Footprints Conference
April 2nd, 2008
MARKET-BASED APPROACHES TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES
We are in a new era of business. Consumers and companies are taking
action as global warming threatens delicate ecosystems, the gap widens
between the rich and poor, and numerous other environmental and social
forces threaten our livelihoods. Regardless of whether we label this
emerging phenomenon “conscientious capitalism” or “compatible
incentives”, the fact remains that market forces and social
improvements are working in unison more than ever.
Footprints 2008 examines ways we can harness market forces to achieve
positive, sustainable change. We explore the ramifications of a
dynamic landscape where institutional investors can make significant
returns on green investments, global financial institutions recognize
opportunities among the world’s poor, and multinational corporations
market their “causes” to achieve competitive differentiation. In doing
so, we also expose the dilemmas inherent when new players enter spaces
once inhabited primarily by NGOs and nonprofits.
We would like to thank Unilever and John Deere for their generous
sponsorship of this event. We also extend our gratitude to CASE for
their invaluable contribution and ongoing support of Net Impact
activities.
Duke University
Fuqua School of Business
Keynote Address: Gary Hirshberg, CEO Stonyfield Farm and author of “Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World.”
