Patagonia has become the patron saint of purpose-led brands. Their commitment to ethical production, marketing, and sales of products is legendary among their legions of fans. Wendy Savage, their Director of Social Responsibility and a lifelong activist for social justice, oversees the relationships with the workers in the brand’s supply chain and shares how Patagonia has created an ethical model that it shares openly in hopes it will become a new norm for how to take care of workers and the planet.

Check out our companion book Good is The New Cool: The Principles of Purpose at www.theprinciplesofpurpose.com and you can join the Good is The New Cool community at www.goodisthenewcool.com

This episode has been brought to you by NTT Disruption.

About Wendy Savage

Wendy Savage is a multifaceted Sustainability and Supply Chain leader with over 18 years of experience.

In her current role as Director of Social Responsibility, Traceability and Animal Welfare at Patagonia, Wendy is responsible for the company’s global supply chain responsibility strategy and commitment to upholding Patagonia’s Workplace Code of Conduct and Fair Labor Association (FLA) obligations such as the implementation of Living Wages and Responsible Purchasing Practices. She serves on the FLA Board of Directors, leads the company’s Regenerative Organic initiative, Fair Trade program and its work to eradicate Human Trafficking in the supply chain through Patagonia’s Migrant Workers Program. In the area of Traceability and Animal Welfare Ms. Savage leads the company’s Content Claims Substantiation for responsible fibers as well as the development and implementation of Patagonia’s animal welfare strategy and policies.

Throughout her career, Wendy has advised a wide variety of industries from Apparel to Food, Agriculture and Extractives. She has worked on programs based on certifications and initiatives such as FLA (Fair Labor Association), RJC (Responsible Jewelry Council), BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative), SA8000 (Social Accountability 8000), Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s HIGG Index, B Corp. and others.

Originally from Lima, Peru, Wendy completed her studies in Sociology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She was then awarded with a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship to represent the United States in France, where she completed a Master’s in Business Management at SKEMA Business School (Formerly CERAM). She is fluent in Spanish, English and French.