Inclusion Unlocked

17Activism

The Secret of change is to focus your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

Socrates

Patagonia Inc. is one of the world's most successful outdoor clothing companies, with revenue estimated at $1.5 billion and a brand that is deeply associated with environmental advocacy, in part, due to CEO Yvon Chouinard's 1985 pledge that 1% of its total sales would be allocated to environmental groups.¹ In 2022, Chouinard went a step further and made the bold announcement that today “Earth becomes our only shareholder. Every dollar that is not reinvested into Patagonia will be distributed as dividends to protect the planet. Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source,” said Chouinard. “I am dead serious about saving this planet.”² Despite always remembering and acting in accordance with its humble roots and being an advocate for the environment, this bold statement had even more credence, given that in 2017 the company had determined that its environmental activism was insufficiently inclusive and committed to doing considerably more to engage individuals and communities historically underrepresented in the outdoor community, the environmental movement, and the company. Patagonia recognized that inclusive activism that aligned with its mission would need to engage a broader and more diverse array of stakeholders, indicating that even the most generous activists can ...