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Changing Business from the Inside Out

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Changing Business from the Inside Out

A Treehugger’s Guide to Working in Corporations

Berrett-Koehler,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Make your firm a powerful change agent by establishing a corporate responsibility program.

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Visionary
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Leading or working in a corporate responsibility (CR) department is more than a job, though making a living and doing good do work together there. Timothy J. Mohin, an experienced CR consultant and environmental policy pro, demonstrates the immense potential that businesses have to do well by doing good. He cites examples of positive change wrought by big retail and the automotive and tech industries. Though Mohin may sometimes be overzealous in identifying that good, getAbstract recommends his hands-on directions to CEOs, managers, entrepreneurs and professionals seeking to focus on the “triple bottom line” of “people, planet and profit.”

Summary

“The Department of Good Works”

Many firms now have corporate responsibility (CR) departments to handle their reputation as a “responsible corporate citizen.” Corporate responsibility covers ethics, philanthropy, social causes, fair practices, environmental sustainability, and more.

The most successful CR programs transcend “good works” and become part of a firm’s normal operations. If you work in CR, set program goals, such as reducing water use. Establish systems to measure your achievements and to demonstrate that your department contributes to earnings and helps the company conquer the “triple bottom line” of “people, planet and profit.”

Core Skills for CR

The corporate responsibility department has a role in every issue that faces a company and in every function it performs. Good CR management requires flexibility, communication skill and curiosity about crucial issues. On any single day, a CR professional may have to deal with queries about workforce diversity, human rights and water usage so the ability to communicate is vital.

Strive for “mutual value” in your work as a CR administrator. Win people over and gain their cooperation. Some people...

About the Author

A former sustainability executive at Intel and Apple, Timothy J. Mohin directs the CR program at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and consults on sustainability issues.

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