Table Moderators: Kim Kraemer, Founder, CEO and Amy Aines, Chief Culture Strategist. Waterhouse Brands
Statement: Companies are stepping up to the call to contribute to society and use purpose as the North Star that guides corporate decisions. Matt Damon’s Super Bowl appeal to buy a Stella Artois chalice to support Water.org, Unilever’s sustainability efforts launched in 2010 and WalMart’s Project Gigaton to reduce their supply chain emissions are notable examples. Smaller scale yet similarly impactful, are the local community and supplier benefits that criminal defense lawyer, turned chocolate maker, Shawn Askinosie has delivered. He founded Askinosie Chocolate with a commitment to fairness, sustainability, minimal environmental impact and community enhancement. Given the state of government programs, problems in the world, and the altruistic expectations of millennials, we think it’s time for more companies to follow their lead. Can tax savings provide a new funding source with the potential to inspire a movement? We believe that BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink is right “to prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.”