Patagonia is a large retailer with a pretty impressive
mission statement, bold and strong. “Build the best product, cause no
unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the
environmental crisis,” (Patagonia’s Mission Statement). Patagonia was started
by a group of climbers who believe in making products for silent sports, sports
that require no cheering crowds, no motors, like skiing, fly fishing, climbing,
suffering and paddling. They believe that as a company who supports people who
love the outdoors that they should protect the outdoors for those people.
Patagonia continues to protest the actions of Trump to turn many of the already
saved National Lands, back over to the hands of the states which those lands reside
in. This seems like it wouldn’t be that big of deal, right? Well it is. “Removing
protection for these wild places to open them up for development will not make
us energy independent or history shows that when states control these lands
they are sold to the highest bidder,” (Save Our Public Lands).
In 2011, audits discovered that Patagonia
multiple instances of human trafficking had taken place on human trafficking,
forced labor, and exploitation in Patagonia’s supply chain. “mills are based in
Taiwan, and the majority were found to have instances of trafficking and
exploitation.
The problems stemmed from how those
mills found the people to work their factory lines. They didn’t hire workers
themselves and instead turned to so-called labor brokers. These labor brokers
charged migrants exorbitant, often illegally high fees in exchange for jobs.
There were other red flags, too. Suppliers would open bank accounts into which
the workers deposited their paychecks, so that fees for labor brokers could be
automatically deducted,” (White).
Patagonia is a green for environment,
that is at least how it begins. That may quickly follow with a green for profit
due to the amount that their products cost. Their return to our country and the
nature of this country is massive. They fight to keep so much of the land in this
county in its natural state for those who love to explore and discover the originality
of this country.
Patagonia’s Mission Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16,
2017, from
http://www.patagonia.com/company-info.html
Save Our Public Lands. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from
https://www.patagonia.com/save-our-public-lands.html?
zoom=4¢er=40.317756%2C-94.421097
White, G. B. (2015, June 03). All Your Clothes Are Made With
Exploited Labor. Retrieved
October 17, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/patagonia-labor-clothing-
factory-exploitation/394658/
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