BSR Conference, San Francisco

The San Francisco BSR conference was a success again, bringing the world’s top corporate leaders and green business advocates to speak about social responsibility, and the universal benefits of greening company operations. DotGreen sent several members of the team to the conference this year, and all left feeling inspired and energized.

Al Gore gave a motivational and very appropriate opening address that set the tone for a week of lively discussion, with many speakers and panel discussions referring back to his ideas. Gore explained that sustainability is now solidly embedded in mainstream capital markets, and its benefits are wide and irrefutable. He said that there has never been a better time or more urgent need to act – It is now common knowledge that sustainability in business is a valuable long-term strategy.

There has been a recent and remarkable explosion in the numbers of companies and breadth and depth of multinational engagement in green responsibility. Particularly inspirational was Carl Bass of Autodesk, who demonstrated how going green can reach beyond the individual, or in his case, the individual company. Greening their own operations, he explained, was a small start, until they had the realization that leveraging the products they sell could have a much more significant impact. Autodesk had the insight to incorporate more efficient materials into their software, encouraging the designers and engineers that use Autodesk products to green the projects they are developing. Challenging organizations to think beyond examining their own operations allows them to leverage expertise in their field and industry to make a greater difference in sustainability.

In addition to promoting sustainability measures in company operations and products, it is now commonplace to leverage corporate resources to help NGOs and communities. Paul Ellingstad, Director of Global Health at HP’s Office of Global Social Innovation, spoke in a session about sustainability in emerging markets. HP has developed into a solution provider for building better health care systems in Kenya. Ellingstad and fellow panelists Mark Little, Director of Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology practice and BSR, and Tracey Noe, Senior Director of Global Citizenship and Policy at Abbott Laboratories, discussed the importance of working on a community level and responding to specific issues. Government partnerships and conscious adaptation to patient needs are critical in addressing concerns of communities that companies help.

An impressive number of other multinational companies have exhibited this same deep commitment to multileveled sustainability in regions where they do business around the world. Much of this social responsibility is carried out through valuable partnerships with culturally sensitive grassroots programs.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, gave an extraordinary presentation about her journey to create the largest network of microfinance institutions and banks. Her talk was deeply moving and informative, and she explained how the WWB has paved new territory in serving communities by providing hands on technical services and strategic support to banks that serve millions of clients. Especially interesting was Iskenderian’s discussion about following up on microloans given to women. In establishing effectiveness of the program, speaking not only to loan recipients, but to local children was an important step in understanding cultural factors affecting the treatment of loans. Developing new ways to listen and identify issues is often the first step to creating tailored lasting solutions.

A recurring theme was the need for companies to communicate their sustainable and social efforts to the public. Key stakeholders, consumers, and Internet users want to hear about sustainability programs and engage with companies – the problem is finding a way to reach people, and communicate the stories that each organization strives to tell. Edward Humes, author of Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution explained that transparent, genuine, and personal stories provides context and human connection to engage people. He offered that if a company like Wal-Mart can commit to embracing sustainability, so will companies everywhere. Humes emphasized that increasing transparency and honesty helps consumers connect with the storytelling companies engage in.

The DotGreen TLD is poised to fill this storytelling niche. Through our outreach and relationship building with environmental organizations and green consumer groups as well as businesses, we are creating a united platform for exploring sustainability on all levels. It will serve both sides of the environmentally conscious group – consumers who are demanding more transparency, and companies searching for a medium to convey their messages. Connecting these groups is crucial for the evolution of a united green movement, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the .green domain contributes to storytelling and collaboration in all areas of sustainability.