Op-Ed by Mike Shesterkin, Executive Director, SMSBF We live in an age of income and wealth disparity. A recent Pew Research study indicates, “The highest-earning fifth of U.S. families earned 59.1% of all income, the richest fifth held 88.9% of all wealth.” Other measures indicate equally disturbing trends. What is it about this system that …
Opinion – A Hedge Against Wealth Disparity: Employee Owned Businesses Read More »
In the wake of the recent economic downturn, corporations and organizations began to reveal some of their internal practices, speak about what they were doing, where they were going, and why. What grew out of an effort to regain the trust of consumers, is now embraced by successful organizations of all sizes. This transparency in …
Transparency in Business – A step toward a more sustainable practice Read More »
Our recent Triple Bottom Line (3BL) Forum, titled “The Power to Change Things,” highlighted many avenues our community can pursue to change the very nature of the businesses we own, work for, and aspire to be. One such theme that arose from several presentations discussed the rise of the emerging local economy here in the …
An Emerging Local Economy – what does that mean for cities like Detroit? Read More »
One of the essential keys to life is being prepared for the unexpected. Surprises lurk around every corner. What follows may come as a surprise to many. In a Forbes article titled, “The World Is Entering A ‘Localism’ Era”, author Patrick W. Watson writes about the growing backlash to globalism. To emphasize his points, Watson …
At a time when “isms” seem to be reproducing like rabbits, it’s hard not to be confused. What exactly does the word localism mean? According to Webster’s, localism means, “the state or condition of being local; the influence that a particular place or location exerts.” It’s the idea of exerting influence that seems the most …
On Wednesday, September 12, passionate members of the Detroit and surrounding community came together at the Michigan State University Detroit Center to discuss the important role that business plays in building a sustainable community. The almost sold-out room was the perfect environment for networking and dialogue spanning many different industries and perspectives. Setting the tone …
Intersection of Sustainable Business and Community Read More »
Dr. Andrew Hoffman, Holcim Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and School of Environment and Sustainability, recently published an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled, “The Next Phase of Business Sustainability”. The piece is an excellent overview of the ways in which sustainable business practice is …
If you’re a fan of ‘70’s rock and roll, you’ll recognize the title of this post: It’s a Buddy Miles tune he recorded with Jimi Hendrix. The lyrics express Buddy’s angst over the changes he’s going through. Buddy would have done well to remember what the ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said: “The only thing constant …
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″] [et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Social capital seems to be one of those terms that’s easy to spot, but difficult to quantify; yet it’s an essential element of the people value in the triple bottom line. How does the triple bottom line business leader recognize and build social capital? Within the business, …
It may have been twenty years ago, but I remember the day as if it were yesterday: My wife informed me our yearly family vacation would include a few days in Manhattan. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement; I will not write what I really felt. I’m keeping this a clean article. …
The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same: Life in the City Read More »
