Yvon Chouinard is a name I was not familiar with at all until the last day or two. I was more aware of his brand Patagonia, though if I recall correctly I’ve never been a customer. However, the recent news regarding the future of the company is very interesting and exciting.
It was recently announced that ownership of the company would pass on to a trust and nonprofit. This will keep the company out of stockholder decisions (if they went public) or from being bought by a malicious businessman or group. This action will help Patagonia stick to its mission of responsible business and promoting sustainability. To keep the company as true as possible, I believe it to be a great move from Chouinard and the rest of the Patagonia leadership.
There is a single, most important message that can be found in this series of events. That is that if you want to make change, you can do it yourself. Large businesses aren’t inherently evil. Mr. Chouinard states in his announcement that he “never wanted to be a businessman.” That’s fine and dandy, but in acting as a businessman to some degree he has been able to promote ideals he believes to be true.
We do not need and should not want legislation to force people to do the right thing. We need individuals with that pioneering, unique mindset to do the right thing and inspire others to do the right thing.
Mr. Chouinard began and ran a company that is worth $3 billion. There are a lot of folks who see the “b” there and lose their minds because a high net worth is equal to malevolence. Chouinard shows that that is false, and that his type of business leader is one that has a benevolent mindset. He ran his business and has paved their path for the future without government pressure.
You can be the difference you want to see in the world. We do not need repressive and oppressive forms of government to effect change. We need to ensure that we always have the freedom to do the right thing.
I do not agree with every last one of Patagonia’s missions and endeavors. I do one hundred percent agree that they have the freedom to do pursue those. I believe they will probably do it better than any government act or organization could. If you want to make a positive change in the world, you might need to become a businessman.
Sources:
Bayou Observant 