Patagonia announced three key milestones that the company believes demonstrate how environmental activism continues to become more and more embedded in the core of its business. Patagonia says it gave $6.2 million to 741 grassroots environmental groups around the world, appointed a new senior leader to focus on activism and will again host its biennial Tools Conference – a four-day conference for small grassroots organizations – later this month.
This year, Patagonia identified 741 local grassroots environmental groups in 18 countries, and gave them $6.2 million in cash to rivers and forests, promote sustainable agriculture, prevent extreme resource extraction, protect endangered wildlife and habitat, and mitigate the effects of climate change. Since 1985, Patagonia has given $70 million to more than 3,500 groups globally.
In the conventional model of philanthropy, says Patagonia, the big funders – corporations and foundations – mainly support big professional environmental groups. The large national organizations (those with budgets over $5 million), while doing important work, make up just 2% of all environmental groups, yet receive more than 50% of all environmental grants and donations.
“Meanwhile, funding the environmental movement at a grassroots level - where change happens from the bottom up and lasts – has never been more important,” says the company. “But these groups continue to be woefully underfunded.”
Elsewhere, Patagonia appointed Lisa Pike Sheehy to a newly created role: Vice President for Environmental Activism.She joins Patagonia’s core leadership team and will report directly to CEO Rose Marcario.
Sheehy has been with Patagonia for 12 years, and has strategically guided 1% for the Planet annual giving. She also oversaw initiatives such as Oceans as Wilderness, Our Common Waters, Vote the Environment and the most recent New Localism campaigns. She serves as a Board Member for the Outdoor Industry Association and 1% for the Planet, and previously sat on the Conservation Alliance board for 10 years. Just last year, Sheehy was honored as a recipient of the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition Pioneering Woman of the Year Award.
Lastly, Patagonia once again will be hosting its biennial Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference later this month, now in its 21st year. The event brings representatives from more than 85 grassroots environmental organizations to an intensive, four-day learning and idea-sharing retreat. And in Spring 2016, 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 much wider audience and expand the conference’s reach.
