ABSTRACT
In January 2007, BusinessWeek’s cover read, “Imagine a world in which socially responsible and eco-friendly practices actually boost a company’s bottom line. It’s closer than you think.” It was closer than we thought. By 2008, nearly 80% of the largest 250 companies worldwide were issuing corporate responsibility reports. 1 Dell, Pepisco, Google, and other corporations had pledged to become carbon neutral. Brands like Starbucks, Gap, and Apple began appealing to conscientious young consumers with their Product(RED)™ campaign, devoting a portion of profits to development organizations in Africa. Walmart announced plans to begin to measure the sustainability of all the products on its shelves. And manufacturers in every industry unveiled an impressive slate of new “eco-friendly” products ranging from energy-efficient televisions to biodegradable hotel room keys.
