President acknowledges Patagonia’s policies

President Obama praises the footwear company’s employee assistance programme.

US outdoor wear producer Patagonia has been praised by President Barack Obama for its commitment to working families. Mr Obama remarked: “Patagonia employees don’t have to choose between paying the bills and seeing their kids shine in the class play. That means that worker will do whatever it takes to help the company succeed the next time out, because they know Rose (chief executive, Rose Marcario) and others at the top are looking out for them.”

Ms Marcario shared the accolade with Malinda Chouinard who, the chief executive said, had made Patagonia a great place for families, and Anita Furtaw, who developed the company’s child development programme some three decades ago.

According to Ms Marcario, Patagonia is happy to serve as a model for other companies who want to do the right thing by their employees, and added that it is a necessary element of modern business. Along with a number of other benefits, Patagonia reportedly provides company-paid healthcare and sick leave for all employees, in addition to two months of paid maternity and paternity leave, access to on-site childcare for many employees, and financial support to workers without such access.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 6 of the June 2015 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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