Few businesses have people sat around waiting for work so I guess a business that has the time and staff hours to gain certification and / or efforts towards sustainability in any credible way is a bit closer to the Patagonia school of business than the Boohoo model, at least. Good points on how credible these certifications are though, not to be taken as the be-all end-all.
Value including ethics is a good point Reg. I'd rather buy from a business where I know the people there have a sense of responsibility and ethics than some box-shifting importers of the cheapest gear at any impact cost. No business is perfect, all consumption has a cost, but the overall effect of supporting a more responsible business seems better. Very/over-simplistic perhaps and of course 'more responsible' needs backing up.
Alpkit's founders are good guys, I spent some time with them in the early days of their company on a trip to the Alps and I found what they'd done and how they do it inspiring. People with values like that don't tend to sell out, you'd be in a different world/industry if you were a 'profits at all costs / DGAS' sort. That was a long time ago and businesses grow, things get out of line and hopefully get sorted as they grow maybe, but personally I believe they work in the right direction.
Not everyone has to (whore out for marketing purposes :mischevious:) advertise their ethical behavior.
So true. I wonder how many businesses have general good stuff that comes with the scale and influence a business can have as part of their motivations, I expect those who do, do tell people. Pride in company action as well as product. 'Let My People Go Surfing' is a good example of how this influences companies, changed how I think a large business could work anyway. It's a good PR thing for Patagonia yes, it's also a challenge to any other business - "it's not impossible, so why don't you do that?".
