This award goes to a business, corporation or corporate employee who have constantly championed the cause of bicycling and walking advocacy. The time, money, and energy they have invested are evidence of their commitment to promoting bicycling and walking for healthier communities and sustainable transportation choices.

2015: REI

REI is much more than a retailer of outdoor goods. Each year, REI donates millions of dollars to support conservation efforts nationwide and sends dedicated teams of volunteers -- members, customers and REI employees -- to build trails, clean up beaches, restore local habitats and more. In 2014, REI provided a total of $45,000 for the Rapid Response Grant program from Advocacy Advance -- a partnership of the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists. “We’re grateful not just for REI’s investment in Advocacy Advance but for its leadership within the outdoor industry,” said Jeff Miller, president and CEO of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “REI invests heavily in a number of organizations that are working to make our communities healthier, more active, and more sustainable places to work, live, and play.”

2015: Jamestown, LP (honorable mention)

Jamestown, LP, was recognized separately for its significant achievements as a bicycle-friendly business. Jamestown impressed the judges with Atlanta's largest and boldest project, the redevelopment of Ponce City Market, in which bikes are front and center. Jamestown was instrumental in getting funding for a bike lane and other safety improvements, helping draft the grant proposal and even funding the local match. The developers are encouraging bike transit by including direct bridge access right into the building from the BeltLine trail. There will also be showers available to office tenants, a free shuttle to/from MARTA for office tenants and residents to reduce car transit, and Zipcars on property for when car transit is the only option. They are aiming for a bike-share location when the City of Atlanta implements the program. Their transportation plan at Ponce City Market includes over 400 bike parking spaces, both self-park and the first bike valet in Georgia.

2014: Kaiser Permanente

With preventable diseases related to physical inactivity on the rise, it’s a small wonder that companies whose bottom lines depend on minimizing health care spending aren’t pouring resources into boosting everyday exercise.

Kaiser Permanente is a very notable exception. This insurance and health care provider approaches health from a holistic perspective, defining wellbeing as daily experience that reaches beyond the doctor’s office and into neighborhood streets and everyday transportation. Over the course of 2013, Kaiser Permanente invested countless staff time and well over a million dollars to expand walking health outreach and advocacy in the interest of public health. They initiated the innovative Every Body Walk Collaborative, an effort among diverse organizational partners — including America Walks, the Alliance and many state and local walking advocacy organizations — to galvanize the national walking movement.

Kaiser Permanente’s push for better walking in the United States has reached Capitol Hill and local advocacy efforts. Thanks to their support, America Walks convened the first annual National Walking Summit in Washington, DC, and Advocacy Advance — a partnership between the League of American Bicyclists and Alliance for Biking & Walking — added staff and workshops to strengthen local walking advocacy.

2013: Primal Wear

Primal Wear has always been known for their great cycling gear, but their recent dedication to creating better streets for biking has made the name Primal synonymous with advocacy. Not only did Primal come on as a strong sponsor of the Alliance last year, including making some awesome jackets for our 2012 Leadership Retreat, but they have been supporting local and state groups for years, including Bicycle Colorado, Bike Texas and Bike Denver. At the national level, Primal has been a long time supporter of IMBA and Bikes Belong, and they recently revved up their efforts with the League of American Bicyclists as Titanium level sponsor of the Summit, and providing all participants with their own Primal custom jersey.

2012: CLIF Bar

With its innovative 2 Mile Challenge, CLIF Barcontinued to raise awareness about the power and possibility of biking for transportation in 2011, spurring thousands of people to log their trips on the website that tracked metrics like miles pedaled, car trips avoided and carbon dioxide saved. In line with its commitment to active transportation, CLIF Bar donated $100,000 to the three nonprofits leading the charge in the 2 Mile Challenge, including the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

2011: New Belgium Brewing Company

In 2010 alone, New Belgium Brewing Company raised more than $330,000 for bicycle advocacy organizations with a nationwide event that blew the minds of more than 70,000 residents in 13 different cities. The Tour de Fat festival is an ingenious way to celebrate and elevate bicycle culture - and give back to the bike-ped movement. In each Tour city, New Belgium selected area nonprofits to receive the proceeds from the beer sales, funneling thousands of critical dollars into local advocacy efforts to improve biking and walking. In addition to the Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing promotes biking to the brewery for employees and visitors; provides a free bike to each employee upon their first anniversary; provides funding to many bicycling-related non-profits through its Community Grants program and sponsors dozens of bicycling events around the country.

2010: SRAM

SRAM was honored with the 2010 Business Advocate of the Year Award for its dedication to promoting bicycling advocacy in the U.S. (as well as Europe and Taiwan). The new SRAM Cycling Fund has dedicated $10 million over five years to bicycle advocacy. In addition to making it fully possible for the Alliance for Biking & Walking to launch the new Advocacy Advance Grants program in 2009, SRAM’s commitment has boosted efforts of the League of American Bicyclists, IMBA, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, and several other organizations.

2009: Planet Bike

Planet Bike was honored with the 2009 Business Advocate of the Year Award for its commitment to grassroots biking advocacy.

Since its founding in 1996, Planet Bike has given $660,000 to various biking organizations, and currently 25 percent of Planet Bike profits are set aside for bicycle advocacy. In addition to its financial contributions, Planet Bike has helped bring other key players in the bicycle industry to support the grassroots bicycle advocacy movement.