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which supplies the mint for First Nation Organic Peppermint Herbal Tea, and farmers in Haarlem, South Africa, who grow the honeybush for Haarlem Honeybush, the company’s newest flavor.
Honest Tea has also established a strong relationship with Pittsburgh, a city that has suffered since the collapse of the steel industry there. Along with two other companies, it purchased a defunct bottling plant at a bank auction and refurbished it. All its teas are now brewed, bottled, and shipped there.
One factor essential to Goldman’s participation is offering the world a new way of doing business. “If we can create this alternative model to be successful, I hope this can be something that can be inspiring to others,” he says. “When I wake up every morning, it’s not about how am I going to be able to sell more bottles of tea. It’s what makes this a more robust models that others can follow.”
Beware the Greenwash
Goldman believes that the company’s social and environmental efforts are a huge factor in customers loyalty to the brand. To abandon or falsify those efforts would destroy the goodwill the company has established with customers who, through buying its teas, continue the chain of doing good.
That kind of falsification, or corporate touting of environmental or social practices that turn out to be nothing more than P.R. ploys, is called “greenwash.” It’s guaranteed to attract scorn and drive away business when discovered. Admittedly, it’s a lesser offense than much of the recently-revealed corporate debacles, but it’s clear that any kind of corporate lying is becoming intolerable.
In light of these scandals, perhaps more companies will begin to follow the example of Interface, Rolltronics, and Honest Tea. Perhaps employees, investors, shareholders, clients, suppliers -- all the stakeholders -- will demand that business, now the de facto leader of the world, embrace the move toward a restored environment and a healthier society. If this happens, “doing well by doing good” could become the new corporate watchword -- and perhaps it’s the only thing that can save us.
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Want Your Company to be Part of the Solution? Try This.
Contrary to popular belief, thousands of investors want to see social and environmental dividends as well as financial returns on their investments. Susan Davis created Capital Missions Company in 1990 as a way for networks of investors to do just that. One of its most innovative strategies was to create the “Triple Bottom Line Simulation” for institutional treasurers who want to practice social investment without risk. CMC has developed a unique set of operating principles that can be used or adapted by any business that wants to be socially responsible:
* Tell the truth.
* A deal is a good deal when it’s good for all concerned.
* Generosity comes back tenfold to the bottom line.
* Socially responsible companies are more productive and profitable than others.
* Water doesn’t rise any higher than the source.
* Treasure teamwork; share the wealth.
* The best call a company can get is a call of complaint because it helps it to improve, so when you get a complaint call, start by saying, “Thank you!”
* Love the discipline of the numbers.
* Never make decisions out of fear.
* Trust the universe.
Honest Tea has also established a strong relationship with Pittsburgh, a city that has suffered since the collapse of the steel industry there. Along with two other companies, it purchased a defunct bottling plant at a bank auction and refurbished it. All its teas are now brewed, bottled, and shipped there.
One factor essential to Goldman’s participation is offering the world a new way of doing business. “If we can create this alternative model to be successful, I hope this can be something that can be inspiring to others,” he says. “When I wake up every morning, it’s not about how am I going to be able to sell more bottles of tea. It’s what makes this a more robust models that others can follow.”
Beware the Greenwash
Goldman believes that the company’s social and environmental efforts are a huge factor in customers loyalty to the brand. To abandon or falsify those efforts would destroy the goodwill the company has established with customers who, through buying its teas, continue the chain of doing good.
That kind of falsification, or corporate touting of environmental or social practices that turn out to be nothing more than P.R. ploys, is called “greenwash.” It’s guaranteed to attract scorn and drive away business when discovered. Admittedly, it’s a lesser offense than much of the recently-revealed corporate debacles, but it’s clear that any kind of corporate lying is becoming intolerable.
In light of these scandals, perhaps more companies will begin to follow the example of Interface, Rolltronics, and Honest Tea. Perhaps employees, investors, shareholders, clients, suppliers -- all the stakeholders -- will demand that business, now the de facto leader of the world, embrace the move toward a restored environment and a healthier society. If this happens, “doing well by doing good” could become the new corporate watchword -- and perhaps it’s the only thing that can save us.
##
Want Your Company to be Part of the Solution? Try This.
Contrary to popular belief, thousands of investors want to see social and environmental dividends as well as financial returns on their investments. Susan Davis created Capital Missions Company in 1990 as a way for networks of investors to do just that. One of its most innovative strategies was to create the “Triple Bottom Line Simulation” for institutional treasurers who want to practice social investment without risk. CMC has developed a unique set of operating principles that can be used or adapted by any business that wants to be socially responsible:
* Tell the truth.
* A deal is a good deal when it’s good for all concerned.
* Generosity comes back tenfold to the bottom line.
* Socially responsible companies are more productive and profitable than others.
* Water doesn’t rise any higher than the source.
* Treasure teamwork; share the wealth.
* The best call a company can get is a call of complaint because it helps it to improve, so when you get a complaint call, start by saying, “Thank you!”
* Love the discipline of the numbers.
* Never make decisions out of fear.
* Trust the universe.
