Our podcast explores how ethical the company, Patagonia actually is. Specifically, we discussed the impact one incident in Taiwan had on the company as a whole. In 2011, it was discovered that Patagonia was violating the dignity and life of their workers (in the factories in Taiwan). From that one negative experience, Patagonia underwent much reform to ensure that, going forward they would protect their workers’ rights by giving them fair wages and safe working conditions. They also promised that child labor, forced labor, harassment, and discrimination would not be present in their company’s factories both in the U.S. and outside the U.S. Patagonia’s commitment to upholding the dignity of the human person and protection of God’s creation overall abides by Catholic Social Teaching.

Olivia Lynch