An Interview With Monica Sanders
Supplier partnership and collaboration is essential to making real progress together.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Joanna MacDonald, Founder & CEO, Piper & Skye.
Joanna MacDonald is the founder of the responsible luxury accessory brand Piper & Skye. Before launching the company in 2015, MacDonald studied at the London College of Fashion, broadening her knowledge of luxury accessory design. She started her career as a human resource professional in agricultural manufacturing, but her entrepreneurial spirit contributed to her pivot into fashion design, specifically luxury handbags. She also credits this career change in part to her late grandmother, who, at an early age, taught her the feeling a woman has when carrying a piece of fashion on her arm, especially when it was created with a genuine purpose. This purpose has driven MacDonald’s deep-rooted understanding and appreciation for inclusion, transparency and responsibility within Piper & Skye. Under her careful guidance, Piper & Skye has achieved a transparent supply chain, using artisans to develop ethically made, sustainable goods with a lower carbon footprint than traditional leather. With a dedication to #raisingthebar for luxury, MacDonald is constantly innovating the brand’s products and direction with a genuine concern for people and the planet and a responsibility for both internal and external stakeholders. She infuses philanthropic efforts with every initiative, specifically supporting survivors of domestic abuse, human trafficking and homelessness. MacDonald believes the future of luxury goods lies in being environmentally conscious and sustainable, something she has been passionate about developing and innovating for years.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It’s north of North Dakota and probably the coldest place on earth!
After high school, I went to The University of British Columbia in Vancouver and then attended Vancouver Film School. I could not decide if I wanted to pursue a business-related career or a creative endeavor. There are two important pieces of my upbringing that I believe have contributed to who I am today and each has played a part in why my brand is what it is.
I grew up as a high-level competitive highland dancer. I spent all of my summers and 4–5 nights a week regularly with my dance coach and dance crew. We were taught hard work, endurance, grinding through the tough times, smiling through injuries, and presenting ourselves on a global stage despite, at times, a lack of confidence or grueling injuries. We learned how to endure the tough times with an optimism that it was going to be “worth it”. One of the takeaways that my dance instructor instilled in me was the value of visualization. She taught us how to visualize the end goal — standing on that stage with that first-place award, or the aggregate trophy, and finishing that dreaded sword dance the exact way we dreamed it would be executed. She would make us lie down, close our eyes, and through every step of that dance, visualize ourselves doing exactly the way we wanted. I was taught to be a very high achiever in a very competitive environment. I was very successful in highland dancing and the grit and hustle I learned from that world stays with me to this very day. I attribute much of this early training to how I have stayed with this dream of competing on the global stage, not only with a very competitive luxury handbag market but simultaneously making a positive impact. I visualize it, I can see it happen, and I believe it is possible.
Later in life, in my mid-twenties, I began working in an agriculture/manufacturing environment that produces harvesting machinery that ultimately feeds the world. Under the careful guidance of my HR Director, Heather Horton, I worked in Human Resources for 8 years for a leading global manufacturer of harvesting equipment. During this time I worked in hiring/recruitment, disability management, lean (Six Sigma) processes, safety and health, corporate wellness, and more. It is here I developed a deep appreciation for how large companies operate. I learned about business from a people perspective, spending time on the “shop floor” and gaining an understanding of the processes in place, the importance of quality control, supply chain challenges, packaging and branding, and sales and marketing strategies, all by seeing how this company was working so closely with its own employees, it’s dealership network, and the farmers in the fields. I worked for 8 years at this company and am grateful to have witnessed the very human aspect of the operations.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
Community, responsibility and respect are my why. These are my core values, both personally and professionally. I did Simon Sinek’s “Discover Your Why” course a few years back and it really helped me focus on what matters to me. I love being a part of a community. I love working with others. I love supporting other people in need and really caring about what is going on around me. One way that Piper & Skye acts on this value is by sourcing locally as much as possible, and when we aren’t able to, we go to great lengths to learn about the local communities from which we source. For example, our pirarucu leather comes from Brazil, so we collaborate with our material supplier to actively support and meet the needs of the local community there. Recently, Piper & Skye donated new, higher-quality nets to the local fishing community. This was a need as it has a direct impact on preserving the local fauna, that is, the smaller fish are no longer caught by accident as they can swim through the larger holes in the new nets. This just goes to show how small actions can lead to significant and far-reaching positive effects on the environment.
Respect is a word I believe cannot be demanded or commanded, It has to be EARNED. I have been giving this particular word much thought of late and thinking about how one earns respect and what factors determine if another has earned your respect.
Lastly comes responsibility. I have always carried this value with me in life with serious consternation. I have seen all around me the many ways that my family has a deep sense of responsibility to humans, and I admire this quality in them. I hope to carry on this deep sense of taking responsibility for others less fortunate in my future endeavors.
Years ago, I went to Lineapelle and met Nova Kaeru who supplies our pirarucu leather out of Brazil. This was around the time I was learning what sustainability was. It all clicked for me when I met them. They offer a material that checks all of my boxes: award-winning for environmental sustainability, a food source, and the pirarucu supports the economy of local fishing communities in Brazil. The standards were set so high for me from day one because of my upbringing and family business. I have always thought about the end consumer and the impact of your product on this planet.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
Piper & Skye was founded on the idea that luxury goods production and sustainable, ethical business practices can co-exist without being mutually exclusive. I esteem working with my peers in this industry and raising the bar for luxury goods. The industry can and needs to DO BETTER. Given proper planning, collaboration, education, innovative thinking, and a true desire to do better, we have the ability to stop being one of the world’s worst causes of harm. For example, our focus is on circularity. First and foremost, this is based on our ethos that we are simply borrowing from nature to create gorgeous and intentionally sustainable handbags. By crafting our handbags from exotic fish leathers such as pirarucu, wild American alligator, and invasive Florida python, each a by-product of the food industry, we do not use virgin materials. As we are focused on designing high-quality luxury handbags that can be passed from generation to generation, we further reduce the environmental degradation associated with virgin production. So, while some may associate luxury goods with wasteful processes and a lack of concern for the planet, we proudly borrow from nature to create our products with much respect for the species we borrow from.
We’ve designed every aspect of our organization from the ground up to consider sustainable choices each step of the way, and ultimately “leave this place in better shape than we found it”. We stand with confidence in our material selection criteria. We stand confidently in the fact that we have selected suppliers, manufacturers, and partners who share our vision for the future. We are very proud of the work we’ve put in. It has been a slow and steady journey, but I, myself, can stand with confidence that I never took the shortcuts and held out for better solutions to present themselves, and so far, they have.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Recently Piper & Skye was awarded the esteemed Butterfly Mark Certification from Positive Luxury which reflects the hard work we’ve put into our business model to create positive impacts across all aspects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) pillars. We’ll continue to track our progress and align with Positive Luxury’s focus on setting guidelines for sustainable and responsible luxury as we move forward.
I really do “love what we are made of”. It took a while for this tagline to present itself, but one day, it just hit me. I am so confident in our partnerships, our material selections, our team members, our team cohesiveness, our suppliers, our mentors and advisors, and our ultimate goals which align with propelling the luxury goods industry further along the path to leaving this place in better shape than we found it. I believe we are on the right track, and Positive Luxury’s Butterfly Mark Certification has only solidified our commitments.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Leor Rotchild, former head of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), is my sustainability mentor; Ann Saunders was my handbag instructor at the London College of Fashion; Heather Horton, HR Director at MacDon Industries, Ltd. was another great mentor; and so many others!
I would like to mention that it has not all been sunshine and rainbows. There have been a great many “doubters” and “haters” along the way. My dad used to say “Jo, if it is not making any money, it is just a hobby,” to which I would respond, “But dad! It takes ten years to be an overnight sensation!”.
I’ve always remained willing to put in the hard work. I give credit to my family and my highland dancing career. I learned to be competitive from a young age and learned that nothing comes easy without hard work, a bunch of grit and grind, a great team around you, severe dedication, willingness to struggle, and times of losing faith, but if you are having fun along the way and enjoying each day that passes, there must be an end in sight that will be a celebration of the heart.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
We want to leave this place in better shape than we found it and we are doing our small part to ensure this is so.
We’re hyper-focused on selecting partners that have environmentally safe and ethical practices when it comes to the use of chemicals and hazardous materials in the tanning processes. Piper & Skye looks to the Leather Working Group (LWG) for guidance on selecting suppliers that are audited and verified for ethical and environmentally safe practices and procedures.
In addition, Piper & Skye has undertaken a massive carbon modeling project to calculate our company’s carbon baseline to the best of our ability. We’re currently on Milestone 2 of 3. Once we have a baseline measurement, our goal is to set reduction targets and continue to monitor and measure our progress toward them. Our philosophy is, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
Furthermore, our material selection criteria list is something I am very proud of. I stand by my decision to only source materials that fit within my list of criteria.
As an example, we’re working with INVERSA Leathers and tackling the invasive species that are causing much damage to our aquatic ecological environments, and severely impacting the biodiversity of our shorelines. INVERSA Leathers tans only invasive species such as Burmese python and lionfish to name a few. We design bags to align with the use of these leathers. Together, INVERSA Leathers and Piper & Skye are partnering to educate the public on the beneficial use of invasive species’ leathers to make end consumer products. In doing so, we are diverting a waste product from landfill, and furthering the eradication of invasive species.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
First, I think we should remove these timelines and deadlines. Rather, I think we should do as much as we can, as soon as we can. The actions that we need to take as a global community to impact change feel like a relay race and we can only reach the finish line if we work together. The sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll reach our goal. Let’s do the best we can, today, tomorrow, and going forward.
1. Our articles of incorporation have been legally changed to state that Piper & Skye operates with the interests of all stakeholders in mind, not only shareholders. This means we as a company are not bound to make business decisions that purely consider profit only. Our decision-making also takes our ESG initiatives and SDG commitments into consideration. This is a crucial step to committing to these initiatives. We have to make a commitment as a brand to make these important decisions solidified and shared internally as well as publicly.
2. Piper & Skye is currently working on developing a repair and maintenance program to extend the life of our Piper & Skye handbags once out in the wild. Our production team is in order to collect our scrap material cuttings so that they can be either utilized and upcycled or sent to a leather recycling facility. These are just two of the ways we’re working behind the scenes to build upon Piper & Skye’s circularity strategies.
3. The materials from which our artisans produce our handbags are carefully chosen in consultation with our rigorous Material Selection Criteria. The materials that we use ultimately are those that have the greatest positive impact on the environment and biodiversity. As our material selection criteria continually evolve in line with the latest environmental research, so too, does the construction of our handbags.
4. We’re eager to complete our carbon modeling baseline initiative. This is something that I believe all companies should be doing. It’s taking responsibility for business activity when it comes to the climate and good self-reflection. It’s important that we as a collective species aren’t ignoring this.
5. Invasive Species. The work I have begun doing with INVERSA Leathers has educated me incredibly about the damage invasive species are causing to our biodiversity, the ecosystems in which they now exist, and the irreparable damage they cause the longer we continue to allow them to exist alongside us. I have partnered with INVERSA Leathers to tackle this exact problem.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
1) More rules and regulations should be enforced to ensure that companies are based on a foundation of responsible and ethical principles. This would help regulate greenwashing and help to better inform consumers. Once consumers have a greater awareness, I believe they too will hold companies accountable for the claims they’re making and they’ll become more discerning.
2) We need politicians to listen closer to the change-makers and focus groups that have ideas, proposals, and innovative solutions to share on how to help our people and the planet. There are so many individuals and organizations that are doing great work to benefit biodiversity, regeneration, the environment, promoting industrial circularity, etc. These brands would benefit greatly from the support of the politicians who have the power to enact change on a larger scale. We’re all in this together. It really does “take a village”.
3) More support for artists and brands making use of the skins of invasive species, and more public education around the humane management of this problem, and how artisans are assisting in the most humane use of these species with what they do.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
Part of what Piper & Skye does isn’t just to run a company for profit. We’re trying to create a sustainability movement towards businesses (especially in the luxury sector) taking action and promoting corporate responsibility over maximizing profit (and/or placing equal importance). More consumer education should be promoted because many discerning customers of today, including both the aging population as well as the up-and-coming generations, do care and are trying to discern and navigate their buying decisions. Consumers have the power to hold businesses accountable for acting more ethically and intentionally. We’re trying to create and help build a movement toward ethical business practices in our industry, so we strive to partner with suppliers and organizations that are of the same mindset.
I believe that soon there will come a day when brands that do not display and prove their involvement and commitment to these efforts will wither away and no longer matter as it is no longer an option to not care.
It’s now or never and while some organizations may see the resources spent on sustainability efforts as a “loss” or expenditure they cannot quantify/justify, the harsh reality will eventually hit them. They will have missed out on an opportunity to be a part of what propels us forward. It is a financial risk and it does cost more right now but if a brand wants to remain in business, I strongly believe it is a requirement and something the consumers of today are demanding.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
1. Storytelling is critical to educating consumers and brand image/understanding.
2. Supplier partnership and collaboration is essential to making real progress together.
3. The speed at which change needs to happen is a lot more urgent than we know….but the best first step is to bite off only as much as you can chew. It is not a race, but there is urgency.
4. There will always be people who will doubt the time, effort, and money spent on sustainable practices. They’ll say it’s a waste and that it won’t make a difference. The path to sustainability is certainly not easy work, but I still believe it’s the hard work that is the right work.
5. Listening and learning are essential in the journey to sustainability for all.
11) Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
I have a few. Michelle Obama as she is a very passionate, educated, caring, insightful and innovative woman. Warren Buffett as his values spread far beyond financial gains. He has a level of caring for both people and the planet that is not seen in many of the “richest people in the world.” George Stroumboulopoulos, a fellow Canadian whom I simply admire and enjoy watching how he interviews public figures. Lastly, Denzel Washington. Need I explain? He is beyond motivational.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org
How Joanna MacDonald Of Piper & Skye Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.