"The successful business of the future will be built
on relationship, common purpose, and shared values."

--- Nina Utne, Utne Magazine Chair and CEO
 

Socially responsible and sustainable business/green business:
caring for our human and natural resources creates

a healthy world and healthy businesses.

Making the world a better place starts from within. The more we have cleared out the blocks to our own personal successful functioning, the more the work we do out in the world will come from a good place and be effective in creating meaningful, prosperous and healthy businesses and actions for positive change. As a coach, I work with my clients to do just that.
 

There is no set definition of what constitutes a socially responsible business. I've listed below some elements you may want to consider, if you haven't already implemented them in your business or organization. Please send me your ideas on this subject because I am continually expanding this page.
 

Click here to read case studies of some of the many US companies practicing socially responsible and sustainable business: Dr. Bronners, The Body Shop & Patagonia.
More case studies coming soon. Let me know about what your company is doing! Let's share our ideas, our valiant attempts and our successes.

Socially responsible business - practices to consider:

• Local & global community involvement through volunteering, investment, donations

• Employee benefits & rights, profit-sharing  

              -- Open books

              -- Financial statements are available to all employees

              -- Employees receive training on how to read and understand financial statements

              -- Employees see relationship between their efforts and amount of profit sharing

                   they receive

               --  Employees understand the challenges and expenses of the company; reduces

                   “us” vs. “them” mentality.

• Coach-approach management style – accountability + autonomy

         --  Employees want to contribute, but they need progressive management to do so.

• Salary scale capped at certain level between lowest & highest paid positions

Sustainable business – areas to consider:

• (Renewable resources, recycled, recyclable, organic, etc.)

• Manufacturing production materials

• Energy conservation

• Packaging

• Office supplies & furniture

• Distribution methods

• Physical plant/office – materials, utilities

• Post-sale recycling

• Closed-loop planning in all areas

If you're looking to grow your green business,

get some free tools here.

I highly recommend John Abrams' book, Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the business of community and place. This is a revision of his 2005 book, The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community and Place. He takes you through the history of South Mountain, a 32 year old design/build company he founded and examines the eight cornerstone philosophies and practices that underpin South Mountain and any green  business that wants to harness the power of employee ownership, workplace democracy and community commitment.

As you work to grow your business, do you ever wonder how well a green, socially responsible business model can work for you?
Discover the Secrets of Successful Green Businesses here.

Authentic Alternatives, Inc. is a certified member of Coop America Business Network/Green Business Network.