In this episode we speak with Andrew Behar, the CEO of As You Sow, the United States’ leading non-profit practitioner of shareholder advocacy and engagement. We talk about how As You Sow engages with boards and management teams on issues like climate change; toxins in the food system; ocean plastics; diversity, equity, and inclusion; racial justice; and wage equity. Andrew provides some fascinating statistics on how As You Sow’s reports and research are driving strategic initiatives with businesses on these issues. He also explains what toolkit they are using if a company is unreceptive to change, and his favourite engagement story of two large businesses in the food industry.
Listen to the podcast here:
About Andrew Behar
Andrew Behar is CEO of As You Sow, the nation’s leading non-profit practitioner of shareholder advocacy and engagement. With a 30-year track record of success, As You Sow advances values-aligned investing and uses shareholder power to compel companies to reduce material risk on issues including climate change; toxins in the food system; ocean plastics; diversity, equity, and inclusion; racial justice; and wage equity. Previously Andrew was a documentary filmmaker and entrepreneur founding start-ups that developed innovative physiological monitoring devices and grid-scale fuel cells. He is an inventor on five patents and was recently named as one of the Purposeful-50 “true changemakers who deliver on social justice, environmental protection, diversity, inclusion, racial equality, and gender and pay equity.” He is currently on the board of the Responsible Sourcing Network. His book,The Shareholders Action Guide: Unleash Your Hidden Powers to Hold Corporations Accountable, was published by Berrett-Koehler.
About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR'
The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR) is an independent, non-profit initiative aimed at highlighting various aspects of sustainable leadership and corporate governance. We are particularly interested how leaders and boards respond to the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda of their stakeholder ecosystem.
Leadership Conversations is the podcast by TSBR. In this interview series we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto.