Business for Social Responsibility, the brainchild of such lefty companies as Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s, is holding a conference in Seattle this week that is attracting companies not exactly known for their progressive politics: Chevron, Weyerhaeuser, Ford, The Gap, Nike, and the like. Homegrown giants Starbucks and Microsoft will also attend the conference, where delegates will discuss how to be responsible corporate citizens and still look good on Wall Street. Alan Durning, executive director of Northwest Environment Watch and a conference panelist, says he’s pleased that the big companies are at least talking about the issues, though many have yet to walk the talk. Others say the conference is just high-profile greenwashing.
