Sustainability and Women

It is common knowledge that women make or influence the majority of consumer goods purchases, and that includes purchases of the products and services of companies striving to be more sustainable. What marketers have long known about reaching women, in particular, is that times of life transition can be especially key for disrupting habits or patterns of buying behavior. (In fact, I devoted a chapter to it in my 2004 book, Don’t Think Pink). And, what an opportunity that presents for today’s sustainable brands![read more]

If yesterday’s business leadership research pointed to independence, head down, numbers, facts and figures as the key, today’s sustainability leaders need to move in the opposite direction. They need to get comfortable with interdependence, head up, emotions, stories and all that is human.[read more]

Corporations have long struggled to build and maintain the perfect combination of engaging work, good pay, competitive benefits and a sense of community to keep their employees – especially women - thriving. With so many studies now showing how important it is to have women in leadership positions, wouldn’t it be great if there were one framework by which corporations could be more assured of doing just that? Well, if my conversation with Abigail Rodgers, VP of Sustainability Strategy and Communication at The Coca Cola Company is any indication, leveraging human values for the dual benefit of business and community - in all that your corporation does - is the key.[read more]

Even if a business seems to organically come to be, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be sustainable over the long haul. But, Outdoor Afro is one sustainable business case study that looks destined for long term, sustainable success. This social media-born organization connects African Americans with nature so authentically, it seems to grow itself.[read more]

Andrea Learned continues her exclusive series. What traits do women bring to CSR and how can that be nurtured?[read more]

Taken literally, the answer to the question posed by this article’s title is: yes. New research from Catalyst and Harvard Business School (HBS) shows the strong connection between having more women on boards and in executive management and “greater corporate social responsibility.” While these findings focus on philanthropy or corporate giving as the key indicator of corporate social responsibility, this information should be considered just the beginning of the ways corporations will benefit from having more women, and in all ranks.[read more]

Women and Sustainability Series

Sustainability and women are inextricably linked. This is not because of soft inclusive reasons, but for hard inclusive business reasons. If interconnecting systems of operations, production, shipping, community involvement, environmental responsibility, and more are what we seek, the wider the variety of brains and human traits involved in corporate decision-making, the better. While we have a long tradition of rewarding linear and independent thinking, sustainability will demand a new priority on the relational and interdependent.[read more]