Episode 94
Mark Lefko, Author of Global Sustainability
Mark Lefko is the author of Global Sustainability – 21 Leading CEOs Show How To do Well By Doing Good
If you have listened for a while to our podcast, you know that we talk a lot about small steps towards a more sustainable life we all can implement. All these individual actions together have the potential to make a big differen
ce.
Mark Lefko has a different approach. His goal is to influence big companies to do better. That doesn’t mean to make more money – at least not exclusively.
Mark is deeply committed to teaching CEOs about the benefit of the Triple Bottom Line. Each action must be good for the people, good for the planet and bring profit.
Many see big industry as the enemy. [clickToTweet tweet=”But how would the world look like if the large corporations become leaders in people and earth care? @sustlivingpod” quote=”But how would the world look like if the large corporations become leaders in people care and earth care? Pretty good, I say.”]
What is Global Sustainability?
Here is Mark’s answer to the question “What is global sustainability?”
Lefko: “For me, global sustainability means that everyone on our planet not only has the resources they need to survive but also to thrive over the long run. And if we want to do that, we need to tackle a range of issues that include extreme poverty, inequality, and injustice. That’s why global sustainability is more than just an environmental issue: it includes other critical aspects such as financial and social sustainability as well.”
Let’s wish Mark lots of success in his mission.
The CEO’s
In his book, Global Sustainability, Mark interviews 21 CEOs of large companies. See the list below.
CEOs interviewed in the book: 
Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group
Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
Ann Sherry, CEO, Carnival Australia
Andrew Liveris, CEO, The Dow Chemical Company
Cyrus Mistry, Chairman, Tata Group
Guilherme Leal, Co-Chairman, Natura
Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market
Jon Provisor, CIO, Guidance Production
Mike Kaplan, President and CEO, Aspen Ski Company
Mike Sangiacomo, CEO, Recology
Phil Clothier, CEO, Barrett Values Centre
Marc Benioff, CEO, Salesforce.com
Dave MacLennan, CEO, Cargill
Blake Mycoskie, Founder, TOMS Shoes
Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO, Kering
Seth Goldman, CEO, Honest Tea
Feike Sijbesma, CEO, DSM
David Griswold, CEO, Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers
Frank Dulcich,Presidentand CEO, Pacific Seafood Company
Ryan Devlin, Co-Founder, This Bar Saves Lives
Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO, TerraCycle
Information about Mark Lefko
Information about Mark Lefko from his press release:
MARK LEFKO has coached and mentored more than 100 CEOs and company presidents, bringing with him 35 years of real-world C-level business experience. A thought leader in the fields of leadership and sustainability, Lefko serves on several advisory boards and is known for his high-energy, insightful speaking engagements. As the Founder and CEO of Lefko Group, one of the nation’s leading facilitation firms, he has led countless strategic planning retreats, corporate think tanks, roundtables and peer groups. “Global Sustainability,” Mark’s second book, aims to inspire executives to rally around the concept of doing well while doing good. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Learn more at http://marklefko.com and #DoWellDoingGood
How to Buy the Book
In our interview, Mark was encouraging all of us to buy local whenever possible. So, if you have a local bookstore, please ask them to order it for you. It is a very interesting read and gives us a lot to think about – including how consumer behavior influences the actions of the corporations.
However, if you are a die-hard Amazon fan, the next best option for the sustainably-minded consumer is to buy the kindle version. We are affiliates and by clicking this link, you are supporting us as well: Global Sustainability on Amazon
The next best thing is to buy the hardcover version and donate it to your local library after you finished reading it.
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If you are interested in a completely different approach to the economy, you might enjoy the following episodes.
http://184.154.247.208/~sustajo7/gift-economy/
http://184.154.247.208/~sustajo7/organizing-economic-transition/
