Why integrate a social mission into your business? You’re an entrepreneur with an idea and maybe a business plan, a small-business owner or the head of mid-sized company. To expect you to add social purpose to your business just because it’s a good thing to do, is foolish. You have a bottom-line and other obligations […]
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For Gap Adventures, Sustainability Is The Source of Profit
How did a travel company grow its revenue by 42 percent during the recent economic stall? It attracted more customers (around $150 million worth) because it aligned its business model with sustainability. “Sustainability is at the forefront of our business model because of customer demand,” says Gap Adventures CEO, Bruce Poon Tip. A demand that Bruce […]
Panera’s Nonprofit Model is Working. Here’s Why
Panera Bread’s pay-what-you-want model is working. One year ago this week the Panera Bread Foundation openend its first Panera Cares Cafe, a store that looks in almost all regards like the company’s 1,453 others. The prime distinction is that this St. Louis adjacent cafe lists suggested donation amounts instead of mandatory prices and accepts whatever […]
The Most Generous Thing A Company Can Do
Walmart’s $4 prescription drug plan, which makes nearly all prescription drugs available for $4, has generated more than $2 billion in savings for its customers, with a specific benefit to Medicare recipients and the uninsured. But it wasn’t launched as a social responsibility initiative. It was launched as business strategy. And it’s proven extremely successful, […]
Evolving the Supply Chain: From Slave Labor to Personal Transformation
. “What would you say to companies that see improving even one piece of their supply chains as too expensive?” I asked. Joe Sibilia had just shared one method to help companies become more sustainable: take one ingredient in the supply chain and use it to create a social benefit. This is what he had done […]
How Do You Measure Something As Elusive As Impact?–Interview with Andy Mercy
If you measure progress, you can improve it. But how exactly do you measure the growth of something as elusive as impact? That’s what AngelPoints, Andy Mercy’s company, does well, which is why I invited him to do a Cause Capitalism interview. Andy founded AngelPoints after stumbling into a volunteer experience at work and being underwhelmed […]
The 15 Top Posts on Good Business of 2010
In order of popularity (ranked by page views), here are the 15 most-read pieces on Cause Capitalism from the last year. Below are some observations on the list. 1. 15 Social Venture Capital Firms That You Should Know About 2. 10 More Social Venture Capital Firms That You Told Me About 3. Will B Corp’s New […]
You’re Not Alone! 51 Small-Business Owners Speak Up About Sustainability
Ever wonder how other entrepreneurs and small business owners build businesses that reflects their values? What areas do others tackle first? Which of their efforts have been most successful in terms of impact and revenue? Which have been the most challenging? Social innovators and small business owners Peter Korchnak and Megan Strand found themselves fortunate […]
Retail Philanthropy Is In High Demand: 4 Steps To Doing It Right
Neither nationwide purse-tightening nor cries of Slactivism! Greenwashing! and Fad! have shaken cause marketing. Eighty-three percent of consumers “want more of the products, services and retailers they use to benefit causes,” according to Cone Inc.’s 2010 Cause Evaluation Study. But how do you do cause-related marketing (or cause branding) right? Pick a cause you care about. […]
I'm Olivia Khalili. I created Cause Capitalism to show you how to grow your business by incorporating a social mission. I've worked extensively with both nonprofits and for-profits. I found that when you combine the two, you grow your profits, impassion all your stakeholders and do good in the world. Read more.
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