{"id":26761,"date":"2019-12-02T12:22:45","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T17:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.greenmoney.com\/2025\/?p=26761"},"modified":"2020-01-06T13:21:23","modified_gmt":"2020-01-06T18:21:23","slug":"the-new-capitalism-with-patagonia-founder-yvon-chouinard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.greenmoney.com\/2025\/the-new-capitalism-with-patagonia-founder-yvon-chouinard\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Capitalism with Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard"},"content":{"rendered":"
>> Back to December 2019<\/a><\/div>\n

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard talks with Fast Company about the sustainability myth, the problem with Amazon \u2014 and why it\u2019s not too late to save the planet. He set the standard for how a business can mitigate the ravages of capitalism on earth\u2019s environment. At 81 years old, he\u2019s just getting started.<\/h3>\n

\"Patagonia\u201cYou want the truth? It\u2019s hopeless. It\u2019s completely hopeless.\u201d<\/em> That\u2019s what Patagonia founder and chairman Yvon Chouinard told the L.A. Times<\/em> about the plight of the earth amid climate change. In 1994. Regardless, Chouinard and his company have spent decades \u2014 and millions of dollars \u2014 fighting for environmental causes around the world while investing in more sustainable business practices. What\u2019s more, Patagonia has embraced and promoted the B Corporation movement, while Chouinard led such efforts as 1% for the Planet, a collective of companies that pledged to donate 1% of sales to environmental groups and has raised more than $225 million since 2002. Meanwhile, over the past 46 years, Patagonia has become a billion-dollar global brand, making it the ultimate do-good-and-do-well company.<\/p>\n

But Chouinard remains unsatisfied. The 81-year-old is more focused than ever on demonstrating, by Patagonia\u2019s example, the lengths a company can go to protect the planet. During a break from fishing near his Wyoming home, Chouinard is both passionate and wry in discussing his business philosophy, what we get wrong about sustainability, why he\u2019s so excited about regenerative agriculture, and Patagonia\u2019s rising political machine.<\/p>\n

FAST COMPANY:<\/strong> How do we cope with the idea that to be in business means we are polluters and hurting the planet?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yvon Chouinard:<\/strong> Everything man does creates more harm than good. We have to accept that fact and not delude ourselves into thinking something is sustainable. Then you can try to achieve a situation where you\u2019re causing the least amount of harm possible. That\u2019s the spin we put on it. It\u2019s a never-ending summit. You\u2019re just climbing forever. You\u2019ll never get to the top, but it\u2019s the journey.<\/p>\n

FC: About eight months ago, you wrote a new mission statement for the company: \u201cPatagonia is in business to save our home planet.\u201d What impact has that had so far?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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