It’s no surprise that I find myself writing about Patagonia. They are and always have been the pinnacle for a corporation living their values (Note this is probably not the only time you’ll read about Patagonia on this blog). Anyone who owns a Patagonia product can likely also tell you about the company’s emphasis on preserving and protecting the environment. Patagonia makes it very clear in both mission and in all of the brand’s messaging.
The company’s reason for being is to make tools for what they call “silent sports”, sports that don’t require a motor, they don’t deliver cheers of a crowd and they all connect an athlete directly to nature. Compared to what you might envision for a buzzing sport stadium, Patagonia’s idea is something more like a naturally formed coliseum of rock and clay, with the only buzz you might hear being true buzzing from insects passing by.
Part of Patagonia’s mission statement reads:
“……use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
There’s no mistaking that nature is vital to the brand’s existence, present and future and nature is obviously important and meaningful to their consumers. So they own it in every possible way!
Just to mention a few:
1. They encourage keeping products for life with a repair program. Guys, this is a for-profit business actually telling you to fix it vs. buying another one.
2. They offer trade-in and buying used through Worn Wear. Think sisterhood of the traveling ¼ zip, promoting “Used is Better than New” and the stories of where your gear has been.
3. They speak up for what they believe in, in a big way. Not a passive, we’ll just post on instagram and use a hashtag so people see we participated in the conversation.
4. They donate a percentage of all profits to grassroots activists, making change in environmental issues in their communities.
And now this……I opened up my email today to read about Patagonia Action Works, a new platform to fight for our planet!
From my morning research, Patagonia Action Works is a digital tool that facilitates human connection, giving environmental organizations in your community the capacity to achieve even more by connecting you to them. You can type in your location and immediately get connected with volunteer opportunities, events and organizations you can support to make a difference.
The goal of this post is not to get you to sign up for Patagonia’s new tool, but if you care about the environment and have time, money or talents to give to organizations near you, do check it out. The goal of this post is to show you the many ways a mission can be brought to life. Also, how when a brand truly lives it’s mission and values, it can’t help but have an effect on others too. Brands living their values are contagious, in the very best way.