THE NEW PIONEERS

BUSINESS MINDSET

Tania Ellis, The New Pioneers
Lars Rebien Sørensen, CEO, Novo Nordisk

If you want to be a partner with society, you have to engage in solving the underlying problems. As a company we have to point out - even though we don't make money on this with our current products - that prevention, naturally, is the ideal solution to diabetes, indeed that society's solution to chronic diseases overall is to change our lifestyles.

Yvon Choinard, Founder, Patagonia

I'm not in business to make clothes. I'm not in the business to make more money for myself... I'm in business to try to clean up our own act, and try to influence other companies to do the right thing.

Walter Robb, CEO, Whole Foods Market

We're not retailers who have a mission - we're missionaries who retail... we put our customers and team members before our shareholders. We deliver results by being a mission-driven mission.

Jeff Swartz, CEO, Timberland

We operate on the core theory, on the belief that doing well and doing good are not separate ideas: they are inseparable ideas. That, in fact, they are inextricably linked and that everything we do, every business decision we make, every strategy we promulgate, every speech we make, or every pair of boots or shoes that we ship, have to be the embodiment of commerce and justice, and that's a different model.

Mark Parker, President and CEO, Nike Inc.

In the early '90s, we came under intense scrutiny for labor conditions in our supply chain... Today, we're evolving beyond the words corporate responsibility... We see sustainability, both social and environmental, as a powerful path to innovation, and crucial to our growth strategies... There is now only one path and it leads to greater sustainability, equity, growth and prosperity.

Peter Blom, CEO, Triodos Bank

Our growth is faster than foreseen; we continue to thrive despite the financial crisis, and have no shortfall of capital. This year we have grown faster than ever before... If nothing else, the financial crisis has taught us that it pays to choose sustainable.

Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO, Vestergaard Frandsen

Doing good is linked to our brand equity, to our R&D, to basically everything in the company. So when times get tough, we can never cut away the humanitarian purpose as other companies with CSR programmes may have to do. If we chip away at our 'profit for a purpose' approach, we chip away at our future.

SOCIAL BUSINESS LABS

12-MONTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

We believe that social responsibility can be used as a means of generating economic value - and that business can be used as a means of generating social value. Our Social Business Labs® are designed to help companies and entrepreneurs apply an integrated approach to economic and social value creation.

About the Labs

New times create new needs – and require new solutions

The world is changing – and so are companies. Because when society’s needs change, business must adapt. The business of business is still business, but the rules of how to stay in business are changing.

This is the reason why an increasing number of companies – big and small – from around the globe are addressing business risks like resource scarcity, poverty, climate change and social inequality in a proactive manner. Not (only) because of idealism and moral obligation, but also because it secures sustainable growth and provides business opportunities that cannot be missed.

And this is the reason why entrepreneurs worldwide are developing new solutions to social or environmental problems and needs by using business methods as a means. Not (only) because they want to make money, but also because the use of business methods gives them the opportunity to do even more good for the world.

Together they are contributing to an increasingly powerful ‘business force for good’ that is not only changing the world for the better – it is also changing the face of capitalism.

Corporate social innovation is the name of the 21st century business game.

Who are the Social Business Labs for – and why?  

With the new rules of business follow new challenges. For many mainstream companies a key challenge is to integrate corporate responsibility and sustainability into the core of their business strategy and culture. For many social entrepreneurs a key challenge is to find the right business model that will help them upscale their social solutions and ensure their sustainability.

We have created three Social Business Lab categories in support of social and economic value creation:

  • For companies, who want to put social innovation into the core of their business.
  • For entrepreneurs, who want to put business into the core of their social innovation.
  • For companies and social entrepreneurs, who want to co-create (corporate) social innovation through shared value partnerships.

Join one of our Social Business Labs, and become part of the frontier of New Pioneers shaping the new business as usual.

 

 

 

What is a Social Business Lab?

A Social Business Lab is a 12-month development programme, customized to your business needs and challenges. The content and detailed design of our Social Business Labs depends on the specific lab category, but all labs contain the same basic elements:

  • 6 whole-day workshops that provide you with latest learnings, best practice cases and implementation tools.
  • 20 hours of professional consulting in-between workshop sessions.
  • Confidential work group of other sustainability-oriented business practitioners.
  • Lab Buddy® (mentor/partner) from another progressive company.
  • Tailored strategy & action plan for an integrated approach to social and economic value creation.

For  more details, go to the menu to the left to read about the programme categories for Companies, Entrepreneurs and Partnerships.

Why should you become part of a Social Business Lab?

Breaking sustainable business ground is not always an easy task. And there is no one-size-fits-all formula. But our experience is that many companies and entrepreneurs are struggling with many of the same overall challenges.

Consider the costs of network memberships, conference and workshop fees, consulting hours and mentor programmes. With a Social Business Lab® you get all this in one, focused and integrated 12-month programme, tailored to your specific business needs.

Joining a Social Business Labs will give you:

  • A facilitated business development process
  • A supportive setup of specialists and mentors
  • An experience-based network
  • A co-creative work space
  • An innovative action platform

To help you achieve sustainable business success.

Join one of our Social Business Labs, and become part of the frontier of The New Pioneers, who are shaping the new and pathbreaking 21st century business mindset.

Contact us for more information about the labs.