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Dear Fellow Adventurer,
In 1965, my grandfather, Leigh Perkins, purchased a small Vermont company called Orvis. In doing so, he cracked the code of tying his love for the adventure and wonder in nature to a career—one where every day was spent connected to his passion for the outdoors.
He also quickly made two moves that would forever forge the trajectory of our brand and our relationships with our customers. He created the first fly-fishing schools, teaching people the enjoyment of a deeper connection with species and habitat. And, he began giving back to protecting and restoring wild places, fish, and birds so that we all could continue to pass down traditions that help give meaning to our lives, define our values, and connect us with each other and with the natural world.
At Orvis, connecting generations to nature is not only an ideal, it’s a strategic pillar of the company. Our vision is to lead the sustainable future of fly fishing, wingshooting, and the natural world. We feel it’s both our opportunity and our responsibility to do so collectively so children and grandchildren can enjoy and protect something so impactful to so many lives. It’s a legacy that we proudly embrace, and a responsibility that we are grateful to share with so many of you.
Sincerely,
Simon Perkins
President | 3rd Generation Family Ownership
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Our History of Commitment
For more than 165 years, the Orvis mission has been to guide its patrons to lead more fulfilling lives through a deep personal connection to the adventure and wonders of the natural world. Orvis has been family owned, Vermont based, and committed to conservation since 1856. We have a long history of giving back to our communities and the environment. Here are some more recent highlights.
Orvis commits 5% of its pre-tax profits to protecting nature, advancing canine health and well-being, and supporting the communities in which we operate, and where our associates live.
Our largest grants are Customer Matching Grants, whereby Orvis commits a substantial matching fund for donations solicited from our customers through promotions in our catalogs, stores, websites, social media, emails, and publicity campaigns. These grants offer the additional benefit of bringing strong publicity and endorsement to the project, the value of which often far exceeds the actual dollars raised.
Canine cancer affects 1 in 4 dogs, and half of all dogs over ten years old. Fortunately, in recent years, veterinary scientists have made tremendous research strides—recent studies have led to new research tools, better diagnostics, and improved chemotherapy treatments. But there is more work to be done. That's why The Orvis Company partners with Morris Animal Foundation, a nonprofit organization that invests in animal health science, to support canine cancer research and improve the health of all dogs.
What's Being Done
Since 2009, Orvis and our customers have raised more than $1 million to help fund canine cancer research. Morris Animal Foundation, the global leader in supporting scientific research that advances veterinary medicine, has used this funding to advance early cancer-detection tests, to implement safer and more effective chemotherapy protocols, and to develop a tumor tissue bank for common canine cancers. Since 1948, Morris Animal Foundation has funded more than 250 canine cancer studies at research organizations and universities around the world. The Canine Lifetime Health Project and the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study are among their current veterinary initiatives.
Join the Action
Help create a brighter future for dogs. Show your support today by entering your dog’s photo in our Cover Dog contest, voting for your favorite entries, or donating directly to Morris Animal Foundation.
Learn to fly fish for FREE
We supply all the gear you'll need! At a Fly Fishing 101 class, you'll learn the basics of fly casting and rigging, so you can get out on the water right away. Plus, at the end of the class, you'll receive special offers to make it easier to get the fly-fishing gear you need.
The Orvis Breaking Barriers Award honors an individual who has gone above and beyond to bring new blood into the sport by breaking down barriers and introducing new audiences to fly fishing.
50/50 On the Water inspires women to get out on the water and discover the joys of fly fishing, celebrates female anglers, and provides women with the resources (and gear) they need to make their own fishing adventures a reality.
Orvis is committed to making fly fishing and the outdoors more inclusive.
Orvis’s vision is to inspire the world to love the adventure and wonder in nature. For us, an inspired world is one that is inclusive, equitable, and without barriers. One that is achieved by being vulnerable, acknowledging privilege, exploring blind spots, engaging in uncomfortable conversations, and effecting change.
In the summer of 2020, Orvis became the first company to sign the Angling for All (AFA) Pledge. Created by Brown Folks Fishing, the pledge establishes a commitment and resource for the fishing industry to identify and eliminate barriers for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, creating a more inclusive and equitable sport and lasting change.
“We are honored and grateful to have such a strong partnership with the team at Brown Folks Fishing,” says Orvis President Simon Perkins. “Their mission to build capacity, access, resources, visibility, and a solid community for anglers of color makes the sport stronger, and we are excited to sign the pledge as an acknowledgment of our commitment to this critical work. This is an opportunity for us to explore our own blind spots and unconscious biases and an important step forward in Orvis’s history of passion and commitment to access, inclusion, and stewardship in fly fishing.”
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