Recently, WOW noted with interest that the sustainability mission statement of outdoor clothing company Patagonia included the phrase ‘the struggle to become a responsible company’.
That’s quite a frank admission for a business to make. And although WOW’s journey as a natural cleaning brand is just beginning, it’s definitely a sentiment to which we can relate. Every business decision has a moral dimension to it.
It’s easy for a company to develop a corporate social responsibility charter. But it’s not so easy to live by it. In the overriding pursuit of profits for their shareholders, some companies rely on simple accountancy tricks like carbon offsets to bolster their CSR credentials. But all too often, such initiatives are at best tokenistic, and at worst, deceptive greenwashing.
WOW is not yet a perfect example of a company that is completely beneficial to both people and the environment from which it sources its ingredients… but we believe we have a vision and the business model to become one.
With time, more research, investment, the continued support of our customers, and of course the right decisions, we hope to get there.
And good luck to Patagonia in its quest to do the same.