In the US, the brand provides a kindergarten, an elementary school and an organic canteen at the workplace and lessons of surf, yoga, basket, volley…. At the European HQ: showers and changing rooms for employees who wish to cycle to work or work-out during their lunch hour, free organic coffee, milk, sugar, etc, subsidised lunch vouchers, yearly employee grants (150€) for non motorised sports, organic baskets for employees.
16 men/ 31 women in Europe. The average age is 35 years, 28% of international employees and 1 disabled people.
Patagonia was the 1st Californian company to be commited in “Benefit Corporation” (B-Corp) in January 2012.
The sustainability team has a veto power since 2010 for the choice of a new factory which will not respect social and environmental code of conduct.
Clothes are collected from employees occasionnaly for humanitarian causes.
The brand employs a full-time environmental manager in Europe an 3 employees in the USA. Other person are working only on the environmental footprint.
Training to green procurement policy.
Visioconference betwenn Europe and the USA.
Environmental training for all new employees and increase awareness through cleaning days in Annecy’s Lake.
Common Threads Initiative : importance to reduce our consumption, don’t buy unnecessarily, encourage consumers to reduce, reuse, repair or recycle to give a second life to their products.
Monthly newsletter for all retailes (670 in Europe whose 80 corner shops) to inform them about environmental and social actions. Ads in shops is in recycled paper and print with water based and natural ink (paper bags, take back boxes, brochures…)
The objective is to have 100% of bluesign partners in 2014.
In 2010, 90% of he supply chain was audited with a focus on wastes management, chemicals and recycling.
100% of suppliers fulfil a questionnaire about energy, water and air and corrective actions are implemented.
Certifications: Distribution center (Reno, in Nevada) was build with according to HQE : the lighting system is managed by motion sensors, mirrors rooftop reflect light inside the building, parking is equipped with an oil / water separator, the carpet is 100% recycled polyester. Energy savings are generated annually from 30 to 35%. This building has been extended and the extension has been certified Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Sustainable Apparel Coalition with other brands to create a share index to help designers and stakeholders in designing products and integrate environmental settings in all supply chain. This index uses a LCA approach and was tested by Patagonia. LCA’s have been realized to measure impact of some products and for this new edition, the approach developed by the Sustainable Appareal Coalition, The Higg Index, will be used. Footprint Chronicles present environmental and social profiles for all products.
Patagonia is working on the implementation of a collective repair center in Rhône Alpes to increase the rate of reparations of products of outdoor brands.
Shoes are in reycled and recyclable cardboards boxes.
Only technical products have a packaging in recycled cardboard.