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One of the key takeaways from making\u00a0The Announcement<\/em>\u00a0was this: there\u2019s a lot of well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective \u2018activism\u2019 in the outdoor industry, especially when it comes to sustainability and climate action.<\/p>\n That goes for individuals, but also for brands\u2014many of whom, I think, could benefit from thinking more deeply and honestly about what they\u2019re actually trying to achieve.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a point made powerfully by Erinch Sahan of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab in episode three, when he criticised what he called\u00a0\u201cthe purpose industry\u201d<\/em>\u00a0that\u2019s sprung up around the B Corp movement:<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s now a whole industry of people earning a livelihood by promoting B Corps and helping companies become B Corps. Their livelihoods depend on maintaining a positive marketing image.<\/p>\n The process also requires companies to market the B Corp idea itself\u2014creating a kind of euphoria, a positive story that makes it really hard to then be honest about what the tool is, what it isn\u2019t, and what it actually reveals about a company\u2019s values at its core.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This really resonates with me.<\/p>\n When I\u2019m not making podcasts, I run a marketing agency called All Conditions Media. And the most common thing I hear from new clients is:\u00a0\u201cWe want to be like Patagonia.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing about Patagonia: they\u2019ve never tried to be like anyone else.<\/p>\n Instead, they\u2019ve consistently challenged themselves to make a real, measurable impact. That\u2019s led them to do genuinely progressive things: founding 1% for the Planet, becoming one of the first B Corps, and most recently, setting up a non-profit to channel the majority of their profits.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what sets them apart. Not the messaging\u2014the\u00a0action<\/em>.<\/p>\n And that, to me, is the real lesson from both Patagonia\u2019s decision and the series as a whole:<\/p>\n We all need to ask ourselves a more forthright question: Not what sounds good. Not what ticks the boxes. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
What action can I take that will actually make a difference to the issues I claim to care about?<\/strong><\/p>\n
What\u00a0actually<\/em>\u00a0helps.<\/p>\n