On October 24, 2008, the Columbia School of Business held a conference titled “The Moment of Now: Market Innovations in Social Enterprise” to explore themes in the emerging sector of social enterprise. In this session on Cultivating Effective NGO-Business Partnerships, Gordon Peterson (second from left),  VP of Corporate Social Responsibility for The Timberland Company, squared off with two nonprofits: Allison Clements (left), Corporate Counsel for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Kyle Cahill, Director of Corporate Engagement at the Environmental Defense (third from left), moderated by Alan Webber, Founder of Fast Company magazine.

Ever since EDF helped McDonald’s to go green with their packaging, both of these nonprofits have shed their “sue the bastards” stance and now with work corporations to help them green their businesses. This shift is in recognition of the large role that corporations play in our society. For example, the Wal-Mart supply chain encompasses 65,000 suppliers and constitutes the 20th largest economy in the world, so a change in their environmental policies can have a huge rippling effect down the line.

However, wary of being used for greenwashing, both NRDC and Environmental Defense only work with corporations that can provide a sustainable model of change that can be leveraged across an entire sector. EDF insists that the outcomes for the corporations they work with be verifiable, measurable, and replicable, in order to provide this industry-wide model.

Gordon addressed Timberland’s efforts to go green and their need for the practical know-how from environmental organizations and consultants. Their initiatives include internal programs such as Earthkeepers rewards to encourage employees to reduce the company’s 2006 energy usage levels by 50% in 2010, an initiative with Share Our Strength in which chefs wear Timberland shoes, and a carbon footprint labeling program to explain the manufacturing impact of their shoes to consumers, a particular initiative he hopes will inspire other manufacturers to adopt.

WAKE UP CALL: How can your business or nonprofit create methods for sustainability in a way that can provide a model for an entire industry?

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Like all small business owners, juggling many balls often doesn’t leave time for the long-range planning necessary to grow the business. Going it alone, I longed for feedback from peers facing the same challenges. I found the answer to these two concerns in a peer mentoring group presided over by the aptly-named Ed Abel, president of the Abel Business Institute. The group consists of five small business owners in the same industry (four design firm principals and one writer), run by Ed, who challenges us to overcome our obstacles. On a monthly basis we gather to set our goals, track our progress and get answers to current issues we face. This forum has been invaluable in helping me grow Red Rooster Group, as well as develop cherished relationships with everyone in the group.

RESOURCE: www.abelbusinessinstitute.com

WAKE UP CALL: What are you doing to get peer feedback and track your goals?

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At a Craigslist Foundation event on Social Entrepreneurship, Jeffrey Robinson, PhD. Asst. Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, at the NYU Stern School of Business, discussed the triple bottom line of social ventures: profits, social responsibility and environmental responsibility – given equal weight. The triple bottom line concept is gaining traction as a viable business model as people seek to make a living by doing good.

WAKE UP CALL: In what ways can you incorporate these areas into your bottom line?

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