I was recently recommended a book by our CEO and founder, John Williams, called “let my people go surfing” by Yvon Chouinard. It is the founding story of a company you likely know well, Patagonia. At first I didn’t know why this book was so highly recommended; however, after the first couple chapters, I knew exactly why this was such an important read.

The founder of Patagonia thought they were out to prove that you could make high quality gear with a vision towards preserving the environment; but it was more connected than that, their goal was the prove a for-profit company could act on behalf of its shareholders and the environment, realizing that if you sacrificed one, you also sacrificed the other. It was directly understandable, because Patagonia products are for outdoor enthusiasts primarily, and if nature wasn’t sustained, then their business would be eroding the very environment needed to support their consumers.

While other companies have a less direct connection to nature and the environment, the connections still exist and are too often ignored. The success that Patagonia has seen is a testament that a for-profit company attempting to achieve good for the environment and global community can do so without sacrificing profits or shareholder returns.

It was our founder, John Williams’, intent to start a company that followed in the footsteps set out by Patagonia. His story explains why, when starting Autocase, it was to be more than just a corporation, it was a corporation set out to do good and great things – following that same mantra set out by Yvon.

Autocase’s mission is to empower you to create a more sustainable, resilient and cost-effective built environment, by unleashing the power of economic insights at scale.

We’ve helped people make decisions for the built environment that lower carbon emissions and air pollution, improve water quality and scarcity, and make places healthier for occupants and visitors. In the work we do, we do not shy away from the financial outlays needed for a better built environment, and we have helped project teams make the case for these investments, showing the operational financial savings and more.

We know that there are non-profits out there doing amazing work advocating for equitable communities, lower emissions, healthier choices and more, and despite being a for-profit company, we see ourselves as an important piece of the puzzle on helping make the green economy thrive. By being a corporation, we’ve been able to attract smart, collaborative, trustworthy and talented staff, and had the opportunity to build quality software products that otherwise may be out of reach.

We continue to walk in the footsteps carved out by Yvon, knowing that it is possible, to be a thriving corporation that also helps doing good by your community and environment.