Jason Jay

For this article, we explored the tensions that corporate sustainability leaders hold when setting environmental goals. We held a series of focus groups with experienced sustainability leaders at a dozen large companies. We investigated how leaders go about setting goals, adapting them, and communicating them to stakeholders. In particular, we sought to learn how much companies engage with internal and external stakeholders, how goals drive performance, and what happens when they don’t reach… Show more

For this article, we explored the tensions that corporate sustainability leaders hold when setting environmental goals. We held a series of focus groups with experienced sustainability leaders at a dozen large companies. We investigated how leaders go about setting goals, adapting them, and communicating them to stakeholders. In particular, we sought to learn how much companies engage with internal and external stakeholders, how goals drive performance, and what happens when they don’t reach their goals or they decide to change them. Show less

Thought piece that uses a few emerging examples of systemic investing to nudge impact investing beyond single-point solutionism, and to use financial capital as both resource and connective tissue.

This case study presents an example of a systemic investing approach, charting the Fink family's and ReFED’s transformative journey in US food waste reduction. It commences with the Finks’ establishment of Millstone Farm, initial philanthropic grants, and private investments as they probe into the complex food system in the United States. It documents how the mantra of “big tent” - building an inclusive ecosystem around an ignored issue - helped weave the necessary social fabric for the change… Show more

This case study presents an example of a systemic investing approach, charting the Fink family's and ReFED’s transformative journey in US food waste reduction. It commences with the Finks’ establishment of Millstone Farm, initial philanthropic grants, and private investments as they probe into the complex food system in the United States. It documents how the mantra of “big tent” - building an inclusive ecosystem around an ignored issue - helped weave the necessary social fabric for the change to evolve. ReFED, a backbone organization armed with data infrastructure, emerged as a critical player in empowering the stakeholders, including investors, to take action. The mobilization of human capital and financial capital changed the food waste landscape significantly. This case highlights different levels of capital allocation with a systems lens, showcasing the many roles an investor can play to facilitate systems change. Show less

Think about the last time you tried to talk with someone who didn't already agree with you about issues that matter most. How well did it go?

These conversations are vital, but too often get stuck. They become contentious or we avoid them because we fear they might. What if, in these difficult conversations, we could stay true to ourselves while enriching relationships and creating powerful pathways forward? What if our divergent values provided healthy fuel for dialogue and innovation… Show more

Think about the last time you tried to talk with someone who didn't already agree with you about issues that matter most. How well did it go?

These conversations are vital, but too often get stuck. They become contentious or we avoid them because we fear they might. What if, in these difficult conversations, we could stay true to ourselves while enriching relationships and creating powerful pathways forward? What if our divergent values provided healthy fuel for dialogue and innovation instead of gridlock and polarization? Jason Jay and Gabriel Grant invite us into a spirit of serious play, laughing at ourselves while moving from self-reflection to action. Using enlightening exercises and rich examples, Breaking through Gridlock helps us become aware of the role we unwittingly play in getting conversations stuck. It empowers us to share what really matters – with anyone, anywhere – so that together we can create positive change in our families, organizations, communities, and society. Show less

The purpose of this paper is to provide a broad understanding of the concept and process of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). It provides a useful starting point for people aiming to invest human, financial, and other resources in innovations that improve the world. While we build on the best available scholarship, our academic contribution is primarily one of synthesis and simplification. Academic and practitioner readers who are savvy either in innovation and entrepreneurship or in… Show more

The purpose of this paper is to provide a broad understanding of the concept and process of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). It provides a useful starting point for people aiming to invest human, financial, and other resources in innovations that improve the world. While we build on the best available scholarship, our academic contribution is primarily one of synthesis and simplification. Academic and practitioner readers who are savvy either in innovation and entrepreneurship or in sustainability will find it most useful, as a bridge between these two fields.

Our ideal readers might include: • An entrepreneur wanting to understand sustainability as a business opportunity • A financier aiming to invest in an SOI to diversify the portfolio • A corporate R&D group seeking to integrate sustainability into its innovation process • A corporate strategy or venture capital group considering strategic investments in SOI • A corporate sustainability group looking to support top-line growth through innovation • A public agency willing to craft regulations and policies to spur SOI • Graduate students considering entry into any of these roles. Show less

Academic paper from my dissertation on the Cambridge Energy Alliance. It highlights the "paradox of service" that arises in "hybrid" organizations that combine client service with public service in their mission. When competitors scoop their business and achieve their public service goals, is that a success or failure? How managers make sense of that contradiction shapes the fate of the organization.

At some point, every one of us has contemplated more environmentally sustainable ways of living and working, from simple acts like recycling a soda can to bigger changes in business strategy and public policy. However, when we try to have a conversation about our ideas beyond “the choir” of environmental advocates, someone has branded us as a “holier than thou” jerk, or we have refrained from speaking or acting because we worry they might. We get stuck and only maybe later notice that we had a… Show more

At some point, every one of us has contemplated more environmentally sustainable ways of living and working, from simple acts like recycling a soda can to bigger changes in business strategy and public policy. However, when we try to have a conversation about our ideas beyond “the choir” of environmental advocates, someone has branded us as a “holier than thou” jerk, or we have refrained from speaking or acting because we worry they might. We get stuck and only maybe later notice that we had a choice in the matter. Preparing students to create a sustainable world requires equipping them to carry on effective conversations and dialogue with a multitude of stakeholders.

This paper explores various pitfalls of the sustainability discourse, why we get stuck in them, and how we can escape them. Show less