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The Future of the Responsible Company: What We've Learned from Patagonia's First 50 Years
Simple but powerful advice on how and why to rethink your business structure in a time when traditional capitalism is no longer working for people or the planet.
Vincent Stanley, Patagonia's Director of Philosophy, with Yvon Chouinard, founder and former owner of Patagonia, draws on 50 years' experience at Patagonia to challenge all business owners and leaders to rethink their businesses in a time of cultural and climate chaos.
Patagonia over and over throughout the years has been recognized as much for its ground-breaking environmental, social practices as for the quality of its clothes. And then, in an unprecedented action, in 2022, the Chouinard family gave their company away, converting ownership to a simple structure of trusts and non-profits, so that all the profits from the company can be used to protect our home planet and work to reverse climate chaos. In this exceptionally frank account, Stanley with Chouinard recounts how the company and its culture gained the confidence, by step and misstep, to make its work progressively more responsible, and to ultimately challenge other companies, as big as Wal-Mart and as small as the corner bakery, to do the same.
In plain, compelling prose, the authors describe the current impact of manufacturing, commerce, and traditional capitalism on the planet’s natural systems and human communities, and how that impact is forcing business to change its ways. The Future of the Responsible Company shows companies how to reduce the harm they cause, improve the quality of their business, and provide the kind of meaningful work everyone seeks. It concludes with specific, practical steps every business can undertake, as well as advice on what to do, in what order.
This is the first book to show companies how to thread their way through economic sea change and slow the drift toward ecological bankruptcy. Its advice is simple but reduce your environmental footprint (and its skyrocketing cost), make legitimate products that last, reclaim deep knowledge of your business and its supply chain to make the most of opportunities in the years to come, and earn the trust you’ll need by treating your workers, customers, and communities with respect. It also describes the threats of traditional capitalism and why the owners of Patagonia chose to hack the system to ensure that the company will still exist and have impact in 100 years. An explanation of Patagonia's revolutionary new business organization, The Patagonia Purpose Trust and The Holdfast Collective, rounds out this captivating business book.
Vincent Stanley, Patagonia's Director of Philosophy, with Yvon Chouinard, founder and former owner of Patagonia, draws on 50 years' experience at Patagonia to challenge all business owners and leaders to rethink their businesses in a time of cultural and climate chaos.
Patagonia over and over throughout the years has been recognized as much for its ground-breaking environmental, social practices as for the quality of its clothes. And then, in an unprecedented action, in 2022, the Chouinard family gave their company away, converting ownership to a simple structure of trusts and non-profits, so that all the profits from the company can be used to protect our home planet and work to reverse climate chaos. In this exceptionally frank account, Stanley with Chouinard recounts how the company and its culture gained the confidence, by step and misstep, to make its work progressively more responsible, and to ultimately challenge other companies, as big as Wal-Mart and as small as the corner bakery, to do the same.
In plain, compelling prose, the authors describe the current impact of manufacturing, commerce, and traditional capitalism on the planet’s natural systems and human communities, and how that impact is forcing business to change its ways. The Future of the Responsible Company shows companies how to reduce the harm they cause, improve the quality of their business, and provide the kind of meaningful work everyone seeks. It concludes with specific, practical steps every business can undertake, as well as advice on what to do, in what order.
This is the first book to show companies how to thread their way through economic sea change and slow the drift toward ecological bankruptcy. Its advice is simple but reduce your environmental footprint (and its skyrocketing cost), make legitimate products that last, reclaim deep knowledge of your business and its supply chain to make the most of opportunities in the years to come, and earn the trust you’ll need by treating your workers, customers, and communities with respect. It also describes the threats of traditional capitalism and why the owners of Patagonia chose to hack the system to ensure that the company will still exist and have impact in 100 years. An explanation of Patagonia's revolutionary new business organization, The Patagonia Purpose Trust and The Holdfast Collective, rounds out this captivating business book.
208 pages, Paperback
Published September 5, 2023
66 people are currently reading
1294 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
February 10, 2024
Excellent insight into a company that is so environmentally and socially conscious. Lots of great business learning to model, a vulnerability to keep being better and eye opening into what our clothes can be made of and harm the planet if we aren’t intentional about what we buy. Great read!
January 5, 2025
Reading this gave me hope that some people and organizations really try to do good, and show that putting corporate responsibility at the forefront of priorities can have a butterfly effect on everyone around. ❤️
May 24, 2025
I really should read more nonfiction. That was an awesome read about Patagonia’s business model and how it relates to saving the earth. Thanks KH book club for the suggestion! I fear I may be back in my environmental granola naturey era .. prepare to be sick of me!
April 23, 2024
Great insight on the history of Patagonia and their business model! Loved learning about ways they’ve worked to give back to our earth, even when it wasn’t the corporate “status quo”. My favorite parts were the inclusion of the Halifax Model + the stories of how transparency was always the best way to do business.
December 19, 2023
Informative, insightful and inspiring. Patagonia are at the zeitgeist of responsible companies globally, at the heart of their success is brutal candor about their shortcomings and a tireless commitment to doing better.
August 8, 2024
More of a business oriented book opposed to ‘Let my people go surfing’. Still an interesting read to understand the brand’s roots and how they function as a leader in the green space, but a lot less storytelling and more technical than the LMPGS.
July 24, 2025
Impressive peak into all that Patagonia has done to become more earth conscious. I really enjoyed how they educated and highlighted systems improvements that led to positive outcomes for the environment, animals, and wellbeing of their employees
October 29, 2025
Pretty fascinating look into the company and its past, present, future. Def very different priorities from anywhere I’ve worked. Quick read, packs a punch
August 9, 2023
There not many companies like Patagonia, those who quite literally put environmental responsibility into every fabric of their organization. It is a bold new approach on running a business which provides value to its employees while deeply caring about the planet we live in.
This book reads like a company manifesto, full of experience including successes and failures and ends in a practical guide/checklist for organizations that want to follow the trail blazed by Patagonia, its owners, managers, suppliers and employees. An inspirational read during the hottest months the planet has ever seen.
This book reads like a company manifesto, full of experience including successes and failures and ends in a practical guide/checklist for organizations that want to follow the trail blazed by Patagonia, its owners, managers, suppliers and employees. An inspirational read during the hottest months the planet has ever seen.
August 22, 2025
4/5
pro's:
1. the checklist of things to do to make your company more responsible (e.g. calculate the B/E point at which you can afford to pay your workers a living wage and Get There, ensure your products minimize toxic material use, install efficient energy systems in your office, basic roadmaps to obtaining/upgrading employee health insurance plans, conditions for partial investments vs. full investments in circular design systems, subsidizing/setting up child daycare centers on campus, etc.) — rare to find a business book that actually gives you actionable pointers you can follow after reading along with the authors' thoughts and (however unintentional) plugs of new and/or successful-enough company policies, products, and (marketing programs). makes the pursuit of growth and innovation feel more purposeful than the "king of the world" sort of ethos you see come out of many newer hot start-ups today (and/or the preservation of rent-yielding assets as an end in itself mindset that you see with many uhhh...multi-generational businesses in my community)
2. Patagonia is a business, but its a business that at least pays lip service to wanting to be there for its community, and that have taken some steps towards doing so even if a bit of it strikes me as dressed up frugality/cost-cutting and/or consistent merchandise assortment in other words
3. the concept that sustainable means credible, and credible means having no illusions of your business being first and foremost, a business, which appeals to personal biases more than anything and some lingering frustration/trauma on my part when it comes to dealing with governments, non-profits, and community organizing
4. that it gives good business advice that doesn't just boil down to adopt latest technology, crush enemies, squeeze costs, harness power of the mind's eye — as a business-y person that grew up around Wolf of Wall Street-worshipping bro-types, its a welcome change
con's:
1. Patagonia thru this book shows that it's still still ultimately Ok aligning itself with the likes of Walmart, Pepsi, Danone, Nespresso (owned by **NESTLE**!!), which means that it's still at the very least a business that is comfortable enough with corporate/capitalist moral ambiguity to be all that trustworthy and responsible — rules for me, sort of for thee but we're also not going to dig up thee's past sort of thing
2. not so hot on the "entrusting the company to the Earth" thing — the Chouinard family still owns the foundation that controls Patagonia, and family/philanthropic/charitable foundations are still for the most part a legal gray area that we're not entirely sure does more good than harm — many "family foundations" are just ways to consolidate profit and retained earnings by another name. note: Open AI was a foundation too. see some of the studies cited in Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the 21st Century" with respect to tax elasticity of foundation giving (tldr: more tax, less giving!)
3. feels a bit too uhh...for lack of a better term..."middle of the road" — always focused on doing things better, always on the potential corporate institutions have to do great good rather than the historical reality which is that they often don't and they won't unless they're taxed and the law does something and people seize the means of production...somewhat. there's a lot more accountability and forcible wealth transfers that need to occur before we can really start to save trees for real...
further reflections soon but appreciate, will hopefully internalize, and ultimately respect this book and its authors' bias towards Action! we can existentially drown in the mud of our own thoughts, or Do Something. it's ok to Do Something.
pro's:
1. the checklist of things to do to make your company more responsible (e.g. calculate the B/E point at which you can afford to pay your workers a living wage and Get There, ensure your products minimize toxic material use, install efficient energy systems in your office, basic roadmaps to obtaining/upgrading employee health insurance plans, conditions for partial investments vs. full investments in circular design systems, subsidizing/setting up child daycare centers on campus, etc.) — rare to find a business book that actually gives you actionable pointers you can follow after reading along with the authors' thoughts and (however unintentional) plugs of new and/or successful-enough company policies, products, and (marketing programs). makes the pursuit of growth and innovation feel more purposeful than the "king of the world" sort of ethos you see come out of many newer hot start-ups today (and/or the preservation of rent-yielding assets as an end in itself mindset that you see with many uhhh...multi-generational businesses in my community)
2. Patagonia is a business, but its a business that at least pays lip service to wanting to be there for its community, and that have taken some steps towards doing so even if a bit of it strikes me as dressed up frugality/cost-cutting and/or consistent merchandise assortment in other words
3. the concept that sustainable means credible, and credible means having no illusions of your business being first and foremost, a business, which appeals to personal biases more than anything and some lingering frustration/trauma on my part when it comes to dealing with governments, non-profits, and community organizing
4. that it gives good business advice that doesn't just boil down to adopt latest technology, crush enemies, squeeze costs, harness power of the mind's eye — as a business-y person that grew up around Wolf of Wall Street-worshipping bro-types, its a welcome change
con's:
1. Patagonia thru this book shows that it's still still ultimately Ok aligning itself with the likes of Walmart, Pepsi, Danone, Nespresso (owned by **NESTLE**!!), which means that it's still at the very least a business that is comfortable enough with corporate/capitalist moral ambiguity to be all that trustworthy and responsible — rules for me, sort of for thee but we're also not going to dig up thee's past sort of thing
2. not so hot on the "entrusting the company to the Earth" thing — the Chouinard family still owns the foundation that controls Patagonia, and family/philanthropic/charitable foundations are still for the most part a legal gray area that we're not entirely sure does more good than harm — many "family foundations" are just ways to consolidate profit and retained earnings by another name. note: Open AI was a foundation too. see some of the studies cited in Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the 21st Century" with respect to tax elasticity of foundation giving (tldr: more tax, less giving!)
3. feels a bit too uhh...for lack of a better term..."middle of the road" — always focused on doing things better, always on the potential corporate institutions have to do great good rather than the historical reality which is that they often don't and they won't unless they're taxed and the law does something and people seize the means of production...somewhat. there's a lot more accountability and forcible wealth transfers that need to occur before we can really start to save trees for real...
further reflections soon but appreciate, will hopefully internalize, and ultimately respect this book and its authors' bias towards Action! we can existentially drown in the mud of our own thoughts, or Do Something. it's ok to Do Something.
August 1, 2024
Patagonia is a model of responsible enterprise. Among many other initiatives, the company donates 1% of sales revenues to environmental organizations, uses sustainable materials (recycled polyester, organic cotton, etc.) in its products, insists on sustainable environmental and fair labor practices throughout its supply chain, provides generous employee benefits including on-site childcare and extensive parental leave, promotes regenerative agriculture … the list goes on. And last year, ownership of the entire company was transferred to a not-for-profit foundation whose mission will be to donate Patagonia’s profits to environmental causes in perpetuity.
The Future of the Responsible Company is not a comprehensive corporate history, but rather a candid account of the company’s 50-year journey on the path toward responsibility and sustainability. (Patagonia prefers the term “responsible” because they acknowledge they’ll never truly achieve sustainability, which they define as not taking more from nature than we give back.)
The book provides an excellent case study of a responsible company and also serves as a practical reference work for business owners wishing to take their companies in a more responsible direction, and for consumers wishing to direct their spending toward responsible companies. Among other tools, it includes a useful set of checklists, organized by stakeholder group, of actions companies can take to be more responsible, and a chapter of advice for companies seeking to become more sustainable. I plan to assign this book to my Sustainable Business Management classes going forward.
The book is also very well written, lavishly illustrated and, of course, printed on chlorine-free paper made with 100% post-consumer waste.
The Future of the Responsible Company is not a comprehensive corporate history, but rather a candid account of the company’s 50-year journey on the path toward responsibility and sustainability. (Patagonia prefers the term “responsible” because they acknowledge they’ll never truly achieve sustainability, which they define as not taking more from nature than we give back.)
The book provides an excellent case study of a responsible company and also serves as a practical reference work for business owners wishing to take their companies in a more responsible direction, and for consumers wishing to direct their spending toward responsible companies. Among other tools, it includes a useful set of checklists, organized by stakeholder group, of actions companies can take to be more responsible, and a chapter of advice for companies seeking to become more sustainable. I plan to assign this book to my Sustainable Business Management classes going forward.
The book is also very well written, lavishly illustrated and, of course, printed on chlorine-free paper made with 100% post-consumer waste.
December 29, 2023
"The Future of the Responsible Company" by Vincent Stanley is a refreshing guide that navigates the intricate landscape of corporate responsibility with finesse. Stanley, drawing from his vast experience at Patagonia, weaves together insightful anecdotes and practical wisdom, making this book an engaging read for both seasoned business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs.
What sets this book apart is its optimism. Stanley doesn't just outline the challenges of responsible business; he presents them as opportunities for growth and positive change. The narrative is peppered with real-world examples, making it relatable and inspiring.
The author also delves into the evolving expectations of consumers and employees, emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven companies. His call for authenticity and genuine commitment to social and environmental causes resonates powerfully.
"The Future of the Responsible Company" is not just a guidebook; it's a conversation with a mentor who shares not only successes but also failures, fostering a sense of camaraderie. Stanley's conversational style and passion for responsible business make this a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of ethics and entrepreneurship.
What sets this book apart is its optimism. Stanley doesn't just outline the challenges of responsible business; he presents them as opportunities for growth and positive change. The narrative is peppered with real-world examples, making it relatable and inspiring.
The author also delves into the evolving expectations of consumers and employees, emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven companies. His call for authenticity and genuine commitment to social and environmental causes resonates powerfully.
"The Future of the Responsible Company" is not just a guidebook; it's a conversation with a mentor who shares not only successes but also failures, fostering a sense of camaraderie. Stanley's conversational style and passion for responsible business make this a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of ethics and entrepreneurship.
September 10, 2024
I love Patagonia. What an awesome company they have been for so long. My husband loves them so much that he drove into the city (NYC) to get a coat there one day a couple years ago because he wanted to try them on to replace the one he had plus one our son outgrew (and they take the old ones to fix up and use to make new items, plus they give you a discount on the cost when buying new because of the donation).
With that being said, I have been a big fan of the sustainable practices and ethical sourcing that the company does. I was curious when I saw this book had come out. I wanted to read their insights. I learned a lot. It was very informational and could be a bit dry at times, but it was still fascinating to learn all they stated. I loved their talk about B-corps and Fair Trade. They talk a lot about their love for the environment throughout the book. Also, they have some lovely photographs in it.
With that being said, I have been a big fan of the sustainable practices and ethical sourcing that the company does. I was curious when I saw this book had come out. I wanted to read their insights. I learned a lot. It was very informational and could be a bit dry at times, but it was still fascinating to learn all they stated. I loved their talk about B-corps and Fair Trade. They talk a lot about their love for the environment throughout the book. Also, they have some lovely photographs in it.
November 22, 2023
The book was fantastic, it was a deep dive into the history, values, and valid reasoning with facts on why they make the choices they have from its inception. The Future of the Responsible Company is not all about the good things Patagonia has done, it also revisits changes they have made to align and re-align when other parties they work with weren’t on the same page Patagonia was on.
It discusses every aspect from all levels of the company, and the BONUS of this book is the checklists provided so that you can implement positive changes within your own company. Whether you’re an owner, stakeholder, managerial, or entry-level the guides will encourage and support you in the process of implementation of awareness to make positive and sustainable changes for the future.
It discusses every aspect from all levels of the company, and the BONUS of this book is the checklists provided so that you can implement positive changes within your own company. Whether you’re an owner, stakeholder, managerial, or entry-level the guides will encourage and support you in the process of implementation of awareness to make positive and sustainable changes for the future.
March 25, 2024
Para quienes tienen interés en cómo las empresas pueden ser entes activos en la mejora de las condiciones en las que se desarrollan es un gran libro. Por supuesto que está muy orientado al tema medioambiental, y se entiende por que es uno de los intereses principales de la empresa, sin embargo destila la importancia de mantener en vista el lado humano como punto de partida.
También los elementos de formar parte de un testimonio propagandístico está presente, pero los ejemplos que usan permiten ver los desafíos que las empresas suelen enfrentar para lograr sus objetivos estratégicos y la encrucijada entre decidir si los financieros son en todo momento los prioritarios.
También los elementos de formar parte de un testimonio propagandístico está presente, pero los ejemplos que usan permiten ver los desafíos que las empresas suelen enfrentar para lograr sus objetivos estratégicos y la encrucijada entre decidir si los financieros son en todo momento los prioritarios.
November 19, 2023
Patagonia is arguably the greatest corporation in the planet. Yvon Chouinard is arguably the most intelligent and most humane owner (former) of a corporation. But this book is not to toot the horn of Patagonia. It is not a promotional piece to sell more of the world’s best wetsuits for surfing, outer shells for snowboarding, or the most durable flannel shirts I’ve ever owned. This is Yvon and company providing the rest of the corporate world the blueprint for companies to preserve natural resources, slow down our undeniable climate catastrophe, and treat humans all at the same time.
October 22, 2025
This book offers clear moral and societal principles drawn from Patagonia’s long-standing commitment to responsibility. It’s undeniably value-driven, which gives it moral weight—but also makes it feel somewhat detached from the messy realities of running a business.
For me, the tone was too blunt and idealized. It reads more like a manifesto than a living account of a company wrestling with contradictions and trade-offs. I may reread it, but on first impression, it felt more like a creed than a story.
For me, the tone was too blunt and idealized. It reads more like a manifesto than a living account of a company wrestling with contradictions and trade-offs. I may reread it, but on first impression, it felt more like a creed than a story.
Read
January 9, 2024Fascinating history of how Patagonia has evolved over the years and fixed some of their early mistakes. The book shares their approach to being as responsible as possible, including a helpful checklist for those looking to improve their organization. The book also calls out areas that still need work in a straight forward and informative way.
Easy read. Made me want to by more (used) Patagonia products.
Easy read. Made me want to by more (used) Patagonia products.
February 20, 2024
Every CEO, Manager, Marketer, and Product Developer should read this book. I was not aware of a lot of the processes and environmental harm that goes into textile and clothing production. I also wasn’t aware of how much Patagonia has done and continues to do to not only reduce their impact but works to help others reduce theirs as well. There are things we can all do and learn from to reduce waste and create a more sustainable future, and this book was eye opening as well as aspirational
January 25, 2025
This was a really good starter book for anyone interested in sustainable and ethical business practices! I love the additional reading list they included at the end so you can dive deeper into more specific topics you might be interested in. I wish they would have covered more financial aspects of sustainable/responsible business practices but the rest of the topics covered in the book were pretty thorough.
January 11, 2024
Patagonia is one of my favorite companies not only because of the clothing they make but because of their mission statement, and the fact that they actually live up to it. This book was a good glimpse into how their values became ingrained into their new normal, and the little ways we can all do a little bit better, even though most of us aren’t large corporations.
April 17, 2024
I would think it overly aspirational, and yet most of the tasks laid out in this book have already been accomplished by Patagonia and other B Corporations. This book holds a great blueprint and inspiration for any business owner or leader on how to run a more ethical company.
November 17, 2024
Note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
I enjoyed reading this quite a bit. The behind-the-scenes look at the industrial side of clothes was fascinating, as was the choices that Patagonia tried to make in producing higher quality clothing that limited damage to the planet.
I enjoyed reading this quite a bit. The behind-the-scenes look at the industrial side of clothes was fascinating, as was the choices that Patagonia tried to make in producing higher quality clothing that limited damage to the planet.
March 25, 2025
Love learning about the history of Patagonia and what this company is doing differently from most American companies would love to learn more about some of the organizations they named and how to get involved
October 23, 2025
Reading this book opened my eyes to what a for-profit business could be, and it clearly showed how Patagonia is the gold standard for the responsible business model. Much to learn from Vincent Stanley.
September 28, 2023
Great read! Fascinating section on the Halifax model.
March 17, 2024
Not as in-depth as Let My People Go Surfing but still provides excellent framework for crafting responsible business, with handy checklists.
Nonetheless, thank you and well done Patagonia.
Nonetheless, thank you and well done Patagonia.
May 21, 2024
Really good book with lots of great insights on how to create or contribute to better companies for the planets and all the people
July 4, 2024
Should be framed in the Louvre for ESG
August 31, 2024
I really enjoyed this! Very cool to learn about Patagonia’s journey and supply chain in general.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews