Hello CCSD Community

Here is our bi-weekly Conscious Capitalism content share. We hope you find it informative and inspirational.

In the news

It is no secret that the apparel industry has a huge environmental and social footprint.  There are several newer, more environmental and ethically friendly apparel organizations popping up. However, four older brands, like Fruit of the Loom and Hanes, have also committed to revamp their strategies to reduce their negative impact on the world and support their consumer demands.

Impact

As the head of Heineken USA and Heineken Mexico, Dolf van der Brink has learned to use the power of people and purpose to apply smart, impactful, and profitable practices. “By letting go of fear and stereotypes, something van den Brink has had to do multiple times in his career, he says, he has learned an important lesson “A big part of humanity is suppressed in organizations and bureaucracies. But when you can find a way to tap in that, and appeal to people’s passions and unleash their energies, amazing things can be done.” Read more about specific examples here in this FastCo article. 

Informative Read

Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line: And Build Your Brand on Purpose, by Bethany Andell. This book explores what could happen if executives shift their focus from solely improving the bottom line to the company’s long-term health and non-monetary impact on the world. And how to do it!

In Practice

Branch Out Market is a curated social impact market. They partner with nonprofits who are teaching a skill, working with women, young artisans, or refugees to help create economic opportunities and income streams for their projects. By partnering with these organizations they hope to help them focus on their missions and help in creating a stable and reliable access to market. Please read their stories online and browse through the market as if you were walking the streets of Guatemala, Tanzania, South Africa, India, and more combined!

From the founder:
“I am a strong believer in capitalism as a resourceful and efficient way to solve the worlds challenges. Don’t get me wrong, we need charity, but we also need jobs. After working with farmers in South Africa for a few years I saw how their sense of purpose was critical to their success and happiness. My job was to bridge the gap to market, with each opportunity our farmers worked harder and were able to improve their skills and resourcefulness. I joined Conscious Capitalism because I knew that in order for Branch Out Market to be successful I needed to meet and collaborate with like-minded individuals. This is how we will make the world a better place!” – Rachel McKinney