-- Taking on a cause. Revolutionary responsible companies believe that
what you stand for is far more important than what you sell. When
Organic Valley organized itself around a mission that mattered --
saving the family farm -- it sparked employees' imaginations and became
a magnet for powerful partners. The result: it's now the nation's
second largest brand of organic dairy products.
-- Daring to wear the see-through. To be a truly responsible company, you
can't be opaque. So the Danish pharmaceutical Novo Nordisk, the world's
largest maker of insulin, invites animal-welfare activists to tour its
labs and improve its protocols for animal experimentation, which were
later incorporated in the Council of Europe's guidelines on the
protection of animals in medical research. The drug-maker understands
that by acting transparently, it stands a better chance of turning
critics into collaborators.
-- Scaling innovation. Green marketing campaigns don't cut it anymore;
insurgent good companies focus on innovation rather than reputation.
Nike harnesses the creativity of its designers through the Considered
Index, which rates the ingredients for each product and suggests more
sustainable alternatives. The 2009 Air Jordan XX3 is the first version
of Nike's most celebrated sneaker to marry sustainability and
performance -- and is expected to sell 500,000 pairs.
These and many more actionable strategies from the book will help
businesses large and small win the race to the future. In fact, a recent
study by A.T. Kearney found that during the recession, companies
authentically committed to sustainability outperformed their industry peers
by an average of 15%, adding an average of $650 million to their market
capitalization. As the economy improves, doing good will be the key to
doing well.
Why? Because authentically responsible companies outdo their competitors at
confronting the transformational forces that are changing the way business
is done today:
-- The growing army of activist consumers and watchdog non-governmental
organizations, who expect global brands to promote social well-being;
-- A talent war for A+ employees who demand a karmic paycheck in addition
to their salary;
-- Stakeholders who are pressuring institutional investors to adopt a
responsible investing strategy.
-- Global climate change is forcing business to confront a world of
scarcer resources and a swarm of new regulations.
With Internet-savvy customers scrutinizing companies' activities and
organizing boycotts at the slightest sign of misbehavior, "bad" businesses
have nowhere to hide. Fringe notions that business should be
environmentally and socially sustainable have moved to the mainstream --
and the business landscape has been fundamentally transformed.
In an entertaining and inspiring read, Hollender and Breen show that those
companies that effectively commit to a genuine socially and environmentally responsible business and culture will land on
the upside of the change curve and create real, sustainable value.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Jeffrey
Hollender is the co-founder, Executive Chairman and Chief Inspired
Protagonist of Seventh Generation Inc. His blog, Inspired Protagonist, is a closely-followed resource
spotlighting socially responsible business practices on the global stage.
He has led Seventh Generation from its humble beginnings to its current
position as the nation's fastest growing brand of natural home and
personal-care products. As a leading authority on issues related to green
consumerism, he frequently addresses social and environmental
responsibility issues at national and international venues. He co-founded
and was a director of Community Capital Bank, a New York financial
institution that invests in affordable housing and community development.
He serves on the Board of Directors of Greenpeace USA, Healthy Child
Healthy World, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, the
Environmental Health Fund, Verite, and Alloy Inc. He's also helping to
build the American Sustainable Business Council, a national coalition of
over 150,000 executives and entrepreneurs who are working to create a more
equitable and sustainable economy.
Bill Breen is Seventh Generation's editorial director and the co-author,
with Gary Hamel, of "The Future of Management," which was selected by
Amazon.com as the best business book of 2007. He was the founding senior
editor on the original team that launched Fast Company, where he led the
launch of its special issue on design and wrote some of the magazine's most
talked about articles on leadership, competition, innovation, and risk. He
speaks to business audiences throughout the country and has appeared on
CNN, Fox, CBS Radio, National Public Radio, and other media outlets.
ABOUT THE BOOK: THE RESPONSIBILITY REVOLUTION How the Next Generation of Businesses Will Win Jossey-Bass March 15, 2010; $27.95; 240 pages ISBN: 978-0470558423
Contact Information: Contact: Meghan Butler Seventh Generation (802) 658-3773 meb@seventhgeneration.com Mark Fortier Fortier Public Relations 212-675-6460 mark@fortierpr.com