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John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

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Links

JE Mexico city hotel view 2

Scene in a Mexico City hotel, a reminder of the many serendipitous encounters on such trips

JE David Oakey & Janine Benyus 2

David Oakey and Janine Benyus in his studio in Georgia, during a Biomimicry 3.8 Institute board meeting

This section is an updating of an earlier listing of some of the organizations and initiatives that I recommend people get in touch with and, ideally, support. And, of course, pride of place in my heart is taken by Volans and by its sibling, SustainAbility. But, first, a few comments on what makes relationships with such people and organisations involved “sticky,” at least for me.

Clearly, they have to be doing important, effective work. But longer term the key, at least for me, is to build a portfolio of engagements that mean that you can both have a diversified impact and also, critically, have fun as you go along. In the early days of SustainAbility we had a 3-point mission: to make a difference, to make a profit (we were, after all, a business) and to have fun (and learn) in the process. I can remember things that come in threes.

Elements of this philosophy are indicated in the images immediately below, dating from a visit Elaine, Pamela and I made to The Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan some years back. Founder Tim Smit, also a member of the Volans Advisory Board, gave us the most wonderful guided tour. The fun element hopefully comes through.

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Eden 1: Pamela (Hartigan), Elaine and Tim (Smit) in space awaiting Peter Randall-Page’s giant seed
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Eden 2: Saurian roofline
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Eden 3: A cheeky mural on aphrodisiacs, a subject I once began a book on, in the Eden shrubbery. The only reference on this site to Casanova and the Marquis de Sade, I think

My earlier selection of proposed links stands, but I have updated several, dropping a couple that had closed, and added a number of new initiatives. So here’s my current A-to-Z:

Acumen Fund

A leading organization in the field of social entrepreneurship.

Amnesty International

Fighting for human rights.

Ashoka

Aims to make everyone a changemaker.

ASrIA

Spreading the word on socially responsible investment in Asia.

B Lab

Both Volans and SustainAbility are now certified B Corps.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Spin-off from Amnesty. I was on the board of trustees until 2007—and am now a Senior Advisor.

Carbon Neutral Company

Aim to slow climate change and regenerate forests. Run by Jonathan Shopley, a long-time colleague and friend.

Carbon Tracker Initiative

If you don’t already know them and their work on stranded assets,  take a look.

Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)

Originally founded as the Valdez Society in the wake of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, CERES has been a partner in such areas as reporting and corporate governance.

Common Ground

One of the most delightful NGOs, blending the arts and environment, promoting everything from parish maps to apple days.

Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility, Cranfield University

Formed with funding from a private equity investor, the late Nigel Doughty, and with David Grayson as Professor. I am a Visiting Professor.

Earth Policy Institute

Lester Brown is, as they say, The Man. And he has been for many decades. A brilliant guiding star in the sustainability space.

Earthwatch

Our daughters, Gaia and Hania, have both done Earthwatch projects in Baja California – and found the process transformational.

The Eden Project

As they say, “if you believe there should be a place … that celebrates life and puts champagne in the veins … is all about education but doesn’t feel like school …to hold conversations that might just go somewhere … where research isn’t white coats in secret but shared exploration to help us all … that is a sanctuary for all who think the future too precious to leave to the few – because it belongs to us all. Then welcome.”

Endeavor

Another of my favourite organisations in the field of social entrepreneurship.

Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) 

They fund legal actions in defence of the environment. I was on ELF’s Council for years.

Environmental Data Services (ENDS) 

Britain’s leading environmental information source for business. I was part of the founding team in 1978.

Friends of the Earth

One of my favourite environmental NGOs.

Global Footprint Network

These people do great work on defining the methodologies for environmental footprinting, at all levels of the economy, but critically at the level of countries, where it can impact things like bond markets.

Greenpeace

Long may they rule the waves and waive the rules.

Julia Hailes

Since we met in 1986, nothing has been the same. We co-founded SustainAbility in 1987 and wrote 8 books together.

The Haller Foundation

The Foundation is committed to sustainable ecosystem thinking. Its primary objective is to raise money to support and promote the pioneering work and principles of Dr. René Haller, a Swiss naturalist, working in Kenya.

London Cycling Campaign

As a cyclist, traveling from Barnes to Hyde Park Corner, and more recently to Holborn and then Bloomsbury, I have found them hugely useful.

London Wildlife Trust

It’s a real pleasure to support them.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) 

MSF is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 80 countries. In countries where health structures are insufficient or even non-existent, MSF collaborates with authorities such as the Ministry of Health to provide assistance. MSF works in rehabilitation of hospitals and dispensaries, vaccination programmes and water and sanitation projects. MSF also works in remote health care centres, slum areas and provides training of local personnel.

New Economics Foundation

I co-founded The Other Economic Summit (TOES), from which NEF was a spin-out and was a Patron of NEF for many years.

Physic Ventures

A San Francisco-based venture capital fund where I sat on the Advisory Board. They focus on health, wellbeing and sustainable lifestyles.

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

Founded by Klaus Schwab, who also founded the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Foundation identifies, celebrates, networks and supports leading social entrepreneurs.

Skoll Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

Founded by Jeff Skoll of eBay and Participant Productions, the Foundation granted-aided SustainAbility and then Volans over a period of three years.

SustainAbility

Among many other things, co-founded by Julia Hailes and I in 1987. I like their recent work on sustainable business models.

Transparency International

Fighting corruption. Critically important.

UN Global 500 Roll of Honour

The Roll was opened in 1987. Julia and I were elected to the Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1989 for “outstanding environmental achievements.” Now dubbed ‘The Champions of the Earth’.

Volans Ventures

Helping the Future Take Flight. I am loving our work on Breakthrough Capitalism. And our next book, The Breakthrough Challenge, launched in September 2014.

World Economic Forum (WEF)

Convenes some of the most influential summit meetings. For seven years from 2002, I spoke at these events and facilitated sessions—in New York, Davos, Palo Alto and Dalian, China.

World Resources Institute (WRI) 

I worked with them during the 1980s and several SustainAbility people have come across from WRI.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) 

I raised money for them in 1961, aged 11, and have worked with them many times over the years, among other things now being on the WWF UK Council of Ambassadors.

Zouk Capital

Where I serve on a Cleantech Industry Advisory Board.

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From the Journal

This Blog Hits 20 Years

30 September 2023

It was 20 years ago today that I posted my first blog on this website. It ran as follows: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 Alvin (©JE) Today Elaine and I stood on the tiny deck of Alvin, the submersible used to find an accidentally dumped H-bomb off Spain in 1966 – and to investigate wrecks like […]

Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival

22 September 2023

Across to Strawberry Hill House with Elaine to see Gaia’s Arachne installation, part of the 2023 Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival. Blown away, across all the senses.

Sustainability Transformation @ IMD

21 September 2023

My 4-page article on the ‘3Rs’ of responsibility, resilience and regeneration makes it into the September issue of I By IMD magazine. Published by IMD business school in Lausanne, Switzerland. Six copies arrived in the post room at Somerset House this week. It will be a month or more before this article pops up on […]

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

John Elkington

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