“I have been a businessman for almost 60 years”he wrote in a book in 2006. “It is as difficult for me to pronounce these words as it is for others to admit that they are alcoholics or lawyers”. And he continued: “Yet a company can produce food, cure diseases, control demographics, employ people, and generally enrich our lives.” A company “can make a profit without losing your soul“.
Chouinard is known for his efforts to make Patagonia a responsible company. The firm committed to 1985 to overturn 1% of its income to environmental protection groups and was one of the first textiles to go entirely to organic cotton in nineteen ninety six.
Patagonia was the first brand to adopt in 2012 the California statute of public utility companies. Meanwhile in 2018 officially changed its social purpose to “to save the planet”.
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fashion
Finally, nearly 50 years after launching Patagonia, Chouinard decided, according to his wife and two childrentransfer 100% of their parts of the company to a trust in charge of making sure that your life values are respectedand an association for the fight against Environmental crisis and the nature protectionwho will receive all the profits of the company, which are calculated in about US$100 million per year.
Kristine Mcdivitt Tompkins a member of the board of directors of Patagonia, he has known Yvon Chouinard since he was 24 years old. “His vision never changed”, assured in the statement announcing the donation. “Although he is still in good health, he wanted to implement a plan for the future of the company and the planet“, summarized.
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Oxygen Magazine
Born in 1938 in Maineto the north of USAborn to a French-Canadian father from quebec and of a mother whom he defined as “adventuress”Yvon Chouinard moved to California in 1946.
It was in a falcon watching club that he discovered some years later his passion for climbing. And he started to make your own implements for that activity. His company was born, although in the first years it was barely managed survive.
In 1965I think Chouinard Equipment with a partner, who became a benchmark for his favorite sport.
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During an excursion to ScotlandYvon Chouinard bought a rugby jersey to use it for climbing: it was a solid garment, with a collar that prevented rubbing and cuts that the ropes could cause. Back in the United States, he made similar garments by opening a new door for your business: began selling rugby shirts among other clothes. Y Patagonia was born in 1973.
Since then the group has diversified. I think subsidiaries of food, media, surfboards and investments in start-ups who shared their values. It also started with used clothing recycling.
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The Inertia
Forbes magazine valued the outdoor apparel entrepreneur’s fortune at $1.2 billion. But Chouinard drives a old Subarudoes not have computer or mobile phone and shares his life between two modest houses in California Y Wyomingaccording to The New York Times.
On his latest decision for the future of his company, Yvon Chouinard told the newspaper: “Hopefully this will help a new form of capitalismwhich does not lead to coexistence of some rich and a lot of poor“.
Source: Ambito
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