
This piece was written by Kaila Caldwell and features insights from Ali Kenney and Ashley Laporte for FUTURE(S).