I think they got it! Two items this week give me confidence that there’s been a sea change in corporate thinking: The planet and the customer now count. It’s a business model that small businesses can profit from as well.

Back in ‘05 or so, Walmart got on the green bandwagon, designing greener packaging, cleaning up its supply chain, and generally opting for sustainability. It did not do this to help the environment; it wanted to improve its bottom line. And it succeeded.

5 Steps to Greater Profitability ... Starting at the Bottom

by Geri Stengel on May 27, 2010 - 9:45am

corporate social responsibility growth health care incentives profitability Small Business small business sustainability training

I've always been an advocate of treating all employees well and now the research is in that supports my contention.

Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder found that there is a link – unexpected by the researchers – between improved conditions for bottom-rung employees and profit. They expected to find that companies could provide good benefits to low-level employees and still be profitable. But they found much more. They found that well-treated low-level employees increased company profits.