Patagonia said Wednesday it had reached three key milestones that demonstrate how environmental activism continues to become more embedded in the core of its business.
The first milestone was its contribution of $6.2 million to 741 grassroots environmental groups around the world this year. Each year, Patagonia pledges 1 percent of its sales to the protection and restoration of the natural environment — “regardless of the health of our sales or the economy.” It calls the program “Earth Tax.”
This year, the company identified 741 grassroots environmental groups in 18 countries, and gave them $6.2 million in cash to preserve rivers and forests; promote sustainable agriculture; prevent extreme resource extraction; protect endangered wildlife and habitat, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
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Since the program began in 1985, Patagonia has given $70 million to more than 3,500 groups globally.
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The second milestone was the promotion of Lisa Pike Sheehy to the newly created role of vice president for environmental activism. The company said Sheehy, who was director of global environmental initiatives at Patagonia, will bring activism even more deeply into its day-to-day business. Sheehy joins Patagonia’s core leadership team and will report to chief executive officer Rose Marcario.
Pike Sheehy has been with Patagonia for 12 years and has overseen initiatives such as Oceans as Wilderness, Our Common Waters, Vote the Environment and the most recent New Localism campaigns. She’ll continue to oversee grassroots giving, as well as running and developing environmental campaigns, and will oversee Patagonia’s Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference, Patagonia’s third milestone.
In its 21st year, the biennial Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference, to be held later this month, brings representatives from more than 85 grassroots environmental organizations to an intensive, four-day learning and idea-sharing retreat.
Presenters this year include Marcario; anthropologist and National Geographic explorer Wade Davis; communications strategist and Spitfire Strategies founder Kristen Grimm; Google Earth Outreach Team members, and Patagonia owner and founder Yvon Chouinard.
This spring, for the first time, Patagonia will release a book corresponding with the Tools Conference, designed to bring its activist teachings — strategy and tactics — to a wider audience and expand the conference’s reach.