Sustainable Acronynms Revealed
The sustainability world loves its acronyms. It rivals the best of “consultant speak” batted around on corporate engagements ranging from business strategy, process, operations to stakeholder engagement.
The Onward Journey of Corporate Sustainability
I often say Corporate Sustainability is a journey. Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia didn’t start with a sustainable company in 1973. He progressed to it with the realization that his company’s impact on the environment was detrimental in its pursuit of creating useful goods for individuals to enjoy. His epiphany, that realization set his […]
Linking Purpose-Driven Leadership with Value Creation
FOUNDATIONS OF CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY There are key foundational aspects to corporate sustainability. The triple-bottom line philosophy is the stool on which all else stands. The legs of that stool are to bear weight in balance: a company is to equally emphasize in its course of operations 1) profit-making, 2) environmental pollution mitigation, and 3) societal […]
The Evolution of Corporate Sustainability
WHAT IS CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY? In the world of sustainability, as applied to corporate industry, we’re often met with varying approaches to and different definitions of business ‘sustainability’. Companies can view it as: a mindset (i.e., longevity of a business model), an approach (i.e., promote human productivity and satisfaction, a signal to the market or key […]
The Value-Driven Economics of Fishpeople Seafood
Kate Gaertner, the founder and managing director of TripleWin Advisory, interviewed Kipp Baratoff, co-founder and VP of Supply Chain of fishpeople seafood (headquartered in Portland, OR), in the Fall of 2018. Fishpeople seafood is both in the business of fish and sustainability, arguably equally. Read Kipp’s approach to building value through quality, transparency and community. […]
Mainstreaming Sustainable Innovation
Biomimicry in Action We have all seen or experienced innovations based on the science of blending biology with technology. Two of the best-known examples of the science of studying nature to make more effective products for man’s use include: Speedo’s sharkskin swimwear or full-body LZR suit: proudly displayed on the svelte bodies of 2008 Olympic […]
Setting Strategy: The Role of the Board
The Key Function of a Corporate Board A key function of a company’s Board of Directors is to assess the future direction and set the long-term strategy of an organization. Any leadership structure should include positive, goal-oriented, and progressive voices to reach the critical business objectives of maintaining healthy profits and ensuring the longevity of […]
What is Climate Change? (A poem of sorts)
What’s climate change? First, Climate change = global warming. Stalled hurricanes = heavy rain for days. Why? Hotter air holds more moisture. More moisture makes for more rain. Unusually long droughts. More dryer days but when it rains, Excessive rain downpours. Stronger storms = more Category 3 & 4 Hurricanes making landfall. Warming surface waters […]
I Know Weather. What’s Climate?
The “Global” in Front of Climate Change. We have all heard about global climate change. We may have an idea of what its effects will be on the planet: sea level rises, unpredictable weather, and/or water scarcity in some regions. We have been told that climate change is mainly human-induced but may not be sure […]
Using Industrial Ecology to Rethink Fashion Consumerism
Assessing the Apparel Industry as a Whole The apparel industry is massive. From a supply side, clothing and textiles represent about seven percent of world exports, with China alone accounting for nearly a quarter of the world’s apparel exports. On the demand side, 2011 consumption levels in the global textile and garment industry reached nearly […]