Sara Molnar: “As a modern leader, diversity must be on your agenda”

Eva Karlsson (Houdini), Antje von Dewitz (Vaude), Kari Traa (Kari Traa), formerly Rose Mercario (Patagonia), Ulrika Björk (Polygiene), Annica Rantala (Stronger) or Pernilla Nyrensten (Revolution Race) – just to mention a few, are female leaders within the sporting goods / outdoor industry. But fundamentally, the industry is male-dominated, as our data analysis on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022 shows. Sara Molnar, brand president/CEO at Peak Performance, totally agrees. She joined Peak Performance in 2016 and became CEO in 2018. In our interview, Sara explains why, in her opinion, business success and diversity are related and which campaigns on the topic she finds particularly successful.

Where do you see the sports and outdoor industry in terms of diversity compared to other sectors?

I believe this differs a lot, generally speaking, it is a male-dominated industry, and in many forums, I´m the only female CEO, but there are, of course, exceptions to this. At Peak Performance, we have an even gender split in the management team, 2 out of 6 with a different nationality than Swedish. And that split is reflected in the broader organization as well. With that said, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure a higher level of diversity & global representation within our brand and the industry.   

What should decision-makers do to promote diversity?

For me, it is about individualized leadership, seeing the individuals and adapting the conditions and leadership method to address the different needs and circumstances. It may require breaking norms daring to give different employees different conditions, but I see that as a necessity for a successful leader and company. As a modern leader, diversity must be on your agenda; if everyone in your organization has the same background, opinions, and experiences, you stop developing. As we expand our brand into new markets, this topic is increasingly important for us and our future success.  

Where do you see the sports and outdoor industry in ten years regarding diversity and why?

Like any other industry, the outdoor industry must keep working on becoming more diverse and inclusive to stay relevant as employers and as brands. I firmly believe that being outdoors improves the quality of life, and it’s our duty to make it accessible to more people; we cannot do that without ensuring diversity within the industry.   

It’s always said you can be what you can see. Who is a role model for you?

I get inspired and motivated by people who stay true to who they are and at the same time respect others for who they are. If someone is trying to force their values on me or tell me what to think or feel, it´s truly demotivating and uninspiring. I get inspired by many, males & females.

Campaigns for International Women’s Day

To what extent do we, ourselves, constantly manifest the status quo? Where do we - who have whatever identity - need to become more sensitive or act differently?

It’s, of course, easy to get stuck in old ways of thinking and refer to what you know from your own experiences. I believe it’s important to be aware of this and challenge yourself. For me, it is about being open to others’ opinions, feelings, thoughts and points of view. Everyone should be able to be who they are, and as a leader, I see it as my obligation to encourage and empower the organization regarding this topic. Asking for the team’s opinions and ideas, value their insights and perspective, ask them to challenge me to become a better leader. For me, it’s also about my own values, to take a stand and dare to stand up for them and at the same time be mindful of others’ perspectives and beliefs.

Marketing and communication manifest role models even clichés - but can also break them up and consciously play with them. Can you name an exemplary campaign or a grievance in this regard?

As a mother of two girls and being in a male-dominated work environment my whole career, I truly love Always campaign “Run like a girl” and Nike´s campaign “It´s only crazy until you do it,” two campaigns that put female-specific topics and challenges in the spotlight, triggering a conversation and creating true change. For international Women’s Day this year, we are launching a new collection that is made by her, meaning by our female designers, with her, inspired by our female athletes and their specific needs, and for her, our female consumers. With this campaign, the Trailblazer Edition, we want to pay tribute to the past, present, and future adventure pioneers. The ones that pave the way, breaking new grounds for a better, more equal tomorrow. In addition to this, we will take the opportunity to raise a female-specific topic, meaning periods. The period is still a taboo topic in society. We want to initiate an open dialogue around this topic and how it limits women in everyday life, not least outdoor-related activities. We are launching a product, a menstrual cup case, together with the Finnish menstrual cup company Lunette. We will ask our consumers to test to see if they believe this makes their lives a bit easier when outdoors during their period. Based on their input and feedback, we will continue to develop this product. Periods will always be around, but we can at least make sure that women have better options when heading out on adventures. For me, striving for equal conditions for everyone is a topic that is close to my heart.

Thank you for the interview, Sara.