Patagonia

Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California, founded in 1973. It is a certified B Corporation and describes its mission as saving the home planet. B Corporation certification is a third-party standard that assesses a company's social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. The company says Earth is its only shareholder and that it gives its profits to the planet.

Its range covers clothing for men, women, kids and babies, along with duffels, backpacks, totes and cubes, as well as wetsuits. Patagonia backs what it makes with an Ironclad Guarantee and runs Worn Wear, a program for keeping gear in use. A guarantee combined with a program for extending product life suits an outdoor market where customers rely on gear in demanding conditions and expect it to last.

Environmental activism is central to the company, which donates 1% of sales annually through what it calls a self-imposed Earth tax, 1% for the Planet, and has contributed over $100 million in grants and in-kind donations since 1985. Through Patagonia Action Works, it connects individuals with its nonprofit grantees, helping them find events, petitions, skilled volunteering opportunities and local causes to donate to. This model extends corporate giving from direct grants into organizing supporters around grassroots groups.

Beyond its Ventura headquarters, Patagonia hires for retail stores, a service center in Reno, Nevada, and occasionally overseas offices. It looks for candidates who enjoy the mountains, the wild or rivers and have passions outside themselves, from surfing and climbing to opera, gardening, skiing or community activism. Hiring this way ties its workforce closely to the outdoor communities it sells to.