Environment-Business Partnerships Set a Green Trend

Environmental groups and business are working together, and the result is a greener world for everyone. These partnerships secure real benefits for the planet by promoting practices that make environmental and business sense. Synthesizing its experience and “lessons learned” from its partnership projects, the Alliance for Environmental Innovation today released guidelines for environmental advocacy groups seeking to work with business. The report, “Catalyzing Environmental Results: Lessons in Advocacy Organization-Business Partnerships,” is available online.

“Sustainable development can only be achieved if companies participate in developing innovative models for conducting business,” said Alliance Director Jackie Roberts. “Along with the Alliance, groups like the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and others have found that partnering with business can create cost-effective environmental change. This report presents strategies based on the Alliance’s experiences and is a guide for advocacy groups seeking to catalyze powerful results — environmental or otherwise — through working with companies. We also encourage companies interested in cooperative projects to use this guide.”

The report, which was sponsored by the J.M. Kaplan Fund, is based on the Alliance’s experience working with companies like UPS. The Alliance and UPS created a reusable overnight shipping envelope and an action plan to reduce the natural resources used to make UPS overnight packages. The plan, announced late last year, will save UPS an estimated $1.6 million annually. The Alliance also has partnerships with SC Johnson and Starbucks, with project results for both companies expected this year.

“This report illuminates how cooperative projects between environmental groups and businesses actually work,” said J.M. Kaplan Fund Director Charles Hamilton. “With this guide, the Alliance has captured its lessons learned and built credibility for the partnership method of business sustainability.”

The Alliance report encourages advocacy groups to consider five key issues when working with business:

• Set ground rules: Signed agreements clarify each party’s expectations.

   

• Find project champions: Are there empowered company staff who are enthusiastic about the project?

   

• Maintain momentum: As the project progresses, determine which initiatives are most promising.

   

• Make the business case: Identify how projects add business value.

   

• Build trust: Maintain public advocacy role and financial independence. Respect company’s sensitive business information.

   

“The Environmental Defense Fund’s groundbreaking work with companies like McDonald’s provided the foundation for the Alliance’s current approach, and proved that economic and ecological goals are compatible,” said Alliance Research Associate Elizabeth Fastiggi, who authored the report. “In fact, our findings show that good environmental performers most often are good financial performers.”