For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved all things fashion — it’s the only business that I’ve ever wanted to pursue a career in, because it gives me a space to be expressive and reflect who I am. I also have always a strong love for the environment, and connecting my love for fashion and sustainability is where my passion lies. Because of these two passions, I was so excited to sit down and chat with Jay Barrett, founder of people-centric human resources company Culture Canopy, about our shared values and what drives him each day.
Barrett shared that he learned about the unethical processes of the meat industry years ago and became a vegan — a process I also went through when I started educating myself about the impacts of the food and meat industry in my high school’s vegetarian club. Barrett’s change to more environmentally-conscious food was the start of his purpose-driven journey to work towards a more ethical and sustainable future for people and the planet.
The values of ethics and sustainability that Barnett built through his personal life transitioned naturally into what Barrett believed is important in business as well: equity for all people. He worked toward that mission as he led human resources teams at Kering and Stella McCartney through his 12-plus years in the fashion industry. The fact that Barrett has been working for social responsibility at such mission-driven companies is exciting to me, as I admire brands and designers who put people and the planet at the forefront of their business.
Barrett’s work at successful female-led and environmentally- and socially-driven brands inspired him to drive more change across more companies. In 2021, Barrett decided to create a business of his own in order to broaden his impact with the purpose to continue his people- focused work with businesses that stand for something good and that empower women in the workplace.
Barrett’s new company, Culture Canopy, represents his drive and all that he has urgently worked for before the company’s founding. With Culture Canopy, Barrett implements belonging, purpose and sustainability by educating and guiding his brand clients on ethical recruitment, transparency strategies and people analytics. Culture Canopy demonstrates how to present genuine transparency of work and gives aid in recruiting people that come from diverse backgrounds in order to join together for an innovation-driven work environment. Barrett emphasized the importance of the recruiting aspect of his position, and its ability to find a range of candidates with different backgrounds and experiences — which drives businesses to become more human-centric.
Barrett, who was born and raised in Europe, is hyper-aware of the social and environmental crisis that is climate change, as environmental news is at the forefront of European news outlets. I took this to heart, as I’ve spent so much time in nature growing up; nature has played a special role in my life and driven my passion for environmentalism. Barrett’s important work attempts to lessen the social crises of climate change and build up people so they can be mindful of the planet and people. Culture Canopy is setting a foundation for mindful business practices through policies, certifications and people-first guidelines — so much of climate change’s effects start within the business models of companies all around the world.
The way that Barrett speaks about his work, his passion and what drives him to make positive changes with all of the companies and people that he works with gives me great hope for the future. The way that ethical businesses — which have such a large impact on people and the planet — address brand values through transparency and communication also gives me hope for a brighter future.
To me, a better world is a world in which people and businesses come together to make positive changes — whether in business or life — in regard to environmentalism and ethics. A better world includes great drivers of change, like Culture Canopy, and is a world that includes every company committing to act gently and lovingly to all people and the planet. I have hope in that better world because of positive change-makers like Barrett, and my goal is to follow similar footsteps with an intersection of fashion and environmentalism.
