Watching the oil slick spread through the Gulf of Mexico it's easy to conclude that we're hell bent on ruining this planet.
The oozing, uncontrollable pollution makes it seem as if the forces of respect and restraint are no match for the commercial imperatives to drill, mine and clear forests so that we can fill--and refill--our closets, refrigerators and garages.
But I have hope. Something happened the other day that should be a cause for great optimism among those of us who believe, or want to believe, that the products we and our families consume don't have to cause harm to the people who produce them or to the earth itself.
Too idealistic?
Nestlé doesn't think so. Nestlé just announced a stunning commitment to make sure that none of its products have a deforestation footprint. The company will begin by sourcing all of the palm oil that goes into its products--more than 320,000 metric tons annually--from sustainable sources by2015. Ultimately, the Nestlé wants to rectify all social and environmental issues embedded in its supply chains.
This announcement by one of the world's largest marketers of consumer products is a game changer because for the first time, the focus is on products. Palm oil is a basic ingredient in many processed food and cosmetic products. And much of the palm oil in these products comes from plantations built on clear-cut rainforest land. Nestlé has asked TFT, the non-profit I head, to scrutinize and reform its supply chain from forest to retail.
Nestlé is roughly a $100 billion company with customers and suppliers in just about every part of the world. Among its well-known consumer brands are Nescafé coffee; Poland Spring and Perrier bottle waters; Purina pet food and Gerber baby food. In other words, Nestlé is a powerful global corporation. Like most corporate giants it typically uses that influence to grow market share, drive up the stock price and improve shareholder return.
But this announcement adds a new dimension to the fundamental responsibilities of a corporation. The Nestlé commitment goes well beyond traditional expressions of corporate good citizenship, which focus on philanthropy--how you spend the money after you make it. This announcement goes to the heart of how corporations make the money in the first place. In a pioneering demonstration of corporate leadership, Nestlé acknowledged that it is in the organization's self-interest to make and market responsible products.
Why did Nestlé take this step? You could say that the company capitulated to an aggressive and effective viral campaign by Greenpeace that implicated Nestlé in the destruction of Orangutan habitats. A YouTube video seen by more than a million viewers explained that the palm oil in the company's Kit Kat candy came from palm oil plantations linked to rainforest destruction. But that's only part of the story. The company asserts that this commitment to responsible products is consistent with its core values. Now, with TFT's help, it will make doubly sure that these values are not compromised by any of their products. We'll go right back to the extraction phase to ensure that there's no deforestation footprint. The focus is on products, at last; Responsible Products that improve people's lives and respect the environment..
The important question now is what values will guide our actions? What steps will we take? We can celebrate that people power has helped focus Nestle on a specific issue with one of its products. But what about other products made by other companies? Next time you feel like snacking on candy or potato chips will it matter whether the product contains palm oil that can be traced back to the destruction of rainforests? Will the knowledge inform--even change--your purchase decision?
At TFT, we hope so. Our collective consumption has made it profitable to clear cut rainforests, destroy animal habits, disrupt the lives of indigenous peoples and fill the atmosphere with carbon dioxide levels that lead to global warming. We've enable corporate bad behavior.
But our consumption can persuade companies to behave better, to create only responsible products. By what we buy, we can do harm or do good - we send a signal to the retailers that sell the products and the manufacturers that make them. It's our choice. Please take the time to read ingredient labels. Ask retailers where the palm oil in the products they sell comes from. They may not know. But they should find out. And if we keep asking, they will. It's not called purchasing power for nothing.