Yvon Chouinard Gives Away His Company, Patagonia.

I remember buying rugby jersey's and RURP's some 50 years ago. In going through some old boxes of clothing I found one of those jersey's a few years back and left it at Goodwill. I should have had it framed. Go read the history of Patagonia on their website. What Yvon has built and the way he and Malinda have treated their employees and dealers in the process is truly exemplary. His friendship and assistance when we were putting together our new store defined the kind of individual he is. The world would be a better place with more men like him.
 
Patagonia and 1% For The Planet allows our small company to make a difference. I am very thankful for that, and proud to be a part of that effort.

We are a very small company. Our annual revenues are about 1 days business for Patagonia. We do not source any of our materials from China. We do source from Germany, Austria, Hungary and Canada. Some of our sewing is done in Ukraine, which has been interesting to see. Western Ukraine keeps cranking. Amazing people.

We do not allow returns for used items, and we do not have old inventory (since we make to order) which helps the issue of trashed returns and old stock that @Yard Sale raises. We also make good products that last a long time.

We've been a part of 1% For The Planet (Patagonia's charitible network) since 2019 and I have to say I think it's great. We give 1% of our sales to a number of organizations, both local and around the world, every year. It's not a lot compared to some, but it adds up.

Our giving has centered more around organizations like Washington Trails Association & Puget Soundkeeper Alliance to organizations like Heifer International, Whidby Island Nourishes, Tilth Alliance, Viva Farms, the 2nd Harvest Foodbank and the World Central Kitchen (very active in helping to feed Ukraine now), and many more. 1% For The Planet is not just about climate.

We don't jump up and down to bring attention to our giving. It's not really a part of our sales pitch. We just do it, and we are very grateful to Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia for the vehicle they provide that allows us to give smartly, to organizations that resonate with us.

Thank you Patagonia, and Yvon Chouinard.
 
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smc said:
Patagonia and 1% For The Planet allows our small company to make a difference. I am very thankful for that, and proud to be a part of that effort.

We are a very small company. Our annual revenues are about 1 days business for Patagonia. We do not source any of our materials from China. We do source from Germany, Austria and Hungary. Some of our sewing is done in Ukraine, which has been interesting to see. Western Ukraine keeps cranking. Amazing people.

We do not allow returns for used items, and we do not have old inventory (since we make to order) which helps the issue of trashed returns and old stock that @Yard Sale raises. We also make good products that last a long time.

We've been a part of 1% For The Planet (Patagonia's charitible network) since 2019 and I have to say I think it's great. We give 1% of our sales to a number of organizations, both local and around the world, every year. It's not a lot compared to some, but it adds up.

Our giving has centered more around organizations like Washington Trails Association & Puget Soundkeeper Alliance to organizations like Heifer International, Whidby Island Nourishes, Tilth Alliance, Viva Farms, the 2nd Harvest Foodbank and the World Central Kitchen (very active in helping to feed Ukraine now), and many more. 1% For The Planet is not just about climate.

We don't jump up and down to bring attention to our giving. It's not really a part of our sales pitch. We just do it, and we are very grateful to Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia for the vehicle they provide that allows us to give smartly, to organizations that resonate with us.

Thank you Patagonia, and Yvon Chouinard.
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I know you weren't trying to advertise, but this sounds like a company I would like to support. What is it?
 
smc said:
Patagonia and 1% For The Planet allows our small company to make a difference. I am very thankful for that, and proud to be a part of that effort.

We are a very small company. Our annual revenues are about 1 days business for Patagonia. We do not source any of our materials from China. We do source from Germany, Austria and Hungary. Some of our sewing is done in Ukraine, which has been interesting to see. Western Ukraine keeps cranking. Amazing people.

We do not allow returns for used items, and we do not have old inventory (since we make to order) which helps the issue of trashed returns and old stock that @Yard Sale raises. We also make good products that last a long time.

We've been a part of 1% For The Planet (Patagonia's charitible network) since 2019 and I have to say I think it's great. We give 1% of our sales to a number of organizations, both local and around the world, every year. It's not a lot compared to some, but it adds up.

Our giving has centered more around organizations like Washington Trails Association & Puget Soundkeeper Alliance to organizations like Heifer International, Whidby Island Nourishes, Tilth Alliance, Viva Farms, the 2nd Harvest Foodbank and the World Central Kitchen (very active in helping to feed Ukraine now), and many more. 1% For The Planet is not just about climate.

We don't jump up and down to bring attention to our giving. It's not really a part of our sales pitch. We just do it, and we are very grateful to Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia for the vehicle they provide that allows us to give smartly, to organizations that resonate with us.

Thank you Patagonia, and Yvon Chouinard.
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props, sir!
 
SurfnFish said:
Likely not a more employee respected CEO in the business - one of the very first to offer paid materinity for both mothers and fathers, on-site day care for employees children, flex time for employees so they don't have to use vacation days,gives employees up to two months of full pay if they use that time to work with environmental groups.
Over the decades, Patagonia has given away more than 140M to enviromental causes, much of it for watershed protection in the US, Chile, Germany, Czech Republic, the UK, etc, etc.
And now, while the other rich boyz buy spaceships and yachts, the company founder who started out as an independent blacksmith making hand made climbing carabiners, is giving his billion $ biz to an enviromental stewardship trust.
as to the hater pile on...no surprise, it's all they got.
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very well said.
 
longputt said:
$1 Billion tax avoidance probably had little to do with this decision:

www.nytimes.com

Philanthropy, the Billionaires’ Way (Published 2022)

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s decision to give away billions to fight climate change was made possible by an increasingly popular tax maneuver.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Well of course it does! He's not a moron!

There's nothing nefarious about this. Assuming you want your money to go to a charity, you can do it two ways. 1) Die, and let your heirs pay 40% or whatever of it to the government, then donate what's left, or 2) transfer ownership directly to the nonprofit, who pays no inheritance on it, so they get all of it.
Why would you choose to give that money to the government if your goal is to help fight climate change??
He doesn't get the saved billion in taxes - the nonprofit does.
 
The desperation by some here spending time trying to find a way to spin his personal decision about his privately owned company into some sort of evil deed is really pretty funny.
 
RCF said:
Agreed. Also very sad at the same time.
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It's not an evil deed, it's quite common. My point has been the majority of companies do this in some form or another when they get big enough to support the philanthropy. I'm poking fun of the fact people are holding him up to godly sainthood when it's not all a selfless gesture. Theres benefits to both the giving party and receiving philanthropic causes. Like said tax breaks above, benefits both.

Edit: And don't forget the hypocrisy in demonizing Mypillow CEO Mike because he's not on the right 'team' despite the fact he also does generous philanthropy.
 
mcswny said:
My company just hired a co-ceo. weird.
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That sounds like a good way to pay two people really well vs just one…you’re not a good enough ceo to run the place by yourself but not bad enough to get rid of ya, here’s some more stock options 🤣🤣😉
 
Or a good one to push out the founding CEO. Take your pick ;)
Deansie said:
That sounds like a good way to pay two people really well vs just one…you’re not a good enough ceo to run the place by yourself but not bad enough to get rid of ya, here’s some more stock options 🤣🤣😉
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;)
 
jasmillo said:
Hmm, good question. My electrician and my dog sitter. Both do business the right way. That’s all I care to know about them.

How about yours? I see you being a fan of the more confident than competent types.
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I don't know really..I guess I've never considered it. I don't really think about CEOs. That's why I thought it funny to think about. I'll take quietly competent with integrity though over bravado though. I think a CEO has a responsibility to their employees and others. They should represent with that in mind. I really think we need CEO trading cards though. You could have their stats, net worth, size of golden parachutists etc. Just like baseball.
 
I once made the mistake of calculating how many years it would take me to make what my CEO makes in a year. Yeah, that was kinda depressing.
 
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