Laura Chamoun
“The corporate responsibility movement as it stands today is a case study in too little, too late, and we can’t wait any longer for that to change.”
Seventh Generation President, Jeffrey Hollender, stands by his word and has not wasted any time in transforming the future of CSR. As the most trusted name in household and personal-care products for a healthy home, Seventh Generation is committed to creating new ways of operating that will revolutionize the future of ethical and sustainable corporate behavior. Although it is an ambitious goal, they are actually taking action in every corner of their company. Unlike many companies who simply “greenwash,” Seventh Generation is continuously striving to better their operating systems, that stretches into every corner of their company. Their seven main global missions, as well as operating principles, are sure to generate an impact of environmental sustainability.
Seventh generation sets the foundation for a sustainable system through a holistic approach to corporate responsibility. Rather than focusing on either a top down or bottom up strategy, the company strives to balance their company values with profitability. This balance allows them to fulfill their first mission of restoring the environment, while still maintaining steady growth.
Palm kernel oil, a plant-based cleaning agent used in the company’s products, is an unfortunate case for their environmental efforts. However, the company has taken a stand to keep their promise of restoring our environment, and contributes to the sustainability of this material. Seventh Generation is the first cleaning products company in North America that pays palm oil producers a premium to support sustainability practices. Furthermore, they have partnered with organizations that support sustainability and economic growth in palm-oil producing areas. Through these efforts, the company is committed to sourcing 100% of its needs from only sustainable palm oil by 2012.
The second mission of Seventh Generation is to inspire conscious consumption throughout the world. Not only do they consider the manufacturing and production of their products, but they also want to ensure that the entire life cycle is environmentally safe. This means that they questions the products safety, impact on the Earth, effectiveness, and where the product will eventually end up. In addition, they print the life cycle on their products so consumers will be aware of their efforts.
In order to encourage consumers to join in on the company’s environmental journey, they want to ensure that the actual product is safe as well. Seventh generation is committed to their partnership with Safer Chemicals, Health Families Coalition, which fights for toxic chemical reforms. Providing safer chemicals for families is just as important for the environment as it is for individuals, and the company works against congress to strengthen federal laws in the regulation of toxic chemicals.
Seventh Generation’s third goal in promoting corporate responsibility is to create a just and fair world for their employees, customers, and everyone else they may interact with. They believe that all of these groups should be treated fairly and with respect, especially when it comes to the work environment. In 2009, Seventh Generation partnered with Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES), a worker-owned, eco-friends residential cleaning business in San Francisco. This helps create healthy and reputable jobs for women in an industry known for unfair hours and wages. It is a creative approach to CSR that integrates the companies products with a social cause.
The fourth initiative of Seventh Generation is their “Protect Laundry List.” Out of all the household activities, laundry is the most energy-intensive operation. Using about 90% of energy from the heating of hot water, laundry has a large impact on both energy use and utility bills. For this reason, Seventh Generation designed laundry detergents that can be used in cold water. In addition, this program encourages line drying to reduce energy use even more. By using these two methods, a great deal of energy and resources could be conserved with minimal effort.
The next foundation that the company takes action with is one that is known to many, breast cancer fund. A great contributor to breast cancer are the toxic and harmful chemicals that exist in numerous products we use. Many companies refrain from putting every ingredient they use on their products, or print it in a hidden manner. For this reason, Seventh generation works with the breast cancer fund to support federal legislation that would requires all household care products to disclose ingredients on their labels. In doing so, consumers would be aware of the products they are inhaling on a daily basis, rather than oblivious of many harmful substances.
The sixth step that Seventh generation takes in social responsibility is sustainability education. The sustainability institute was established by Kaplan Eduneering, and offers a series of online education modules on social responsibility. The courses are focused on the business of sustainability, and strive to make social responsibility a key factor in companies foundations. In addition, the courses are offered to small and large companies alike, both international and domestic. By teaching others about sustainability, Seventh generation hopes to generate a large impact through both education and example.
The last initiative that Seventh Generation supports is Save the Poles. Being that global warming is such an important environmental subject, seventh generation is committed to travel to the “front lines” of global warming to document the changes occurring in these last great frozen places. Through Save the Poles project, they will be able to better understand how our actions affect the poles, and ultimately the planet. If everyone does not act now, global warming will continue to worsen and harm our planet, and the people.
Seventh Generation is a company that truly defines corporate social responsibility. They take steps to not only improve their current operating responsibilities, but also put a great deal of effort into future operations. They care about their consumer’s health, the welfare of their employees, and the sustainability of our environment.
