8 Revolutionary Socially Responsible Companies (PHOTOS)

There is no shortage of examples of excess, risk taking and abysmal leadership in today's corporate ranks. But the success stories of socially-minded capitalism, while decidedly less common, are still out there.

The uneasy state of the American middle class and the excesses of corporate America are chronicled in-depth in Arianna Huffington's new book, "Third World America," which is due out on September 7. As a reminder that large profitable companies don't have to have the destabilizing effects of a BP or an AIG, we've compiled a list of some of America's most groundbreaking socially responsible entrepreneurs.

From Anita Roddick, who demanded that her company do more than just peddle beauty products, to Stonyfield Farms' Gary Hirshberg and Patagonia's Yvonn Chouinard, who believe that giving should be built into a business's bottom line, these leaders have expanded our notion of how business can affect social change.

Which was most revolutionary? Check them out and vote below:

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Seventh Generation

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The name "Seventh Generation" comes from the great law of the Iroquois tribe which states that in every action one takes, one must consider the effect on the next seven generations. Jeffrey Hollender, founder and CEO of Seventh Generation, shares that outlook; telling Kleerkut that he started Seventh Generation because he's a dad: "I have kids! They've got their whole lives ahead of them...I don't want them inheriting a broken planet damaged to the point of irreparability." That's why all of Seventh Generation's cleaning and personal products are chlorine-free, their detergents are phosphate-free, and their paper products are made from 100 percent recycled materials. Seventh Generation is also partnered with seven different organizations that promote corporate responsibility. These organizations range from Toxic Chemical Policy Reform and the Breast Cancer Fund, which supports federal legislation requiring ALL household care products to disclose ingredients on their labels in plain English, to organizations such as Save the Rainforest which promotes sustainability and economic development. Learn more about Seventh Generation's partnerships and values here.

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The name "Seventh Generation" comes from the great law of the Iroquois tribe which states that in every action one takes, one must consider the effect on the next seven generations. Jeffrey Hollender, founder and CEO of Seventh Generation, shares that outlook; telling Kleerkut that he started Seventh Generation because he's a dad: "I have kids! They've got their whole lives ahead of them...I don't want them inheriting a broken planet damaged to the point of irreparability."

That's why all of Seventh Generation's cleaning and personal products are chlorine-free, their detergents are phosphate-free, and their paper products are made from 100 percent recycled materials. Seventh Generation is also partnered with seven different organizations that promote corporate responsibility. These organizations range from Toxic Chemical Policy Reform and the Breast Cancer Fund, which supports federal legislation requiring ALL household care products to disclose ingredients on their labels in plain English, to organizations such as Save the Rainforest which promotes sustainability and economic development. Learn more about Seventh Generation's partnerships and values here.

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This Corporation

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Good, But Not Great Revolutionary

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Top 5 Socially Responsible Corporations

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How have you been impacted by the financial crisis -- and how are you bouncing back? What are you doing to help prevent America from ever becoming a Third World nation?

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Comments

[rleresche]

06:31 PM on 09/13/2010

Has anyone heard of DIlmah tea. They are backed by the UN as “going beyond fair trade” for their humanitarian and conservation efforts and for being more than ethical with their workers. Now that is a high standard of good business.
Websites : www.dilmahtea.com and www.dilmahconservation.org

not to mention they are fresher and a higher quality than anything we have available here in the US.

[dben]

11:51 AM on 08/25/2010

Patagonia is awesome. I've been a confident dedicated customer since 1989. I have Patagonia clothing purchased 20 years ago that STILL looks great and performs as it did on day one. I do not wear anything else. They once introduced a trenchcoat I wish would be released again.

Founded in 1972, they first introduced fleece in the 70s. The fleece rage you see today is a rip-off/imitation of them.

One thing that remains consistently impressive is the dignity of their advertising. Unlike other companies compelled to expel superlatives and noise, Patagonia is confident customers know the brand.






My comments won't be displayed until approved!



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[pdxgirl06]

12:39 PM on 08/18/2010

Coca Cola owns partial stake in Honest Tea...

[undrgrndgirl]

11:16 AM on 09/02/2010

i also didn't like the carbon credit bee ess...

[weatherwaxx]

01:12 AM on 08/17/2010

I wish you folks would just post ARTICLES -- you know, printed words on a page so people can READ what you're talking about, quickly and concisely? I don't want to waste my time looking at a picture of some CEO. It's an interesting idea, but please include the FACTS for those of use who have got past picture books.

[getsit]

02:46 PM on 08/13/2010

Why are there only 8? How about companies to invest in? Like progressive, environmentally friendly companies? Give me a better handle on where I want to shop.

[gardenpetal]

10:41 AM on 08/13/2010

I don't agree with the Body shop being chosen and i will tell you why:
I had been a Body shop shopper since i was an eraly teen in the 1990's...but i no longer support them because since i was a teen and concious of recycling, i loved that Body shop would take back you old bottles and refil them with the same product, and gave you a 10% discount to boot...but they stopped doing this around 2003...now i can understand getting rid of the discount but don'tg get rid of a way to reduce waste!
They also started to make thier bottles smaller so you would have to buy more to get the amount of product you needed, making you come back more foten, spending more money and wasting more bottles...SHame Shame Bodyshop!

[Charles Porcaro]

09:15 AM on 08/13/2010

I've been impressed by Poet that makes ethanol & feed grains, & Teijin, a plastics company that is committed to reducing CO2. Then there is Target,that gives back a portion of their profits to the communities their stores are in. You'll probably never find too many perfect companies. But recognize and applaud any forward thinking practices from any companies you find.

[weatherwaxx]

01:14 AM on 08/17/2010

Target donates to both sides of the fence and are currently sending hundres of thou$ands to extreme right-wing politicians. No, thanks.

[DebtNavigation]

09:03 AM on 08/13/2010

Shame they ignored Method. I like them better than Seventh Generation: http://www.methodhome.com/

[DogTown]

07:22 PM on 08/14/2010

Method puts too many fragrances in their products. The smell of clean is nothing!

[cabinetmaniac]

10:33 AM on 08/16/2010

Fragrances can be made with any chemical and they don't have to disclose which are used.

Most fragrances contain carcinogens.

I avoid them.

☮

[DebtNavigation]

10:18 AM on 08/17/2010

I've had no trouble finding fragrance-free Method products. And I do prefer them to the others.

[Bluemax1]

01:09 AM on 08/13/2010

We have to quit buying what the socially irresponsible corporations are selling and take our power back. Madison Avenue is selling nothing but an illusion of a quality product. The quality does not exist and that is why we have to replace the same products over and over. We have to buy from companies that have ethics and American made products and protest those without a conscience.

[nopilikia]

12:00 AM on 08/13/2010

Nice story. Unfortunately that doesn't matter to the majority of American companies and their buddies in Congress.

[JScott]

11:28 PM on 08/13/2010

Yup and they do everything to obfuscate.
So how many celeb clothing lines are made by women/children in slave conditions in 3rd world countries.........oh the false outrage (this means you Kathy Lee Gifford!)

[themainpoint]

09:52 PM on 08/12/2010

Thanks for the inspiration. All of these people should be so proud that they've found a way to make a living that adds something useful and helps others or the environment.

[Biendiosa]

06:18 PM on 08/12/2010

All good, (and I love Seventh Genration products) but the Body Shoppe does almost nothing for me, since they still use plenty of artificial colors and fragrances in their products. Just walking into the stores makes me wheeze.
I have allergies, and it's so much better to make my own beauty stuff.

[SuzyQ08]

10:50 PM on 08/12/2010

I don't shop at the Body Shop for the same reason. I can't stand the strong fragrances. You know it's bad when you walk out of the store and your hair smells like perfume-y strawberries. LOL.

[DogTown]

07:24 PM on 08/14/2010

The fragrances are all atomized chemicals that's why they bother you! They are very dangerous to your sinuses and lungs over time.

[seeksthetruth]

05:57 PM on 08/12/2010

I honor these people. We need more of these socially responsible CEOs, and fewer sociopath CEOs!

[SuzyQ08]

10:47 PM on 08/12/2010

X2

[mandinka]

05:29 PM on 08/12/2010

Who has ever even heard of these companies??

[therealone]

06:06 PM on 08/12/2010

Everyone outside of your bubble.

[MCJanes]

08:00 PM on 08/12/2010

Fairly certain every woman alive has heard of the Body Shop. Well, at least where I'm from. And i'm over 1000km away from anywhere (literally).

[linnilue]

03:41 PM on 08/12/2010

One must ask a very easy but tough question here. How do the owners of these "most socially responsible" companies live in their private lives? By that, I mean do they apply their self-promoted principles of their social responsibility to their own lives, their private lives. At first glance they appear to be more honorable in their case for the environment but trust me, in private it's another story. Look beyond the companies everyone, they all profit from those highly priced products and they live extremely comfortable lives, with all the accoutrements that wealth bestows. By no means do they live humble lives. I would ask all of them to change their pricing structures. Giving back to the environment by limiting their huge profits and lowering their pricing structure so that all of us might be able to have that "feel good" moment of environmental responsibility. That would be socially responsible.

[mujer-lg]

04:42 PM on 09/01/2010

Seventh generation is comparable to other cleaning products