Earth as a Shareholder: Patagonia’s Founder Moves His Company to a Climate Protection Foundation

Nearly 50 Years After Founding The Outdoor Company Patagonia the founder puts yvon chouinard Sends a strong signal for climate protection and moves its nearly $3 billion company to a charitable foundation. The foundation’s aim should be the fight against climate change. He explained that “the resources of the Earth, despite their vastness”, are not infinite and that “it is clear that we have exceeded their limits”.

$100 million annually for the environment

“If we are to hope for a habitable planet – let alone a thriving business – we need to do what we can with the resources we have. At the same time, to maintain company values ,” Chouinard said in a statement published on Patagonia’s website. According to the New York Times, Patagonia’s annual sales are around 100 million dollars,

The profit not reinvested in the company is to support charitable foundations in tackling the environmental crisis. According to its own statements, the company represents values ​​such as closeness to nature and environmental protection.

Environmental protection as a life work

The History of Patagonia Begins in 50s, when Maine-born founder Yvonne Chouinard bought a blacksmith tool to make his own climbing gear. As a passionate climber and climber, he knew what improvements were possible and quickly implemented them himself.

At first they produced and sold carabiners and rock hooks under the name “Chouinard Equipment”. When he realized that hooking was eroding granite crevices in Yosemite, he stopped hooking production. He then founded Patagonia in 1973, after realizing how easy it was for rugby shirts to climb while climbing in Scotland. He later turned to 100% organic cotton in clothing production and began his certification process.

since 2002 Patagonia donates 1 percent of sales each year to environmental organizations. Chouinard himself also founded his own initiative called “”.one percent for the planet“, which was joined by about 400 other companies by 2006.