In the world of outdoor sports equipment, Patagonia has always stood out with a large focus on the various battles waged for the planet.
Last September, on the eve of his 50th birthday, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard's announcement caused quite a stir. The 83-year-old American had decided to sell his company to two new shareholders who were far from traditional investors. Instead, the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the NGO Holdfast Collective now share 100 % of the company's shares, with a mission to perpetuate its business while preserving its founding values. "We make the Earth our only shareholder. I'm very serious about saving this planet," says Yvon Chouinard.
In concrete terms, this original form of shareholding allows this new trust to ensure that the use of voting rights respects the values of the founder, including the protection of the planet's resources. Once the investments necessary for the company's sustainability have been made, the remaining dividends (approximately 100 million dollars) go to the NGO Holdfast Collective, which uses these funds for actions to protect the environment, biodiversity and communities...
50 years after its creation, Patagonia continues its fight for the planet. "The Earth is our only shareholder," explains Yvon Chouinard in a letter sent to the company's more than 3,000 employees and published online. "I never wanted to become an entrepreneur. I started out as a craftsman, making climbing gear for myself and my friends, before moving into textiles. As we realized the impact of global warming, ecological destruction, and our contribution to these phenomena, we decided to use our company, Patagonia, to transform the business world. If we could do things right and still make enough money to pay our bills, we could influence consumers and businesses, and maybe change the system in the process."
When it comes to environmental commitment, Patagonia didn't wait for global awareness of global warming to take action. As early as 1986, the brand decided to donate 1% of its annual sales to groups working on climate and environmental issues. In 2002, Yvon Chouinard and Graig Mathews founded "1% for the Planet". This program encourages companies to donate 1% of their sales to the environment, the planet and the climate.
To celebrate its half-century of existence, Patagonia (which also holds the demanding B Corp certification) has unveiled a brand platform called What's Nexton which you can find the different causes she defends for the planet like her fight for preserve the Austrian glaciers of Ötztal and Pitztal and the Clean climbing that Patagonia puts forward to promote a more respectful climbing of nature.
On its "What's Next" platform, the brand also reminds us of the concrete actions it is taking in the manufacture of its products to make them more respectful of the environment. These include the reuse of used fishing netswhich can now be found in many Patagonia products. "We've been experimenting with the idea of responsible enterprise for almost 50 years, and we're far from finished," adds Yvon Chouinard. "If our goal is a prosperous planet or life - and no longer running a business - each of us will have to take responsibility. We've taken ours." Find all Patagonia products on Private Sport Shop.