Joel Makower
For more than 30 years, through his writing, speaking and leadership, Joel has helped companies align pressing environmental and social issues with business success.
A former nationally syndicated columnist, Joel is author or co-author of more than a dozen books, including The New Grand Strategy, about a business plan for America, born at the Pentagon, that embeds sustainability as a national strategic imperative. Previous books include Strategies for the Green Economy, Beyond the Bottom Line: Putting Social Responsibility to Work for Your Business and the World, The E-Factor: The Bottom-Line Approach to Environmentally Responsible Business, and The Green Consumer.
In 2012, he was awarded the Hutchens Medal by the American Society for Quality, which cited “his ability to tell compelling stories that both inform and inspire business leaders toward profitable action.” In 2014, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals.
Joel has spoken at hundreds of events and is a frequent keynote speaker at industry and company events around the world. His audiences and venues vary widely — including senior executives, corporate supply chains, customer groups, trade associations, marketing professionals, award ceremonies, and regional economic development bodies — from small roundtable discussions to large and diverse gatherings.
He is also a skilled moderator, called upon by companies and conferences around the world to conduct on-stage or on-camera one-on-one interviews, or to host lively and intelligent panel discussions with executives and thought leaders, for in-person, video, and online events, and has served as the emcee of dozens of events, including multi-day conferences, harnessing his talents as an engaging host, a nimble thinker, and a quick wit to ensure events rise above “conference as usual.”
The Associated Press has called him “The guru of green business practices.”
More about Joel here.
A tale of two circles
What's commonly referred to as municipal solid waste is only a small slice of the waste pie. And that could be a problem for companies. Read More
Coke's Message in a Bottle
The Coca-Cola Company's announcement last week that it had set a goal "to recycle or reuse all the plastic bottles we use in the U.S. market," and invest $60 million in a recycling plant, was a bold, even audacious move, one sure to give the company a new green sheen. Sure enough, the announcement got the endorsement of the National Recycling Coalition, the industry-friendly group of recycling advocates. Read More
Green Consumers and the Mushiness Index
The latest study of Americans' green passions is fascinating reading, if you want a glimpse into Americans' green turn-ons and turn-offs, and maddening, if you are trying to figure out how to sell into this unruly market space. Read More
Milton Friedman and the social responsibility of business
The most provocative statement of the past half-century on the role of business in society came in an essay in the New York Times, written by a fellow named Friedman. That's Milton, not Thomas. Read More
What Timberland's New 'Nutritional Label' Really Reveals
The footwear and apparel maker's self-described "nutritional label" outlining the environmental and community impacts of its products has given columnist Joel Makower something to chew on. Read More
The Dalai Lama's shoes
Dharamsala, India —There's one final story to tell before we depart Dharamsala. It's not related to anything environmental. It's about the Dalai Lama's shoes. Read More
Insurance and Climate Change: A Matter of Policy
If government policies won't lead to aggressive action on climate change, maybe the insurance industry will. Read More
'ecomagination': Inside GE’s Power Play
Why GE's new "ecomagination" initiative may provide a model for how a company can strike out as an environmental leader in today's cynical marketplace. By Joel Makower Read More
Ray of Hope: A Conversation with Ray Anderson
A conversation with Interface's Ray Anderson, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his "spear in the chest" epiphany. Read More
No News Is Good News for Green Buildings
After a decade of fits and starts, the green-building movement is finally nearing its tipping point. One sure indicator, from this journalist’s perspective: Greener buildings are no longer news. Read More