How Tesla, Whole Foods Turn Sustainability Into Profitability

Companies can’t just go 'green around the edges' if they want to turn sustainability into profitability. They need to make major transformations, said Freya Williams, author of Green Giants. 'They put it at the center of their business. They work it into their corporate strategy. And they are looking to it to promote growth and opportunity,' said Williams. 'It’s a very different orientation.' Williams is CEO of global sustainability communications and consulting firm Futerra North America whose clients include Danone, SAB Miller, Estee Lauder, Kering, OVO Energy, AXA Insurance and Unilever. Over the course of her career, Williams has advised organizations including Coca Cola, the United Nations, SAP, Tetra Pak, The Economist, Waste Management, Kraft on how to incorporate sustainability, responsibility and social good into their brands. In Green Giants, Williams shines a spotlight nine powerhouse companies that have succeeded in building successful businesses while selling products and services designed to help consumers to live happier, healthier, more environmentally conscious lives. She pinpoints six factors in the book that these Green Giants, which range from Chipotle to GE to Tesla, that sets them apart.