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Green Monday: April 2012

Collaborative capitalism - can traditional companies compete?

Arrive: 5:45pm / Start 6:15pm / Networking: 8:15pm / Close: 9:30pm

2nd April 2012

Bank of America Merrill Lynch: King Edward Hall
2 King Edward Street City of London London EC1A 1HQ

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Event overview:

For the past 20 years, the most successful companies have been driven by external shareholders looking to maximise ROI. It has produced impressive economic growth, but often without regard for the impact on society or the environment.

But with growing public animosity towards key sectors such as banks, utilities and retailers, are things changing? Strategies that recognise other stakeholders, particularly employees and society, may be starting to perform better see recent trading from Fairtrade, the Co-op Group and John Lewis Group.

At the same time, a handful of leaders and companies starting to behave like social agitators. Paul Polman has asked speculators to leave the commodity markets, Richard Branson wrote Screw Business as Usual, and Ben and Jerry's are funding the Occupy Movement. Our panel will lead a debate on the strengths of these trends and the implications for business strategies:

• Nick O'Donohoe, CEO of Big Society Capital, on why we are entering a more collaborative version of capitalism.
• Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite, on transforming existing businesses to put people and planet at the core.
• Ruth Girardet, CR and Communities Director, Tesco, on why Tesco is seeing a switch back from environmental to social issues.
• Cliff Mills, expert on co-operative structures, Mutuo, on the dramatic revival in the fortunes of the co-operative movement, and whether corporates can collaborate.

This event reflects our view that social purpose is becoming a major strategic issue for a number of sectors. We are particularly reaching out to sustainability and business strategists in the most impacted sectors, including retail, banking, utility, F&B and travel.

Further Reading:
Cliff Mills. Mutuo; "Funding the Future - an alternative to Capitalism"

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