Upcoming EEA Show Feb. 2: Bart Houlahan, B-Lab Co-Founder, on State of Stakeholder Capitalism
Based on Bart Houlahan’s career, Stakeholder Capitalism is by no means inconsistent with wealth creation. As of 2021, there are more than 6,300 Certified B Corporations in 89 countries covering 150 industries.
Founded in 2006 by Houlahan with Jay Coen Gilbert and Andrew Kassoy, B Lab describes itself as “a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) Certified B Corporations: a corporate certification for sustainable businesses and social enterprises that meet higher standards of social and environmental performance and legal accountability; 2) GIIRS Ratings and Analytics: a ratings platform (analogous to Morningstar and Capital IQ) that drives capital to impact investments by assessing the social and environmental performance of companies and funds; and 3) Benefit Corporations: a new, legally-recognized corporate form that changes corporate fiduciary duty, permitting companies to create shareholder value and social value.”
Click here to register to attend the live session if you wish to ask questions. ESM will post the show, podcast, and an article summary shortly after.
Prior to B Lab, Houlahan was President of AND 1, a basketball footwear and apparel company. Over the course of 11 years, he reportedly helped to finance, operate, and scale the business to $250 million in brand revenues with distribution in 80 countries. In 1999, AND 1 undertook a leveraged recapitalization in 1999 with TA Associates and was sold in May 2005 to American Sporting Goods of Irvine, CA. Before AND 1, Bart was an investment banker with Stonebridge Associates, BNY Associates, and Prudential-Bache Securities. He is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and an Advisory Board Member of the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at the Fuqua School of Business. The Aspen Institute describes itself as a think tank focusing on leadership, common ground, and exchanging discussions in a non-partisan and non-ideological manner.
During the show, we’ll ask, Houlahan:
- Why did he and his partners create B-Lab considering they were successful entrepreneurs in the shareholder capitalism world?
- What problem are they trying to solve or, in other words, what value are they creating and for who?
- Does he believe that responsible traditional corporations need to divert profits from shareholders to be socially responsible?
- What does he believe are the responsibilities of a corporation in a capitalist world?
- Does a corporation have to incorporate as a public benefits company to be socially responsible?
- Considering that he launched B-lab almost 17 years ago, is he surprised with the speed or time it has taken for its principles to be understood, let alone widely applied?
- What does he think about the controversy over ESG and Stakeholder Capitalism?
- What does the Aspen Institute do?
- How optimistic is he that business is moving in a more positive direction in turns of enhancing returns investors by creating rather than extracting wealth from stakeholders and the environment?
Profit From the “S” of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)
Through education, media, business development, advisory services, and outreach, the Enterprise Engagement Alliance supports boards, business analysts, the C-suite, management in finance, marketing, sales, human resources and operations, etc., educators, students and engagement solution providers seeking a competitive advantage by implementing a strategic and systematic approach to stakeholder engagement across the enterprise. Click here for details on all EEA and RRN media services.
Through education, media, business development, advisory services, and outreach, the Enterprise Engagement Alliance supports boards, business analysts, the C-suite, management in finance, marketing, sales, human resources and operations, etc., educators, students and engagement solution providers seeking a competitive advantage by implementing a strategic and systematic approach to stakeholder engagement across the enterprise. Click here for details on all EEA and RRN media services.
1. Professional Education on Stakeholder Management and Total Rewards
- Become part of the EEA as an individual, corporation, or solution provider to gain access to valuable learning, thought leadership, and marketing resources.
- The only education and certification program focusing on Stakeholder Engagement and Human Capital metrics and reporting, featuring seven members-only training videos that provide preparation for certification in Enterprise Engagement.
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Strategic Business Development for Stakeholder Management and Total Rewards solution providers, including Integrated blog, social media, and e-newsletter campaigns managed by content marketing experts.
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The EEA promotes a strategic approach to people management and total rewards through its e-newsletters, web sites, and social media reaching 20,000 professionals a month and through other activities, such as:
- Association of National Advertisers Brand Engagement 360 Knowledge Center to educate brands and agencies.
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