Author Interview

A conversation with Howard Rothman and Mary Scott, co-authors of Companies With A Conscience:

Q: Why publish a new edition of your book now?

A: Ever since the first edition was released in 1992, we have been regularly asked to speak and write about the issues we raised. And in almost every instance, we found that people were extremely curious about how these companies and their ideas were evolving. After the fiscal fast times of the Nineties, the dot-com bust of 2000, and the Enron revelations and economic upheaval of the past few years, these concerns became even more prevalent. And we were curious, too. How did each of these firms fare over the past decade? Were they able to continue making a profit while adhering to their values? We decided to find out.


Q: Why did you replace four of the 12 companies you initially profiled?

A: Two reasons. First, a couple of the originals no longer existed — at least in a form that was comparable to the company we wrote about earlier. Second, we wanted a selection that was more representative of these times. Our original 12 profiles matched perfectly with the socially responsible movement that was just beginning to flourish in the early Nineties. The mix in the new edition corresponds better with today’s environment.


Q: What was the most surprising thing you learned when you went back to these companies a decade after the original edition was published?

A: That they have, universally, continued on the same path they were taking back then. We knew that all had undergone dramatic changes — not surprising, since a decade had passed. But it was surprising that each has been able to not only maintain their focus on social responsibility but expand it in meaningful and appropriate new directions. And all while flourishing in a business sense.


Q: You include the Kansas City Chiefs in this edition. Why do you consider them a company with a conscience?

A: Organizations involved in the entertainment industry, like The Grateful Dead in our first two editions and the Chiefs in this one, are seldom examined in terms of their business operations — at least by those outside the trade or general business press. It is even rarer for anyone to consider their relationships with stakeholders other than shareholders. As we were casting about for new companies to include we learned about the incredible community focus of Kansas City’s beloved NFL franchise. The institutionalization of this by the team’s owner and top executives, and the way it plays out both on and off the field, made the Chiefs a natural for our book.


Q: Denver’s Tattered Cover Bookstore has also been added. How has it been an asset to its community?

A: Virtually everyone in the Denver area is aware of the existence of the Tattered Cover, and an astonishing number of people who visit from elsewhere make it a point to stop by whenever they are in the area. How many bookstores, or retail institutions of any kind, can lay claim to that? Such high profile and widespread acceptance doesn’t come by accident, of course, and in this case it comes because this business has done what all true companies with a conscience do: provide excellent products or services, and do right by employees, customers and neighbors. By offering an incredible array of books for all tastes, developing an environment that workers and patrons alike are proud to frequent, and contributing in a variety of meaningful ways to the betterment of its community, Tattered Cover has become a revered institution integral to its surroundings in a manner that is extremely rare for any private business.


Q: Two of your original companies — Celestial Seasonings and Ben & Jerry’s — are no longer independent businesses but are now part of large conglomerates. How are these feisty individuals faring under this arrangement?

A: Despite the difficulties inherent in such a transition, and the experiences of others whose new partners proved less accommodating, both of these companies are flourishing. For Celestial, the match was self-determined and it resulted in positive benefits on both sides right from the start. For Ben & Jerry’s, the loss of independence was more difficult and controversial. However, we found that the ice cream maker’s new ownership is determined to “let Ben & Jerry’s be Ben & Jerry’s,” and after several years there is evidence that this relationship is providing definite advantages for both parties.


Q: New addition Stonyfield Farm is now 80-percent owned by French company Groupe Danone. How will it manage to maintain its unique corporate identity and social goals?

A: Co-founder and CEO Gary Hirschberg has definitely learned a lot from acquisitions like those of Celestial Seasonings and Ben & Jerry’s, not to mention less successful partnerships consummated elsewhere. From the start of his relationship with Groupe Danone, Hirschberg was determined not to lose control of Stonyfield and he built in controls so that would not happen. This allows Stonyfield to continue doing what it has been doing so well since 1983, while expanding its product line and its impact on society.


Q: What, if anything, do you hope to accomplish with the publication of this new edition?

A: Over the past decade, we were most gratified by the acceptance of Companies With A Conscience in colleges and universities around the country. From the start, we felt the book had its best chance to impact the business world if it found a place among students and others who held the future of corporate America in their hands. With the proliferation these days of ethics courses in business programs at all levels, and the interest that these programs are already showing in the third edition, we are confident that a new generation of business leaders will be embarking on their careers with an understanding that you really can make a profit while operating your business in a socially responsible manner.


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