Corporate Knights & Innovest released their new list of The Global 100 Most Sustainable Brands. For the record, I am not opposed to recognizing the efforts of large cap corporations, but I think it falls woefully short in terms of addressing those that are the real leaders in this movement. Hence the concept of THE REAL 100. That said I think it would be interesting to ask ourselves the following:
LISTEN.
That rumbling underneath your feet? It’s a massive energy ball called YOUTH that is ready to demand and design a whole new world of possibility. Get ready because there is a revolution underfoot that is about to transform our every deliberation. Don’t believe me? Check out the Obama campaign and the trimtab that delivered him to the White House.
For years I have lived in the hearts of minds of youth. It’s what you did at NIKE in order to better understand and appreciate the essence of those you serve. Even though I left NIKE years ago, I never left the connection to youth. I guess it’s because I am fascinated about the next generation, as well as the fact that I have two young daughters and therefore I want to understand what makes them tick. The good news, I think I have a pulse for youth. The bad news, I think I have a pulse for youth and they certainly are not shy about talking about sex. Yowza!
While some see pessimism (wouldn’t you be slighted skeptical if you lived through Enron, Worldcom, climate crisis, credit crisis, greed, cocooning, Madoff, etc.), I see brilliance. A generation that is not concerned about doing better than their parents. A generation that is fervent in their desire to embrace environmental stewardship and social equity and justice as core principles. A generation that loves collaboration and community. A generation that essentially has flipped the bird to the man and says thanks, but no thanks and seeks the entrepreneurial route.
So what does this all mean? I wrote about this briefly in a previous post, but if you think it is business as usual and corporate responsibility, humanity, transparency, traceability, entrepreneurialism, environment, social equity, justice, and community are not vital to your every deliberation then you run the risk of alienating an entire generation. I urge everyone to listen to their pulse and verve. We could all learn a lot!
By way of introduction meet Generation WE, a raging bonfire that is 95 million citizens strong. A posse driven by a new sense of possibility and a new sense of hope.
Generation WE: The Movement Begins… from Generation We on Vimeo.
Last week I was inspired @ TED. Today I am inspired by an amazing woman who is indeed creating positive systemic change. Today’s youth is a breadth of fresh air that breaks the rules that bind and creates the change they wish to see. Kudos to Maggie and her Blinknow Foundation and big props to her parents for giving her a world without fences. Absolutely brilliant….
DISCLOSURE - I dream for a living, so please excuse my idealism.
Watched the Super Bowl yesterday. Good way to kill 6 hours on jetBlue flying from Boston to Long Beach. Great game. Less than scintillating ads. So I was thinking about what would have made it spectacular and brilliant.
Here’s a dream…
What if the Obama administration used some of our bailout dollars to purchase the entire Super Bowl media buy? I know, it’s pretty much blasphemy to talk about misusing bail out dollars, but after seeing how Wall Street torched us all with big bonuses in 2008, I figured what the heck. And what if the next generation of thought leaders and brands were given 30 seconds or 1 minute to share their stories? Stories about what could be:
Crazy idea I know. But then again, the beauty is that it is all real…incredibly real. So at a time when our culture needs inspiration, hope and optimism, I simply thought it would be cool to start sharing a beautiful mosaic of what could be. Perhaps we should all start dreaming for a living?
Wide right.
I know, I know. Putting Patagonia on the list of The REAL 100 is a little like playing 16″ softball, but damn they are impressive.
Top five reasons why Patagonia is a core part of the REAL 100 dialogue:
1. THEIR CULTURE IS A REFLECTION OF THOSE THEY SERVE I’ve visited their office a couple of times (in fact, I was there last week) and it is EXACTLY what you think it would be. Chip (aka Chipper & former world freestyle Frisbee champion) who runs the reception area is an eleven. The guy simply exudes the passion and fun-loving spirit of the brand. It is a dynamic, vibrant and positive community, hell bent on making the world a better place. Surfboard storage, day-care, home cooked meals for lunch, solar rooftops and a community that represents humanity at its best. That same joie de vivre is evident in their retail stores as well. You simply get the feeling that folks LOVE being a part of their brand and missive.
2. OPTIMIZE VERSUS MAXIMIZE They could be a $1B brand, but they are roughly a quarter that size. Size matters - says who? How about focusing on being the best versus the biggest? How about optimizing versus maximizing? Patagonia is a great role model for business growth going forward.
3. CORPORATE RESPONSIBILTY STARTS INSIDE THEN OUTSIDE Most brands rush outside to make a difference. Patagonia starts inside first. Human capital is indeed their best capital. That said you can clearly see that they understand the beauty and benefit of a dynamic culture. They have created a place where work, principles and joy are one.
4. PIONEERING INNOVATION They focused on converting their entire sportswear line to organic cotton in the 90’s. It cut into margins and the word organic was not fully embraced by the consumer, but their guiding principles informed their thinking. They work in the future. They work from the heart. They don’t do the right things, they focus on doing things right.
5. TRUST, TRANSPARENCY & TRACEABILTY Nobody does it better…period.
Imagine if we had the same reverence for Janine Benyus, Buckminster Fuller, John Todd, Paul Hawken, Michael Pollan, Paul Rice and David Suzuki that our culture has for Tiger Woods? What would shift in our behavior and every deliberation?
The possibilities would be endless.
My newfound obsession - discovering the trimtab that can make it a reality…
I vividly remember the first time I went to see Cirque du Soleil. It was in Santa Monica in the early ‘90’s and it was simply amazing. I kept asking myself the same question over and over…’who had the foresight, imagination, creativity and brilliance to create such a thing’? It was extraordinary!
I had the same visceral reaction when I met Janine Benyus and Dayna Baumeister from the Biomimicry Guild. I literally felt as if I was looking at the future. The idea was so simple yet so profound. Nature can be our mentor in a way that guides our thinking and behavior. Nature can inform our culture, design and leadership!
Biomimicry is NOT a technology that you embed in product, as many tend to assume. Rather it is a vibrant ETHOS that serves and guides your entire culture. Using Life’s Principles, Biomimicry can elevate and liberate the way you hold sustainability. You actually shift from sustainability as the end point to a view that the sustainability is merely a stepping-stone to a more profound place of regenerative and restorative thought. Most important is that Nature and Life’s Principles can guide your thinking in a way that inspires and liberates your ability to create. It awakens us to the fact we are one large living system where there is no I, but only WE. So imagine the possibility of learning from a master with over 3+ billion years of experience! Why would we not want to learn from the genius and mentor that surrounds us?
In complete transparency I engaged with the Biomimcry Guild as a client. It was and continues to be the most inspirational journey of my professional career. This is not an understatement. If the world could adopt 10% of the humanity imbued by the Biomimicry team we would all live in a world of abundance. They are so incredibly inspiring!
This all sounds great, but is it practical? Hell yeah! Just ask InterfaceGlobal how biomimetic thinking has been a business driver. Ask HOK how they now look at the future through a whole new lens in a way that makes them unique, culturally relevant and a true innovative leader. Not content to simply build cities they are actively creating living cities! They look at business challenges and ask…what would Nature do?
Lastly, I should note that Biomimicry as an ethos for creation is not for everybody. It is for those who have vision. It is for those who are want to create the possibility of what could be. It is for those seeking to raise the bar and think on a plane beyond sustainability. It is for those bold enough to lead a new frontier. It is for those who want to work in the future…TODAY!
THE LH POSSE - Erin, Guillermo, Amber (baby Joaquin), Kerry
In his book In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan speaks about how food is not a thing but a relationship. It is such a simple and wonderful thing to ponder. Imagine if we looked at all things as a relationship. How would that change our behavior?
Guillermo Payet and Erin Barnett created LocalHarvest with the goal of letting us see how food really is a relationship. A relationship with real food, real farmers and real community. In a relatively short time and on a tight budget they have created a website that houses the largest database of farmer’s markets, family farms and other sources of sustainable grown food in your area. What they have accomplished to date is simply inspiring. They have created an incredible community and network that provides acres of inspiring thought and information when it comes to local farms.
They are both kindred spirits who have an unbridled passion for sharing their love for food and community. The first time I met Guillermo at his home in Santa Cruz we went immediately to the beach for a little body surfing action. I never had a meeting beyond the break treading water…pretty darn cool. Oh yeah - note to self - pass on the journey into the cove with the blowhole…yowza! You immediately discover that Guillermo, a native of Peru, is an adventurous spirit who is ardent in his desire to do the right thing. Erin is amazing in her own right. She’s a mom and entrepreneur living in Minnesota with a kindred spirit and a wonderful gift for writing as evident by the monthly newsletters.
Two people making a huge difference. Two people with a simple vision moving mountains!
One last thing. If you have not tried CSA you are missing out on an amazing experience. It grounds you and allows you to appreciate the connection with land, community and food in a way that you previously did not consider. If you have kids there is even more reason to engage. They’ll learn early on a relationship with food that can last a lifetime. Check out LocalHarvest for the nearest CSA farm near you. You’ll be glad you did!
