Want money off North Face clothing? You’ll have to complete a ‘racial inclusion’ course first

The brand also says the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, which brought the Black Lives Matter movement to global attention, “fostered a new awakening in the outdoors that racial inclusion and representation matters in sports like climbing, hiking, snowboarding, skiing and trail running”.

In another segment, customers are reminded of “white privilege”; “meaning that your race and skin colour can give you access to the outdoors when others can be excluded because of historic, enduring racism and biases”.

Those who take the quiz are shown videos of athletes and diversity experts who have experienced these different forms of racism.

In one such video, Zahra Khamisa, a diversity, equity and inclusion specialist at thinkBeyond, recalls her experience of internalised racism – “subtle and overt messages that reinforce negative beliefs and self-hatred in individuals”.

“One experience that I’ve had in an outdoor shop was when I was shopping for backpacks with a white friend,” she said.

“My friend was given all the attention, was helped and supported and I was sort of left there lost, confused, and it made me question if I should be going on this hiking trip, if I even belonged in the outdoors.

“It was really subtle, it was really quiet, but it really hurt me and it really reinforced a lot of doubts and issues that I had with my confidence in the outdoors.”

The programme also instructs customers to raise complaints with their own managers if colleagues call them “woke”.

Critics have questioned whether the company itself needed to reflect on “white privilege”.

Toby Young, the Free Speech Union founder, told The Sun: “The irony is that The North Face is implicitly acknowledging here that all its customers are white.

“After all, why would black customers need to take a course about ‘white privilege’ to get a 20 per cent discount? But if all customers are white, shouldn’t it be examining the beam in its own eye?”

On its website, The North Face states: “We believe in the power of exploration. As individuals, professionals and companies who share a love for the outdoors and exploration, we also have a responsibility to support spaces where everyone feels like they belong.

“This one-hour digital course is designed to foster a deeper understanding of the unique challenges that people of colour face when accessing the outdoors.

“The course focuses on perspective of race and racism in Europe, and we acknowledge that the experiences of people of colour around the globe differs.

“It will also provide training and resources, through four interactive modules, to help you be a better ally and to make the outdoors a safer and more welcoming place for everyone.”

The North Face was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1966 after businessman Douglas Tompkins borrowed $5,000 to set up a company supplying climbing and camping equipment.

In 2000, the retailer was purchased by the VF Corporation which owns a number of footwear brands including Vans and Timberland.

The Telegraph has approached The North Face for comment.

From telegraph.co.uk