The sustainable business ecosystem tends to consider corporate integrity as a result of noble intentions and great mission statements. It is quite comforting to assume that, as long as a company has a strong culture and always speaks about its values and its philanthropic objectives, it will retain its integrity even in the midst of fast development processes. The trouble is that such an approach neglects the cold truth that many rapidly growing businesses have to deal with sooner or later. Before a company manages to pass through the difficult stage of transitioning to new leaders or dealing with tough competition, its initial mission and values may simply become overshadowed by the simple need to increase profits.
Through a revolutionary change that broke the conventional corporate succession practices, the groundbreaking fashion label Patagonia eliminated this weakness by integrating its core principles within a legal structure. Rather than pursuing an enormous initial public offering or selling the company to the highest bidder, Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, and his family divested themselves of the company in its entirety in order to save the environment. Although the media was fixated on the extraordinary act of benevolence performed by Patagonia, what truly set this outdoor retailer apart was its commitment to embedding environmental objectives within its corporate structure.
