ABSTRACT
Introduction Many people around the globe enjoy a higher standard of living today because of the countless goods and services made available though the technological advances of the past century. However, in spite of the positive aspects of these advances, it has become painfully clear that this prolific and successful industrial system has brought unintended yet undeniable ecological degradation to the planet. Increasingly, corporations are being called upon to take responsibility for this collateral damage, ranging from global warming and ozone depletion to issues of social justice. The problems are so large and so complex that many believe the minds and the money behind the industrial complex that created many of the problems are best equipped to find the solutions (see also Chapter 12 in this volume). The premise is simple: “Corporations, because they are the dominant institution on the planet, must squarely address the social and environmental problems that afflict humankind” (Hawken 1993: xiiii).
