Companies once held accountable only for the direct, contractually specified or regulated consequences of their actions now find themselves responsible for alleviating hunger, disease and more: issues as disparate as environmental sustainability, community economic development and child labor in sub-Sahara Africa. Thus it is easy to see that our increasingly interconnected world demands strong corporate […]

Of all human activity, modern agriculture is the largest single contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) production, to deforestation and to water consumption. Protecting and improving the natural environment are fundamental, and issues like biodiversity, climate change, energy, soil degradation and water scarcity need to be addressed. The global wine industry can and should do […]

My work with sustainable agriculture began in the coffee industry, during a period of tremendous growth in high-quality coffee shops and retail categories around the world. As a senior executive at Starbucks Coffee Company, I led the company?s global responsibility efforts focused on rigorous approaches to sustainable agriculture for coffee, tea and cocoa, fair and […]

Environmental stewardship has received much attention in the wine industry, but firms must also address social sustainability to be considered ?sustainable? enterprises. This means growing wine grapes and making wine in ways that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable. On the production side it is (or should be) about commitment to communities and […]

Many people who aren?t familiar with corporate social responsibility assume that it only involves making companies right the social wrongs that they practice. However, the most successful companies take a more proactive approach, contributing to causes that improve their local, national or global community, especially in ways that also benefit the company. Companies in the […]

In my last post, I discussed how multinational corporations are often blamed for the negative impacts of globalization. The reality of today?s world is that companies need to invest in improving society and addressing global challenges beyond traditional philanthropy. Too often philanthropy is used as a form of public relations, ?writing the check? to promote […]

Today’s CR as a business strategy includes integrated development, philanthropy abroad Globalization ? the growing integration of economies and societies around the world ? has been one of the most hotly debated topics in international economics over the past decade. Rapid economic growth and poverty reduction in China, India and other countries that were poor […]

Materiality is an accounting concept relating to the importance of an amount, transaction or discrepancy. Information can be considered material, according to international accounting standards, if its omission or misstatement could influence the economic decision of users?investors, regulators and suppliers. Thus, materiality provides a threshold or cut-off point to guide companies in making decisions about […]

In my last blog post, I discussed the first three of seven Pillars of Sustainability outlined by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. The wine industry?s?dynamic and proven methods for achieving the triple bottom line of social responsibility, economic viability and environmental stewardship are models for other regions. In order to fully understand how SWNZ undertakes this […]

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand demonstrates the country?s outstanding commitment to securing a socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound future. I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to travel to New Zealand this past month, visiting each of the country?s wine regions, meeting wine producers and learning more about their comprehensive sustainability efforts and successes. They […]