Fast Company writes about 2009 sustainability trends

Published December 09, 2008 @ 07:24AM PT

One of my all-time favorite magazines Fast Company has just published an article about three major sustainability trends in 2009: "sustainability labels, virtual meetings, and zero waste."

These are all really exciting and hopeful things that could have significant impact on long-term approaches to sustainability - particularly environmental sustainability. The one I'm perhaps most interested in as it relates to social entrepreneurship is the "labels."

There are a number of companies that are actively attempting to help consumers and donors rationalize and compare the impact and footprint of social enterprises (as well as traditional businesses and nonprofits). Its one of the most important factors in making sure the social enterprise movement, whatever that may really mean, grows into something thats more than a brand but has some real substance behind it.

You should check out the full article, but also read about some interesting work going on in this area from people like the B Corporation folks and the Acumen Fund PULSE system, both projects attempting to make it easier to tell which companies and nonprofits are really making a difference.

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Author

Nathaniel is the founding Director of the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University, which works annually with hundreds of students in dozens of countries around the world through curricular programs and student project incubation.