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Patagonia's CEO Slams EPA Rollbacks: Authentic Climate Leadership Is Good Business

Patagonia's CEO Slams EPA Rollbacks: Authentic Climate Leadership Is Good Business

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 In a headline-making move just hours ago, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert publicly condemned the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest deregulatory shift under Administrator Lee Zeldin and the Trump administration. Writing for Fortune, Gellert lambasted the rollback of climate regulations as “endangering Americas businesses,” describing the actions as performative, destabilizing, and ultimately serving only fossil fuel interests at the expense of long-term market stability, business resilience, and public health. Gellert’s no-nonsense stance directly called out the spike in corporate “greenhushing”—when firms fearfully minimize public climate action—and declared that, for Patagonia, climate leadership and decarbonization efforts are both good business and a core purpose, regardless of shifting winds in Washington. He urged business peers not to retreat but to double down on science-backed climate action, reinforcing that regulatory chaos only underscores the need for authentic leadership and global competitiveness. This message is already circulating widely on business-news platforms and social media, where it’s feeding another round of debate on corporate climate responsibility and government overreach.

Separately, stories have continued to highlight Patagonia’s unusual ownership model—namely, its 2022 move to hand ownership over to environmental trusts, with Yvon Chouinard still holding honorary influence but ceding day-to-day spotlight to Gellert. Those details again surfaced on a recent iHeart ESG Currents podcast, with analysts dissecting Patagonia’s reputation as the gold standard for aligning business with environmental values. The Fortune and iHeart stories both cast Patagonia as the face of a broader movement resisting political pressure to back off on ESG and climate goals.

Trending on fashion and lifestyle outlets over the weekend, Patagonia’s high-profile summer sale was a magnet for both loyalists and new converts. Baggies shorts, Nano Puff jackets, and other core pieces have been flying off digital shelves at discounts up to 40 percent, prompting plenty of Instagram chatter about the brand’s rare, deep markdowns and the company’s “rugged pieces as true long-term investments,” as Esquire put it. Meanwhile, Gear Patrol previewed an upcoming redesign of Patagonia’s iconic R1 Air Fleece, emphasizing new tailoring that promises better mobility and fit—news sure to please the outdoor faithful once styles hit stores post-August 1.

If there was a behind-the-scenes contradiction this week, it popped up in an interview with Gellert posted to Instagram, where he was grilled about the conflicting pressures at the heart of running a purpose-driven apparel giant: environmental ambitions versus the realities of manufacturing scale. The CEO’s candid commentary—as captured both in text and by viral TikTok snippets—has fueled another round of influencer and consumer debate about authenticity and the fine line between marketing and mission.

On the executive moves and business development side: there are no credible reports of C-suite changes, scandals, or acquisitions tied to Patagonia or its core apparel business this week. No evidence of major controversies or financial pivots. Notably, Patagonia Lithium, an unrelated entity, has announced a capital raise in South America, but this has no connection to the outdoor brand.

Overall, Patagonia’s week was defined by bold CEO advocacy, a high-profile sale, teaser product news, and ongoing scrutiny of its values-first playbook—solidifying its spot in the center of the climate and business conversation as deregulation dominates political headlines.

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