Lead The Change

How Danone North America Became the Largest Certified B Corp in the World

Danone North America—maker of Dannon, Silk, So Delicious, Horizon Organic and Vega, among others—recently became the largest certified B Corp™ in the world for its commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

As a large multinational company, Danone North America demonstrated that certification is attainable, and should be an ambition for companies regardless of size or sector.

Deanna Bratter, Senior Director of Sustainable Development Strategy for Danone North America, led the company’s B Corp initiative. Bratter drives the company's sustainability strategy and programs to support the interconnectivity between the health of people and the health of the planet, and works to amplify the positive impacts of sustainability within business.

She oversees the organization's nature and sustainability focus areas, including commitments to solving climate change, advancing sustainable and regenerative agriculture, managing water sustainably, restoring natural ecosystems, improving packaging and supporting people and communities.

Bard MBA’s Sarah Hutcherson spoke with Bratter about Danone North America’s trailblazing sustainability efforts, including its B Corp journey and the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance.   

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Lyft is Working to Reclaim Cities for People, Not Cars

Lyft was one of the first U.S. companies to join former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “We Are Still In” movement to declare its continuing commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. Shortly after, it outlined its own Climate Impact Goals, doing its part to address the threat posed by global climate change.

Sam Arons is Director of Sustainability at Lyft, overseeing the company’s sustainability and climate impact efforts. Sam cames to Lyft after 10 years at Google, where he developed the company’s sustainability efforts as Senior Lead for Energy & Infrastructure. Prior to his time with Google, Sam researched wind energy and plug-in vehicles at Williams College and UC Berkeley, respectively.

Bard MBA’s Reed Shapiro spoke with Sam about Lyft’s recent carbon offset announcement, vehicle electrification, and its vision for green cities—which it’s working to reclaim for people, not for cars.

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S’well Proves Sustainability Can Be Stylish

Sarah Kauss launched S’well in 2010 with the belief that a crave-worthy bottle that combined fashion with function would make people stop buying disposable water bottles, thus reducing single-use plastic consumption.  Eight years after launching, S’well is the fastest growing woman-owned business in the United States.

Olivia Gossett Cooper, Bard MBA alum and founder of “Today We Will” and Silvr Inc., spoke with Kauss this past Spring about her inspiration for starting the company, how she got to scale, and how style matters in converting users to a sustainable lifestyle.

The Impact Report brings together students and faculty in Bard’s MBA in Sustainability program with leaders in business, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

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Maximizing Positive Social Impact and Minimizing Environmental Impact: An Interview with Ali Kenney of Burton Snowboards

 It’s almost impossible to upcycle used snowboards. Because their components—metal, wood, plastic, resin—are tightly fused during manufacturing, the best end-of-life outcome is usually chopped scrap that can be downcycled into fill. Which is why Burton is working with a new recyclable epoxy resin. ReRez allows used snowboards to be disassembled, and each material input to be reccyled into new life.

This focus on end-of-life innovation is just one of the ways that Burton is meeting its ambitious 2020 sustainability goals. From 100% Fair Labor Association compliance in its factories, to the carbon-neutral Burton US Open, to Chill, its youth development program, the company believes that succeeding as a business means succeding at sustainability.

The Bard MBA’s Cory Skuldt spoke with Ali Kenney, VP of Global Strategy and Insights at Burton, for The Impact Report. Kenney proposed and built Burton’s Global Sustainability Department and currently drives the sustainability strategy and platform for the company’s portfolio of brands.

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Creating New Value Frontiers through Future First Leadership: A Conversation with Alice Mann of Mann Advisors

Organizational psychologist Alice Mann talked with over 60 sustainable business leaders to find out how they’re innovating in the face of today’s global challenges. Her new book, Future First: How Successful Leaders Turn Innovation Challenges into New Value Frontiers, distills what she learned into these five business practices.

In Future First, Mann argues that the three biggest challenges we face—climate change, resource scarcity, and social dynamism—offer opportunities for business to get out ahead of tomorrow’s market demands and beat the competition, while making a positive impact on the world.

The Bard MBA’s Heather Bowden spoke with Mann about her work and Future First for the Impact Report.

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