Jeffrey Hollender (Burlington, VT), Co-founder and Chairman and for Seventh Generation, has led Seventh Generation from its humble beginnings to its current position as the nation's fastest growing brand of natural home and personal care products. As the leading authority on issues related to green consumerism, he frequently addresses social and environmental responsibility at national and international venues. He co-founded and was a Director of Community Capital Bank, a New York financial institution that invests in affordable housing and community development. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of Greenpeace USA, Healthy Child Healthy World, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, the Social Venture Network, Verite, and Alloy Inc. He is currently working on a joint venture with WebMD and Healthy Child Healthy Home.

Bill Breen (Gloucester, MA) is Seventh Generation's Editorial Director and was the founding Senior Editor on the original team that launched Fast Company. He edited major sections of the magazine and helped it win numerous awards, including the coveted National Magazine Award for General Excellence, and wrote some of FC's most talked about articles on brand building, leadership, competition, innovation, and risk. Breen speaks to business audiences throughout the country and has appeared on CNN, Fox, CBS Radio, National Public Radio, and other media outlets.

Seventh Generation is one of the country's top ten responsible businesses and the country's leading brand of environmentally-responsible home and personal care products. It derives its name from an Iroquois quote: "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." It is the notion that what we do today defines tomorrow, and we believe it embodies the philosophy we must all embrace to make the world a better place.

Foreword, by Peter M. Senge xi

Preface: The Responsibility Revolution: Our Manifesto xv

The Responsibility Revolution Takes Off 1

The Company Takes on a Mission: ''Doing Work That Matters'' Matters Now More Than Ever 21

Not a Company, But a Community: A Blueprint for Summoning People's Potential 53

Make It Transparent: In a See-Through World, It Doesn't Pay to Be Opaque 79

Authentically Good: Building the Mission into Every Part of the Business 107

The Cooperative Company: Building Profits and Solving Problems Through Mass Collaboration 131

Beyond Responsibility: The Case for Corporate Consciousness 159

Epilogue 181

Notes 185

Acknowledgments 201

About the Authors 205

Index 207