About Patagonia

Patagonia grew out of a small company that made tools for climbers. Alpinism remains at the heart of a worldwide business that still makes clothes for climbing – as well as for skiing, snowboarding, surfing, fly fishing, paddling and trail running. These are all silent sports. None requires a motor; none delivers the cheers of a crowd. In each sport, reward comes in the form of hard-won grace and moments of connection between us and nature.

Patagonia’s values reflect those of a business started by a band of climbers and surfers, and the minimalist style they promoted. The approach taken towards product design demonstrates a bias for simplicity and utility.

For Patagonia, a love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them, and to help reverse the steep decline in the overall environmental health of our planet. They donate time, services and at least 1% of sales to hundreds of grassroots environmental groups all over the world who work to help reverse the tide.

The Change We Seek®

Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

Patagonia

Industry: Apparel & Footwear
Product/Services: Outdoor Apparel
Location: Ventura, CA
Ownership: Private
http://www.patagonia.com

B Impact Report »

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Summary:

Certified: January 2012

	Points Earned	% Points Available
Governance »	14.8	87.1%
Workers »	25.1	62.8%
Community »	19.8	44%
Environment »	47.4	71%
Composite B Score	107.1

>80 out of 200 is eligible for certification
>60% points available = Area of excellence

Highlights:

From B Impact Assessment

Governance: Board includes independent members to represent interests of Community and Environment; work within industry to develop social & environmental standards; share financials with employees

Workers: Extend health benefits to part-time, retail, warehouse staff; 50% full time employee participate in external professional development; conduct annual employee satisfaction surveys - >80% report ‘satisfied’ or ‘engaged’; part-time and flex-time work schedules available; subsidized child care and counseling services offered

Community: 100% of significant suppliers made transparent on website; code of conduct enforced on all primary suppliers; >40% of management are women or ethnic minorities; >25% of employees took time off for community service; 1% of sales donated to environmental NGOs