Gil Friend’s Blog
Sustainability Hall of Fame Induction
I was deeply honored last month when I was inducted as inaugural member of the Sustainability Hall of Fame by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals -- both for the honor itself, and for the company I shared. Here's what I said (as best as I can...
A Simple Sustainability Recipe: 6 Ingredients
I spoke recently about strategic sustainability to members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a 350-company business association here in the heart of innovation. During the Q&A period, one of the sustainability directors attending asked for a short recipe of...
Natural Logic CEO Gil Friend on Strategic Sustainability
Making Your Life Count
Video of my plenary at SOCAP11 (Social Capital Markets) conference with Penelope Douglas, Jeffrey Hollender and Michael Kieschnick. We share our perspectives on purpose, commitment and impact, and our future directions. (45m video) Making Your Life Count: Four people...
Ray Anderson – A Giant Falls
We lost a giant this week. An insipration. A friend. There have been many moving and eloquent tributes. Here's mine. Ray Anderson was a man of big heart, generous spirit, penetrating vision, fierce commitment. He inspired and taught so many - including me - that yes,...
CSR? None for me, thanks!
Marc Gunther of greenbiz.com offered up a well written and provocative invitation this morning: Let's Do Away With CSR! Not merely the words and the idea but the infrastructure: CSR departments, CSR reports, CSR conferences and CSR executives. And, as long as we're at...
Standards for technological innovation
From Wendell Berry, Why I am NOT Going to Buy a Computer - Wendell Berry 1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces. 2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces. 3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than...
Short introductory readings on “sustainability” and business
A client recently asked for a collection of "short" readings" as prep for an innovation/strategy retreat we led for their 60 top managers. Here's what we suggested. (It's not comprehensive, in that it's focused somewhat on their particular food/ag industry concerns,...
I believe
I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in singing, especially when singing is not necessarily prescribed. - Mary Douglas, "Evidence"