Patagonia to assess climate impacts on suppliers

EXCLUSIVE – US Outdoor brand, Patagonia, is launching a pilot programme with key suppliers to look at how climate change is impacting the lives of workers in sourcing hubs such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. The move is in response to a growing body of evidence that developing countries, including many where Patagonia clothing is made, are “getting slammed,” by the impacts of climate change. Patagonia’s radical new programme will initially include research to learn about how climate change is already impacting workers’ lives.

To start with, the company says it will initiate solutions with a few suppliers, as recommended by local communities. The programme will then be scaled over time. The company says lessons learned will potentially be used to help others in the apparel sector make similar changes for their supply chains.