PBLN…

• Educates and empowers CEOs and top officers of for-profit companies.
• PBLN leaders strengthen their own business leadership and help policy-makers find lasting solutions to challenging problems.
• Invests in CEOs and top officers because their views are often not represented by the goals of traditional business organizations.
• Is a cross-sector organization and not representative of the interests of a single industry or issue.
• Focuses on business practices AND public policies out of the belief that the two are inextricably linked.

Mission

PBLN’s mission is to promote the best practices of business leaders committed to socially and environmentally responsible economic growth and the public policies that advance it.

Philosophy

The aim of PBLN is to help “invent a more sustainable economy” that fosters lasting and shared prosperity as well as social and environmental justice. This ambition requires business leaders to engage in a new way with each other and with shapers of public policy around the challenges of our times.

Short-sighted business practices have damaged our economy and communities. If “business as usual” continues, we are concerned that the good jobs, health, and opportunity that define the American ideal are unnecessarily at risk. PBLN seeks to enrich the public understanding of what is “good for business” as well as what is good for the planet, good for our communities and good for our country.

We believe progressive means supporting ideas that are backed by research, data and insight that run ahead of conventional wisdom. We believe sustainable means fostering economic growth that brings shared and lasting prosperity and also advances social and environmental justice. We measure our success by our impact on those individuals who participate, and by our impact on the world around us.

Activities

Two annual signature conferences aimed to educate business leaders and provide a forum for discussion across industries.

October 23, 2009 (Boston, MA): Summit on Business Leadership and Public Policy: Inventing a more Sustainable Economy

April 2010 (Washington, DC)

Year-round calendar of engaging activities in our four Working Groups (Energy & Environment,

Healthcare & Life Sciences, Education and Economic Development & Housing).

PBLN Statement of Values

Although PBLN Members value diversity of opinion as a catalyst of innovation, PBLN Members believe:

• Fiscal discipline is a cornerstone of responsible public policy.
• There is a need for greater social, economic and environmental justice.
• Healthy economic growth is both robust and environmentally sustainable.
• Governments are indispensable regulators of fair, transparent and sustainable markets.
• Private sector leaders have a unique ability and, therefore, responsibility to contribute to public policies that promote healthy economic growth, effective government and greater social justice.
• Public and private sector leaders should partner to develop policies which encourage commercial ventures that have clear social and environmental benefits (such as affordable health care, affordable housing and “green” technologies).

PBLN in the News

Massachusetts Health Care Providers Urge
Revamping Payment System
Boston Globe
Robert Weisman, November 21, 2009

Progressive Business Leaders Meet for
"Davos on The Charles" Policy Summit
XConomy Boston
Jeff Bussgang, November 24, 2009

Member Spotlight

Diane Hessan, President & CEO - Communispace
According to Advertising Age Communispace is one of the fastest growing marketing and technology companies in the country, with a Blue Chip client list that would make a Madison Avenue giant jealous. A pioneer in creating online communities to help marketers deeply engage customers, Diane helped found Communispace in 1999 and hasn't looked back.