Vincent Stanley, director of philosophy at Patagonia, is known for his down-to-earth and eco-friendly ways of doing business.
But he's also made a name for himself as a thought leader in the field of social and environmental responsibility, and now Yale students can add his philosophy to that list.
Stanley gave a talk at the school's Social Impact Lab last week in which he discussed how businesses can make a positive social and environmental impact, Business Insider reports.
"Don't waste any time, exercise your values," he told the audience.
Stanley's talk aligned with Yale's mission to educate leaders for business and society and came at the right time for students pondering post-graduation employment, Business Insider notes.Stanley opened the discussion reflecting on three key lessons he learned throughout his time at Patagonia: "Tell a story and bring your customers along."
In the company's early days, Patagonia learned that their pitons (rock-climbing equipment) were degrading the environment by damaging the rock faces their customers loved to climb.
Over time, the chock technology came to dominate the climbing landscape.Stanley described the inspiration for Patagonia's philanthropic practices.
This story continues to drive Patagonia's preference to give to local people and organizations connected to their communities
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