After some bad press in recent years, Patagonia is striving to eliminate unethical practices from its supply chain, maintaining the appeal of its beloved products among conscious consumers.
Based on its founding commitments to “build the best product” and “cause no unnecessary harm,” Patagonia has grown its high-end outdoor clothing brand into a paragon of retail excellence and corporate social responsibility. Known for its open advocation of ethical supply chain practices, the company recently made headlines after placing its own suppliers under intense public scrutiny -- unfortunately, not all news is good news.
The published findings of Patagonia’s internal audits (and independent whistleblowers) show that even the most well-meaning companies can become unwittingly embroiled in unethical practices. But to its credit, the retailer has since made strides towards aggressive transparency along every step of its supply chain.