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John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

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Oslo Sustainability Summit

John Elkington · 1 September 2009 · Leave a Comment

BI, interior BI, interior Blurred shot of Elaine and Joel (Bakan), en route to our session Blurred shot of Elaine and Joel (Bakan), en route to our session

Met Bill McKibben today, after being blown away by his presentation on the 350 campaign. Resolved to get both Volans and SustainAbility involved, if it kills me. Then did the session at BI, the management school, with Joel Bakan, who I first met some time ago when I chaired a discussion panel at the London premiere of his film, The Corporation. Great fun.

Introducing my session, I spotlighted Jorgen Randers, who had kicked off the event, as a “dinosaur”, in the sense that 1972’s Limits to Growth study had been seminal in my evolution, a mere 37 years ago. He got an ovation. Then, to spread the insults around, I noted that Elaine and I just realised that today was our wedding anniversary – another ovation.

Last night, Joel and his wife Rebecca played guitar (him) and sang (her) at the US Embassy, where many of us had repaired for dinner. They hugely endeared themselves to me by doing one of my favourite Grace Slick/Jefferson Airplane songs.

After our Summit debate, Joel and I did a session with students. Then on to the British Embassy for a reception, where we were treated – among other things – to a rap band and a duet playing Tchaikovsky. 

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Introduction

I began this blog with an entry reporting on a visit to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, on 30 September 2003. The blog element of the website has gone through several iterations since, with much of the older material still available.

Like so many things in my life, blog entries blur the boundaries between the personal and the professional. As explained on this site’s Home Page, the website and the blog are part platform for ongoing projects, part autobiography, and part accountability mechanism.

In addition, my blogs have appeared on many sites such as: Chinadialogue, CSRWire, Fast Company, GreenBiz, Guardian Sustainable Business, and the Harvard Business Review.

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About

John Elkington is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. He is currently Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation movements.

Contact

john@johnelkington.com  |  +44 203 701 7550 | Twitter: @volansjohn

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