What Matters Most: How A Small Group Of Pioneers Is Teaching Social Responsibility To Big Business, And Why Big Business Is Listening

Under what conditions can a business hope to deliver consistent financial results, inspire employees, protect the environment, and make the world a better place? The question gets to the heart of a set of fundamental questions: What is the purpose of a business? In what ways does a business create value, and whom does it really serve? Can a business promote social causes and yet remain robust, competitive, and profitable?Jeffrey Hollender has run Seventh Generation, the world leader in creating environmentally friendly, nontoxic household and personal care products for more than fifteen years. That the company's success continued through the 90's bubble attests to an unwavering set of principles and behavioral guidelines based on the premise that social responsibility is a viable, vital, and sustainable business strategy. What Matters Most illuminates the successful practices of Seventh Generation--and many other pioneering companies, including Intel, Chiquita, and BP--to demonstrate a corporate strategy that hardwires social and environmental concerns into a company's culture, operating systems, and business relationships. Outlining seven specific principles of corporate responsibility, What Matters Most shows you how to assess your company's performance, address rising consumer expectations, honestly communicate your game plan, and embark on a path of long-term growth. For general readers, What Matters Most is bound to fuel the debate over the role of business in society and the limits to which it can drive positive change.