Starbuck's employees are offered a free college education...

With a few strings attached but no long term obligation.  With a college degree employees may move on from baristaship...even if it means leaving the company.  By investing in its employees well-being Starbucks will take a short term loss, but will lower its turnover in the long term - improving service quality which will no doubt increase revenues.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/an-education-from-starbucks-1403562708

Why is it profitable to protect the environment?

One way is to consider the value of services that the environment provides.  Nature provides services like pollinating crops, purifying water, protecting us from storms, producing fish, and many many more - services that we depend on.  These services are provided to us for free!

The value of these services in 1997 was $125 trillion (compared to the world's GNP of $75 trillion)

In business we consider the cost of services that we need when calculating our profit margins, but I doubt the value of natural services are considered and why should they be...these services are our birth rights as residents of earth. That is, until these services start to degrade.  Since 1997, the value of the services the earth provides has decreased by $20 trillion, and where we have become dependent or have taken these services for granted, this has started to cost us money.  

What comes to mind is the money we are spending on water, farming fish, property damage from storms, and how much will it cost us take over pollination if the Bee's disappear.

Take a long look at your balance sheet and see if any of these types of costs might be creeping in and eroding your profit margins.

Every business from mining to manufacturing, from farming to fashion, from entertainment to banking, from healthcare to technology all have financial stakes in the environment.  

http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=14-P13-00025&segmentID=4

 

 

"What would Google do?"

I cant seem to think of one person that I might know that has not been impacted by Google.  Can you?

Google's corporate motto is ...Dont be Evil! Its written in their Prospectus. Their belief is that they would be better served in the world if they do good things even if it means forgoing some short term gains.

This seems to be working out nicely for them.

“What Would Google Do?” – As the book by Jeff Jarvis says…”companies need to learn from Google and grow by building platforms to help others prosper“.  Thats what Google does…they help others prosper.  We all have free access to most everything Google has to offer so that we can improve our lives...learn, stay in touch, build our business's.  Yes, Google makes an incredible amount of money by advertising but their first order of business was/is to create free conflict free access to information.  If you search for this book on Google, the first option to buy it is by Amazon (not GooglePlay)

www.google.com

 

The Big Number

Last year 72% of S&P 500 companies published sustainability reports.  In 2011 - only 20% did it!

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB20001424052702304710104579608562794001026

Tesla shares their Secrets

As you approach the new Tesla, the door handles come out to meet you. Getting into the seat is like slipping into the near and distant future.  Extreme comfort, few gadgets and tapping the accelerator releases massive power...and not a sound.  Completely electric.  Its like driving an iPhone.

Last week Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, announced that he will share its secrets.  By taking down the patents he has on this world changing technology.  What's clear is Tesla's intent to spread opportunity and to protect the environment.  But Elon Musk is a pure capitalist so what might not be so clear is as he says...."We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen rather than diminish Tesla’s position in this regard."  

He believes that sharing his secrets will make him more profitable.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/all-our-patent-are-belong-you