SILVIA LASERNA

Challenge:

Help Patagonia design a strategy to make their sustainability communications more readily available to their customers and other businesses in the industry.

Outcome:

An innovative communications strategy that connects Patagonia’s products with sustainability information via virtual reality and a new website layout that maximizes accessibility to the information their customers care most about.

The apparel industry has been the focus of human rights abuses, environmental depletion and the promotion of wasteful lifestyles for the past twenty years. Some of the most famous scandals include the collapse of manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh, child labor across South East Asia, the fast fashion movement in western countries and the toxic neon dye released into water sources in Mexico.

As an industry leader in outdoor apparel, Patagonia has adopted and promoted sustainability practices through conscientious sourcing, socially responsible manufacturing, low emission supply chain and various conservation advocacy efforts. It also has partnerships with educational and research institutions that help advance relevant technology, create awareness of environmental issues and educate on activism practices.

Nevertheless, Patagonia’s multiple sustainability efforts are not having the outreach or impact they would like. Patagonia approached the Berkeley Haas consultancy team to help them design a communications campaign for their sustainability practices targeting their current and potential customers.

Approach:

• Map Patagonia’s current sustainability initiatives, the way they are being communicated and perform a website usability assessment.
• Understand customers’ preferences within sustainability and how they perceive Patagonia’s sustainability efforts through personal semi-structured interviews.
• Understand demand for sustainability communications from customers and NGOs through literature, digital media research and expert interviews.
• Complete apparel industry bench-marking for sustainability communication strategies.

Findings:

• There is growing demand for sustainability reporting in the apparel industry.
• NGOs (sustainability rankings & watchdogs) are inconsistent.
• Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and understand that products have a story.
• Virtual Reality is at the forefront of communications allowing for increased transparency, storytelling and attracting young audiences.

The Team:

My Role:

• Conceived the communications strategy proposed to Patagonia
• Conducted user interviews on sustainability and communication preferences
• Directed Usability Assessment of Patagonia website
• Designed proposed layout for Patagonia website for desktop and mobile devices
• Completed bench-marking for sustainability communications in outdoor apparel
• Coordinated weekly meeting times, spaces and deliverables among team members
• Mapped Patagonia’s relationships with stakeholders in the industry, clients, suppliers and NGOs