Susan Gibbons
Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead School of Management
David Cooperrider
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Project Greater Purpose is a culture change initiative started in 2007 in which Clarke, a global environmental products and services company, focused on six key areas: sustainable business; communication, educational and awareness; good earth; social responsibility; extraordinary health and happiness; and the Sustainability Advisory Board.
Through the use of Appreciative Inquiry, Project Greater Purpose has transformed Clarke into a company that not only cares deeply about its industry, but its people, the planet and profit.
The innovation, Project Greater Purpose, emerged a few years after Clarke CEO Lyell Clarke, became motivated to make changes toward a more sustainable company.
In 2007, Lyell Clarke used an Appreciative Inquiry type approach, without being aware of it, in the senior leadership annual planning meeting. There, they went through a process of discovering their strengths and then envisioned a future based on their perceived strengths. Through the process, instead of a company that was currently visualized as solid, reliable, and tough, they imagined a future company visualized as that of nature, birds, green and salmon - a salmon swimming upstream willing to sacrifice itself to protect future generations.
It was at this moment that Lyell realized that the struggle he was having was also a struggle deep within his employees and that his employees also longed for a company with greater meaning and purpose. At this point, Clarke set out on a journey, one that was difficult and challenging.
Pivotal Moment 1: In 2008, Clarke held a first ever all employee meeting and explained his desire and responsibility to lead the company in a different direction. He explained to his company that he didn’t know where they were going and was not sure how they would get there. Still, he asked his employees for their help and ideas to become a more sustainable company. In this one day, Clarke employees came up with 800 ideas that helped chart a roadmap for their journey.
Pivotal Moment 2: In 2010, Project Greater Purpose emerged in order to embed the new concepts into the DNA of Clarke. Clarke recognized that it had activated a small group of passionate employees, many millennials who represented the next generation of leadership. However, efforts were perceived to be extracurricular and something that would pass. Employees were torn between getting involved or getting “back to work."
Pivotal Moment 3: In 2012, Clarke conducted its first AI Summit (dubbed Clarke+) to help the culture change stick, grow and flourish.
In 2016, Clarke conducted another AI Summit to continue the development of sustainability and drive innovation deeper into the organization.
Clarke has used AI to make changes at the systems level. AI has proven to engage Clarke stakeholders as owners and participants of designing the business on an on-going basis. The process of AI in conjunction with the focus and intentionality of Project Greater Purpose created a shift in the entire culture of the business.
Who was involved in the innovation?
Lyell Clarke, CEO, set the vision, stayed committed to it and let it take its course; Julie Reiter, VP Human Resources and Sustainable Development; Chairs of the PGP Committee: HR Managers Kim Schulke and Sue Stout, Operations Analyst Bill Quinn, and Customer Care Representative Stephanie Rodriguez.
There are so many Clarke employees who have taken a leadership role or who have been critical to the effort that it is difficult to make a definitive list. For that reason, only the CEO, VP of Human Resources and PGP Committee are listed.
Does the innovation relate to a sense of mission, purpose or meaning? If so, how?
Project Greater Purpose created a formal organizational structure around Clarke’s sustainability efforts and created processes to help Clarke maintain progress in, and pay attention to, key business, environmental and social priorities. The Sustainability Advisory Board is made up of top management and key focus area leaders who provide oversight, guidance and direction to five committees: health and wellness, social responsibility, awareness and education, good earth and sustainability business.
It is through these five committees that Clarke imagines and takes action on a wide array of activities and initiatives designed to increase awareness of sustainability issues and topics, reduce environmental impacts, engage with the community, and elevate the health and wellness of the workforce.
Clarke's brand has changed since 2010. Back then, Clarke thought of itself as a mosquito control company. Its old mission statement was "Your trusted partner in mosquito control”
Old Clarke Logo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3u3gqWRhllpRHFwaGdfbzlWZmM
Now, its new mission statement says, “Together, we help make communities around the world be more livable, safe and comfortable.”
The new Clarke logo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3u3gqWRhllpUTNwNGQ1U3hvOVk
CEO Lyell Clarke had a deep calling to develop the company into an organization with greater purpose and meaning. He brought together 20 of the top senior managers in the company and led a meeting discussing what they aspired to be. Images of birds, sustainability, salmon swimming upstream to preserve further generations all emerged. Now that his team was imagining a different company, he asked that his senior managers take this leap of faith in developing a more sustainable company without knowing exactly where they would end up.
Once Lyell put a stake in the ground regarding the guiding principles of the company, everything began to change. Core principles:
What was the motivation or purpose for doing the innovation?
There were five major factors that influenced Lyell’s passion for change:
1. After a self-awareness retreat, Lyell left with this quote: “If you don’t do something different you’re going to wind up where you are headed." He carries it in his briefcase to this day.
2. Reading about sustainable value business model: Ray Anderson, Chris Laszlo, and Yvon Chouinard.
3. New internal product development strategy was beginning to show significant promise.
4. Adoption of his son Joseph from Russia made him realize that he could make a real difference in the world.
5. Concern about the legacy he would be leaving to the next generation of potential family owners.
Quotations from the interview that illustrate the inspiration behind the innovation:
“One of the key aspirational images that came up during the management meeting that crystallized the meaning and purpose of what they were trying to do was that of salmon swimming upstream to preserve future generations.”
“Clarke did not change due to market pressures. Clarke changed because of something deep inside Lyell.”
“Competitors made fun of Clarke.”
“2008 - 2010 was chaos. It was a really hard time.”
For overall impact, please see Clarke Sustainability Report: https://www.clarke.com/filebin/sustainabilityreport2013final.pdf
Also see the Clarke Sustainability Dashboard: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3u3gqWRhllpVktDTmxwTVY2alU
In Clarke's words:
SUSTAINABILITY IS OUR PASSION. We take pride in our work and the difference we make in the world. We're passionate about doing the right thing, even when it's hard.
- Saved $500k in business operational costs.
- Business is more efficient.
- Company is more stable and weathered the recession very well.
- Innovative products now poised for market.
- First company in industry to hold a sustainability conference.
Clarke Cares Foundations - Malaria.
One Percent for Tomorrow - 1% of next generation product profits given to environmental causes.
Clarke has partnered with the Gates Foundation and the World Heath Organization on mosquito control.
Each employee contributes 8-10 volunteer hours per year. In 2015, employees contributed 3,717 volunteer hours to the community.
From 2013 - 2015, employee wellness scores indicate year-on-year improvements.
From 2013 - 2015, employee safety scores indicate significant year-on-year improvements.
What was the impact of the innovation on the environment?
Carbon emissions were reduced by 30% from 2008-2016.
In 2010, Clarke was using nearly 100% conventional energy. By 2015, Clarke was using just over 50% green and renewable energy and 48.8% conventional energy.
Clarke headquarters is now on track to produce 20% of its energy needs from the sun. Four hundred U.S. made solar panels are now up and running on a rooftop as well as on a canopy over eight electric car charging stations.
In 2015, 98.3% of waste was diverted from the landfill.
The new 27,000 square foot headquarters was renovated to LEED standards and is awaiting silver level certification.
Dashboard for environmental sustainability: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3u3gqWRhllpVktDTmxwTVY2alU
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Julie Reiter, Vice President of Human Resources and Sustainable Development
