Shel Horowitz describes himself as a “transformpreneur” who bridges the areas of entrepreneurship and social impact. His organization, Going Beyond Sustainability, is dedicated to the proposition that businesses can “do right” while “doing well.”
As his LinkedIn profile states, “The world is abundant, competitors can be allies, and ESG can create profit centers. Business can thrive addressing hunger, poverty, war, racism, climate change. These huge challenges sound big and scary–until we create and market profitable products and services that reduce their impact.”
Because I have had my hand in cause marketing efforts for many years, I was very glad to catch up with Shel to trade notes on this and other topics related to making a “business case” for sustainability. We cover a lot of ground in our talk, including:
- The fact that most Fortune 500 companies now have a sustainability coordinator or department, indicating a shift towards being more aware of their potential holistic social impact.
- How to distinguish “Greenwashing” from authentic efforts made by brands to become more sustainable.
- The importance of educating consumers about what Fair Trade certifications mean and why they’re important.
- How big players such as Walmart have outsized power to mandate changes in packaging and supply chain practices that can induce better sustainability.
- How Marcal, a paper products company, went from bankruptcy to success by reinventing itself as a green brand.
- Why the root causes of wars often pertain to conflicts over the control of resources.
- The importance of tailoring marketing messages for green products and services to different demographic groups’ unique concerns and values, such as health issues or environmental impact, to effectively reach and convert them into sustainably-minded consumers.
- Industries ripe for transformation into more sustainable enterprises, including transportation, construction, and food industries.
- Examples of innovative products and services promoting sustainability.
Shel’s website, GoingBeyondSustainability.com, provides valuable resources (and cool freebies) for those interested in green/social entrepreneurship, so check it out!
