Yvon Chouinard is an environmentalist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, legendary climber and surfer. He is also a writer, writing essays on the issues and ethics of outdoor climbing and, more recently, published a book on the mix of environmentalism and sound business practices in corporate policies (Green Economy Initiative, 2011). Chouinard is best known for his apparel and equipment company, Patagonia, Inc., where he has built a culture that aims to create an ideal work environment where employees thrive and become more productive at the same time. Patagonia's environmental ethos is exceptional, having founded 1% For the Planet, an alliance of companies that contribute at least 1% of their annual net sales to approved environmental organizations, and is working to revolutionize supply chain transparency supply in their company. Sustainable business practices have been at the heart of the company since its founding in the late 1950s, long before sustainability and being “green” became buzzwords. Yvon Chouinard is not only a successful businessman, but a leader with discipline, vision and influence. There are many definitions of what makes a great leader. When US News chooses America's best leaders each year, it judges on the following criteria: setting direction, cultivating a culture of growth and achieving results. Sustainable leadership focuses on leaders who have helped create products and services with a positive environmental or social impact; in others they have helped build a company culture that rewards and nurtures employees and stakeholders in new ways. According to Maxwell (2002), successful leadership is determined by a leader's effectiveness and impact on their organization. However, to earn t... half of the paper... cotton and other recycled materials in its production. Yvon Chouinard is an inspiring example of how far an individual can go in the direction of making their life a great adventure and achieving great success. Works Cited Green Economy Initiative (2011). Yvon Chouinard. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://greeneconomyinitiative.com/news/164/ARTICLE/1366/2009-01-20.htmlMaxwell, J.C. (2002). Leadership 101. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.Naturally Advanced Blog (2011, March 17). Articles tagged 'Yvon Chouinard' [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://naturallyadvanced.wordpress.com/tag/yvon-chouinard/Patagonia Inc. (2011). Patagonia.com. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://www.patagonia.com/us/homeTriple Pundit (2010). And the top ten most "sustainable" CEOs are... Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/01/top-ten-sustainable-ceos/