Changing Tack | Blogs | GreenBiz.com

Why businesses shouldn't ignore Rio+20
By Lindsay Clinton, May 23, 2012
It is awfully tempting to ignore the Rio+20 Earth Summit. If you've been listening to the echo chamber of low expectations surrounding the summit, you can't be blamed for doing so. Many companies and even some environmental NGOs are keeping their heads down. But it's not in business' best interest to ignore the summit. We're in the midst of a tipping of the scales of power,...

Why city mayors are a sustainability director's new best friends
By Mohammed Al-Shawaf, May 07, 2012
There are three reasons why mayors -- who have both real power and real accountability -- should be at the top of the list of partners for companies driving sustainable growth....
Using videos to win more engagement on sustainability
By Kyle Whitaker, April 18, 2012
Companies can strengthen their sustainability efforts using one simple tool: video. ...
The 7 keys to sustainable cities
By Chris Guenther, March 13, 2012
Sustainability needs cities as much as cities need sustainability. What will it take to unleash their potential and what role can business play?...
Why green-minded firms should think like oil companies
By Jeff Erikson, March 01, 2012
Ever consider that sustainability and oil exploration and production share some common strategies? Understanding what they are can improve your company's chance of success....
How Companies Can Meet the New Demand for Fair Play
By Mark Lee, January 24, 2012
At a time when much of the world's population is demanding fair play, fair treatment and responsible capitalism, what might corporations do to demonstrate as much support and enthusiasm for...
How & Why to Make the Shift from Dialogue to Collaboration with NGOs
By Jeff Erikson, January 10, 2012
In recent years, companies' partnerships with their many stakeholders -- particularly nonprofit groups -- have gone from a model of 'thoughtful consideration' to active partnerships....
Moving from Mindless Consumption to 'We First'
By Mark Lee, December 19, 2011
Simon Mainwaring, the former advertising exec, is looking to move past cause marketing to something called 'contributory consumption.'...
Why Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone is the Way to Make Change Happen
By Michael Sadowski, December 05, 2011
As companies step up their efforts to crack the business opportunities from sustainability, it's becoming clear that the only path to success is to go beyond familiar territory and do more to......
Can We Really Make Sustainable Consumption Work?
By Jeff Erikson, November 16, 2011
We've always looked at the problem of sustainable consumption as needing to convince individuals to buy less. But the real challenge may be in convincing companies to sell less -- and to make what...
The Power of Leading from the Middle
By Mark Lee, October 18, 2011
Coca-Cola Enterprises, a spin-off from the world-famous beverage brand that's focused on the Western European market, has set as a goal of its sustainability strategy to use its position in the...
How a Decline in Climate Issue Urgency Will Test Corporate Leaders
By Kyle Whitaker, September 19, 2011
Climate and other critical sustainability concerns don't have the same edge they once held as top-of-mind issues. What can corporate leaders and sustainability experts do to sharpen the focus and......
Is Environmental Activism on the Rise or Dying Out?
By Mark Lee, August 05, 2011
In recent weeks, we've seen commentators lamenting the death of environmental activism in the US, as well as Michael Bloomberg's $50 million investment in Sierra Club's anti-coal campaign. Which......
Verging on the Sustainable?
By John Elkington, June 27, 2011
Early in the history of the sustainability movement, we tended to focus on the risks associated with individual products, technologies, companies and sectors. But now, as the focus shifts to......
Why Entrepreneurs Beat Business Leaders for Green Cred
By Jeff Erikson, April 11, 2011
Business leaders are viewed more favorably than government leaders and multilateral organizations in advancing sustainability, but less than one fourth of experts and practitioners think that......

Changing Tack

For over two decades SustainAbility has helped global companies transform their performance and their business models, both to accelerate society's shift to sustainability and to derive long-term value from it. For more information see www.SustainAbility.com

Changing Tack Contributors

Mark Lee is the executive director of SustainAbility.

Mark has 15+ years experience in key leadership positions in the sustainability field. Mark possesses expertise in sustainability strategy and implementation as well as the systems, governance, public policy, accountability and stakeholder engagement aspects of this agenda, plus extensive knowledge of climate change, economic development, value chains, and the linkages between sustainability and branding.

Jeff Erikson is a senior vice president in SustainAbility's office in Washington, D.C.

Jeff leads SustainAbility's work in the energy sector and has expertise and experience working with numerous industries, including electric utilities, oil & gas, automotive, chemicals, ICT, retail, food and healthcare.

Chris Guenther is a senior associate consultant for SustainAbility and a member of its think tank team. He is based in Portland and linked to SustainAbility's San Francisco office.