The B Team recently announced the addition of Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, to its group of global business and civil society leaders.
Gellert has been at the helm of the California-based outdoor apparel company since 2020. He oversaw the transfer of the company’s ownership to two entities in September 2022: The Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective. The structure legally enshrines the company’s values and purpose and allows for every dollar that’s not reinvested back into the company to be distributed as an annual dividend to help protect nature.
The B Team, co-founded by Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz in 2013, came together united in the belief that business has both the capacity and the responsibility to become a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit. Today, while the world grapples with simultaneous challenges — from climate and nature crises to active conflicts and human rights catastrophes — the need for bold leadership, particularly from business leaders, is irrefutable.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ryan Gellert to The B Team,” said B Team CEO Halla Tómasdóttir. “Ryan exemplifies courageous leadership. His unwavering yet humble commitment to the well-being of people and nature sets the gold standard for sustainable business practices. We look forward to collaborating with Ryan to catalyze a world where we can all love where we live and work.”
Gellert joins The B Team alongside leaders including Jesper Brodin (Inkga Group), Ester Baiget (Novonesis), Oliver Bäte (Allianz), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Emmanuel Faber (ISSB), André Hoffmann (Roche), Ilham Kadri (Syensqo), Andrew Liveris, Juan Carlos Mora (Bancolombia), Jacqueline Novogratz (Acumen), Paul Polman, Mary Robinson (The Elders) and Hamdi Ulukaya (Chobani).
“I’m joining The B Team because they’re redefining business culture and developing better leaders worldwide,” Gellert said. “I look forward to working on this collective effort with leaders I respect and pushing the business community to scale solutions to the environmental crisis and the other pressing challenges of our time.”