Part 6

Critiques

06

Sincerity

In looking at O'Neill's actions towards sustainability, they do seem sincere in their efforts. The strides they take towards sustainability in the community, workplace and marketplace lead us to believe that they maintain a status of a "company of good". In other words, O'Neill prioritizes ethical operations and doing good deeds for society and stakeholders. We see this through their community outreach program "O'Neill Sea Odyssey", their commitment to change how they work, and efforts to improve the supply chain.

Leadership

O'Neill's founder, Jack O'Neill was in love with the water. He was an environmentalist who cared deeply about ocean conservation and tried avidly to teach others about the importance of taking care of the water. He is famous for the line, "The ocean is alive, and we must take care of it!", a phrase which the brand values in their work to this day. The current CEO, Peter Truijen commits to working towards resilience within the company. In their 2020 CSR Report, Truijen states, "We will continue using this momentum to challenge ourselves and better our environmental footprint to protect our oceans for generations to come." In reading this, we can assume that those in leadership positions at the company are committed to taking steps towards a "greener" future.

Behind the Scenes

On the outside, O'Neill highlights all of the ways that they are invested in creating a strong, trustworthy organization with a good reputation. The only place that there may be some issues within the organization worth hiding is within the supply chain. Although they make commitments towards transparency and good working condition within their factories, there is no guarantee that it always holds true. With factories being in places like Bangladesh and India, there is the possibility that workers conditions are not as good as they may seem. Although, each factory that they operate out of has specific protocols to follow to avoid any issues. Partnering with NGO's to rectify workplace issues could give reason to believe that conditions are worse than then may seem.

Critic's Perception

Societal

O'Neill commits to giving back to society. Critics can see this through their efforts within the community. Not only have they founded a community outreach program, but they also provide examples of ambassadors participating in beach clean ups and sustainable campaigns.

Sincere

With founder Jack O'Neill's mantra being to protect the ocean, critics can see the ways in which the company continues to advocate for, and take action towards a more sustainable future within the company's practices.

Transparent

In creating a CSR report, O'Neill creates an open conversation with stakeholders about their business practices. This shows transparency because they are willing to show not only their progress, but also setbacks.