Outdoor apparel giant, Patagonia, has built an $800 million empire by promising to make “the best product” without causing “unnecessary harm.” But, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal, the company has struggled to maintain its ethical standards as it’s begun to more aggressively chase mass-market appeal.
Company execs were blindsided when a German supplier of their down feathers was outed for animal abuse in 2010. And then, in 2012, a slave labor scandal erupted at one of their factories in Taiwan. More recently, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) posted a video depicting grisly abuse of sheep at the South American ranches that supplied 100% of Patagonia’s wool.
In light of these revelations, the retailer has vowed to rebuild and / or more closely monitor its supply chain, especially the facilities from which it sources its animal products. And, despite the controversies, many still consider Patagonia an industry leader when it comes to social and environmental responsibility.
However, Alexis Bateman, a researcher at MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics, points out, marketing teams are often, “ready to tell the story before operations and supply-chain teams are ready and able to confirm it.”
You can read more about Patagonia’s struggle to stay ethical The Wall Street Journal.
