Comments on: Who Are The Top Ten “Sustainable” CEOs?

By: Fashion Jewellery

Fashion Jewellery — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:55:04 +0000

All the 10 top places would be occupied by Bill Gates :)

By: jennifermattes

jennifermattes — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:04:51 +0000

I’d nominate Johnson Controls' CEO, Steve Roell – and not just because I work for him. Take a look at this article on GreenBiz.com that talks about all the sustainable efforts Johnson Controls is doing: http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/11/05.... Steve is an incredibly active leader, spearheading the company’s sustainability projects from China to Chicago.

I’d also recommend Lee Scott of Walmart and Ed Lonergan of Johnson Diversey.

By: markmcleod

markmcleod — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:34:10 +0000

The combination of Bill's 3P article, all these terrific responses, and Bill's very down-to-earth The Secret Green Sauce is powerful and hopeful. It makes me realize that while there are many brutal things going on in the world, there are also some wonderful, compassionate, visionary, and sharply focused leaders out there who deserve our support and appreciation.

By: judipalmer

judipalmer — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:14:33 +0000

I work for A&R Edelman Public Relations firm and Adobe is a client. Consider Adobe’s CEO Shantanu Narayen for his continued support of Adobe’s green efforts. Since 2001, Adobe has implemented more than 85 conservation projects and has saved approximately $6.7 million as a result. Projects range from energy-efficient lighting to an intelligent control system to help monitor building efficiencies. Its latest endeavor: wind power. It just installed 20 Windspires, a type of wind turbine, at its downtown San Jose, Calif. headquarters. You can see a recent broadcast piece about the installation here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3RwtCLcs04

Adobe is also the first commercial enterprise to achieve a total of four Platinum certifications under the USGBC’s LEED-EB certification program (each of its three towers in San Jose received LEED-EB Platinum certification and Adobe’s historic 601 Townsend Street building in San Francisco is also USGBC LEED-EB Platinum certified).

By: Warwick Peel

Warwick Peel — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:31:13 +0000

Elaine, I agree Anita Roddick was instrumental in the infancy of environmental concern and she continues to be a huge advocate and sponsor of sustainability internationally! On the other hand while Gail Kelly was and is a sustainable practitioner, she used to be one of the top 20 most powerful women in the world ahead of the first lady and Hilary Clinton. Used to be! She had a huge blunder a few weeks back in the local Australian banking market trying to convice the mortgage consumers above a marketing ploy that went terribly wrong and this will significantly dent her reputation. I just hope she can recreate her stance on sustainability to get ahead again because she has been a core contributor to our sustainable footprint here in Oz.

By: Bill Roth

Bill Roth — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:50:57 +0000

Hi Frankie, thanks for introducing us to Andy Ball and Webcor Builders. The explosion in clean tech construction material and builders like Webcor is amazing. Two of the companies I profile in The Secret Green Sauce are green construction companies that are still growing revenues even in this “soft landing” economy. And this summer I began seeing price-competitive, green alternatives to sheet rock, concrete blocks and roofing tiles. I applaud Andy Ball, Webcor Builders and others in the construction industry who are bringing to market “cost less, mean more” solutions.

By: Frankie Ridolfi

Frankie Ridolfi — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:21:07 +0000

Andy Ball, CEO of Webcor Builders should be on this list. The construction industry is second only to food production and electricity generation as a contributor to greenhouse gases when the full supply chain is considered. Webcor is already known for green building innovation (California Academy of Sciences), and has embarked on the most comprehensive review of its carbon impact of in the building industry. They are committed to rigorous science and use Climate Earth, the carbon accounting company, to assess their full supply chain emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3), enable the design of low-carbon structures and engage with their supplier networks to change business as usual. Like Ray Anderson, Andy Ball and Phil Williams (VP) are visionaries with the courage to act.

By: elaine cohen

elaine cohen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:07:12 +0000

Thanks Bill. You can always count on me for the women's vote :) And whilst I am on a roll, four more female stars of womenomics from my local market:

Sybil Goldfiner: Founder and CEO of an ethical values driven fashion business, www.comme-il-faut.com, the only fashion company to have issued a sustainability report and a Global Compact member, leading the slow fashion movement and conscious consumerism. The Company recycles in very creative ways, uses organic fabrics, and leads many innovative social campaigns promoting socjal justice for women.

Ofra Strauss. Founder and Chairwoman Strauss Group, of global foods business, www.strauss-group.com who is leading the Israeli food industry in making bold sustainable moves. Strauss won the Transparency Shield by local Transparency International, and is the only food company to have produced a sustainability report (their second). A leading coffee manufacturer, they are now moving towards sustainable coffee purchase. Ofra is on Forbes global influential womens list.Oops, she is not a CEO, but i think she used to be the CEO begore she became Chairwoman.

Yehudit Bronicki, CEO of Ormat Industries www.ormat.com, leading geothermal and recovered energy generation Company serving global clients. Amazing sustainable industry delivering good performance and growth year on year. First sustainability report written in 2009.

Maxine Fassberg, the CEO of Intel Israel, who adopts the very bold sustainability advances led by Intel globally. Israel is a prime R&D and manufacturing site for Intel, and building major new Fab operation in last couple of years was completed with strong emphasis on sustainable principles. Intel is a major responsible employer in Israel and is involved in many social advancement activities.

By: Bill Roth

Bill Roth — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:04:13 +0000

Elaine, wonderful additions! The chapter of The Secret Green Sauce on Increasing Stock Valuation identifies the emerging data that companies with more diversity on their board of directors out achieve companies with less diversity. A key link on why is that Concerned Caregivers (moms) with $8.5 billion of annual buying power are embracing wellness/sustainability as a procurement criteria. Your nominations hit home on the hugely important leadership role women are playing in advancing the implementation of a sustainable economy and environment. Thanks for your nominations.

By: elaine cohen

elaine cohen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:53:55 +0000

oh, and I almost forgot, Eileen Fisher deserves strong support as a woman who has built a sustainability driven business which is based both on social consciousness and contribution and ethical and sustainable fashion practice
elaine
www.csr-reporting.blogspot.com

By: elaine cohen

elaine cohen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:51:31 +0000

I would add two women to the list:

Gail Kelly of Westpac Bank, who is continuing to lead the bank to very impressive sustainability performance and

Indra Nooyi of Pepsico who I feel is bringing a new breath of sustainability oriented moves into the organization, including the diversion of marketing funds from the Superbowl to people who need them.

FInally, If i could I would nominate Anita Roddick for being, in my view, the first and most sustainability minded CEO of all!
elaine
www.csr-reporting.blogspot.com

By: Warwick Peel

Warwick Peel — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:30:57 +0000

From Downunder, the Australian landscape has seen the emergence of some impressive CEOs with a strong sustainability edge and I would have to nominate Ross Taylor, CEO of Tenix as a sustainable practitioner. For more than a decade, he has been at the forefront of green energy efficiencies across the property sector global roles with the likes of Lend Lease to initiate change internationally. He drives sustainable practice internally and is focused on delivering sustainable solutions extrenally for the Tenix client portfolio including driving the sustainable footprint for the Australian Defence sector. An innovative and sustainable leader who can drive shareholder returns underpinned by environmental concern to embrace sustainable strategies.

By: Bill Roth

Bill Roth — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:38:47 +0000

Richard, thanks for nominating Irene Rosenfeld of Kraft Foods. I have had the honor to work with the Rainforest Alliance and I commend Kraft's use of Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

Sparky, your comment touches upon a key point businesses are confronting regarding Greenwashing's Two Edged Sword that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago in Triple Pundit. Companies like Kraft are making “admirable accomplishments.” They also have more to accomplish. There is a fine line between recognizing what they have accomplished and maintaining awareness on what they have still to accomplish. Sparky, we need folks like you to keep the world's focus upon how much more there is still to be accomplished. But, let's also recognize folks like Irene Rosenfeld of Kraft who are making “admirable accomplishments” with the expectations that the efforts by these CEOs represent a start down a longer road we all are walking toward achieving sustainability.

By: John Kim

John Kim — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:15:00 +0000

Bill,

This is a great list and it's very encouraging (and informative) to read about all of the great CEO's around. We're very glad to see that your reader Brian (not our Brian!) nominated our CEO, Brian Walker, as a top sustainable CEO. We certainly agree.

If you or others are looking for more information please check out the December 09 HBR article featuring a conversation between Brian Walker and Josette Akresh-Gonzales RE: meeting Herman Miller's aggressive sustainability goals with the help of our customers. Also check out Brian's earlier blog post on HBR 'Green' regarding supply chains and the thoughtful exchange it fostered at http://www.hbrgreen.org/2008/02/you_are_only_as... And lastly, to learn more about Herman Miller's goals and specific progress toward sustainability, I encourage a look at our annual Better World Report at http://www.hermanmiller.com/MarketFacingTech/hm...

Thanks!

John Kim
Herman Miller Inc.