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 […]
Tag Archives: sustainability criteria
Green Mountain Coffee’s ‘Organic’ Sustainability Evolution–with Mike Dupee
This was one of the most educational interviews I’ve done. Mike is able to admit when he’s wrong, to explain the internal motivations and strategy behind his company’s social responsibility programs and to go beyond corporate sound bites. Click the player to listen to our conversation. Prefer MP3? Right-click and download. [Audio clip: view full post to […]
The Private Side of Sustainability Is Sexy Too: Engaging CEOs in More Than Just Sustainable Window Dressing
There seems to be a problem. An influential group of global CEOs list brand, trust and reputation as their “primary considerations for acting on sustainability.” Motivators like revenue growth and cost reduction, consumer demand, employee engagement and retention and personal motivation lagged significantly behind. Many CEOs seem to have reversed cause and effect. Brand trust […]
The Best Kept Secret to Social Venture Funding?
Consider becoming certified as a B Corporation. If you’re looking for mission-aligned capital for an existing business, B Corp status will help, and if you’re looking for traditional investing, it won’t hurt. B Corporation certification signals to investors, consumers and employees that you are use business to solve social and environmental problems. For companies looking […]
How Nike, Walmart and Cisco Are Being More HIP and Growing Profits With Purpose–With R. Paul Herman
In between profiteering and starry-eyed do-gooding is a place where values can incur value. This is the place of Human Impact + Profit (HIP), a methodology created by R. Paul Herman that aims to help investors and businesses make money while solving key human needs. Companies that deliver human impact and profit can gain a magic […]
Can You Crowdsource Your Sustainability?
Smart business talk today revolves around meeting stakeholder interests. But it can be daunting for companies to do that. Whereas before they were primary liable to shareholders, they’re now pressed to satisfy consumer demands for products that are sustainable as well as affordable and durable; they’re expected to take the environment and the community and […]
Want Consumers’ Attention? Ditch the CSR Report
Lots of companies are attracted to sustainability and decide to commit to it. Fewer see the value of certifying their sustainability commitment with a CSR report. But fewer still fail to signal the fruits of their labor (and reporting) to their consumers. The contents of a CSR report almost never reach consumers’ eyes because they’re […]
How Much Does a Business Need to Believe in Sustainability to Do It Well?
“If you’re pushing sustainability because you think it will enhance the company’s reputation, you’ll have a problem with authenticity, because they’ll be times when your reality doesn’t live up to your rhetoric. But if you’re into sustainability because you think it will drive innovation, then talking about it almost becomes irrelevant.” –Hannah Joes, Nike’s sustainability […]
One Entrepreneur’s Story of Building a Business for a Better World–With Joe Magee
PineMark is to you and me what LEED is to buildings: a certification of sustainability. PineMark founders Joe Magee and Lauren de los Santos are incentivizing and rewarding individuals for their green lifestyles and educating them along the way. I spoke with Joe, who shares a commonality with many entrepreneurs. He left his comfortable seat […]
DOING Good Only Gets You So Far: 15 Points on CSR Reporting–With Elaine Cohen
I write Cause Capitalism to arm companies and entrepreneurs with the reasons, examples and tactics to integrate a social mission into their business. Many of the start-ups and sole proprietors that I speak with are just beginning to look for ways to add a social element as they launch their business. It’s challenge enough for […]
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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