PGP/23/01

1 BHARTESH DAS
PGP/23/03
3 NIKHIL S
PGP/23/04
6 RITU SHUKLA
PGP/23/05
7 SUSHMA R
PGP/23/06
2 U AAKASH

1. Leadership: The CEO Yvon Chouinard was unlike other CEO’s and was a sustainability
pioneer. He played a key role in the shift towards organic cotton.
Environmental degradation: Conventional cotton used chemicals against pests
which contaminated natural resources causing cancer and defects in humans and
wildlife population. Yvon and other managers strongly felt no cost was too high for
doing the right thing. They were thus able to reduce their environmental footprint by
focusing inwards.
Supply chain: Organic cotton can help in creating a sustainable supply chain for
Patagonia. It has been shown that organic cotton uses 91% less water and
62% less energy. Organic cotton production helps to improve biodiversity and the
health and safety of farming communities.

2.
“Don't buy what we don't need” is the tagline for Patagonia. Common Threads Initiative: a
partnership between our customers, eBay and Patagonia to make, buy and use clothes more
sustainably, with the ultimate aim of keeping the clothes we sell from ever reaching the landfill.

Basic 5 R’s are: -

REDUCE
We make useful gear that lasts a long time. You don’t buy what you don’t need.

REPAIR

We help you repair your Patagonia gear. You pledge to fix what’s broken.

REUSE

We help find a home for Patagonia gear you no longer need. You sell or pass it on to someone who
needs it.

RECYCLE

We will take back your Patagonia gear that is worn out. You pledge to keep it out of landfills.

REIMAGINE

Together we reimagine a world where we take only what the planet can replace.

Common threads recycling program innovatively allowed: -

 Repair their clothes via a DIY guide which helped customers from replacing a zipper to
patching a hole.
 Sell the clothes that could no longer be worn or no longer fit at a storefront brought by
Patagonia and eBay in collaboration

3. The “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign was not a sustainability innovation, as it conflicts with
the base idea of integrating sustainability ideology at the core of its product and
commercializing it. It was more of an awareness campaign as it aimed at educating the
consumer base about the ill effects of consumerism and its impact on the sustenance of life
on the planet. Sustainability innovation was a part of Patagonia’s working culture which
shown in the “Hexcentric” product. From the case, we have no proper idea if the “Don’t Buy
This jacket” campaign had a positive effect or a detrimental effect on the sales of products of
Patagonia. Though the case explains that there has been a 30% increase in sales, it might
have been user preference towards using sustainable products. The increase in sales cannot
be directly correlated to the campaign. Outside the case, it is known that a research has
been conducted to understand the relationship between consumer attitude and the
campaign. The research concluded that the campaign had a positive effect on the consumer,
and it helped them make a conscious decision to buy only products that they need. In the
modern era, with ease of access to information, people have grown more sensitive to their
environmental footprint, any efforts to persuade them to think before they purchase, has a
serious effect on their purchasing intentions.
4.
Level 1 – Basic compliance
Is the company following the latest
environmental standards
Level 2 – Sustainable value chains
Is the company taking steps to increase its
sustainability at various stages of the
value chain?
Level 3. Sustainability in the design
process
Level 4. Sustainability in the business
model
Level 5. Creating new sustainable practices
At this level the company adhere to the
latest environmental standards and do it
before these standards are legally enforced
2a. Suppliers: Companies persuade
suppliers to adopt sustainable practices
regarding raw material production
2b. Production: Companies focus on its own
manufacturing practices to improve energy
efficiency, reduce wastage and
reduce/avoid use of fossil fuels
2c. Employees: Companies promote
activities like work from home, helping in
reducing environmental costs
2d. Sales: Companies try to regain some of
the lost value by reusing and finally
reselling. This means not only a more
profitable business but shows that
company is actually worried about reducing
environmental damage and waste than
about loss of new sales
Companies try to get a competitive
advantage by redesigning its existing
product or service and make it more
ecofriendly. Eg: Ecofriendly cars
At this level the company redesigns its
entire business model and makes it more
sustainable. Eg: Novartis Social Business
(NSB) model that supports global public
health
At this final level, the company develops
innovations that leads to new standards for
the entire industry and changing the
existing paradigm