Introducing the P-BLOG: For & about the ideas of Progressive Business Leaders committed to socially and environmentally responsible economic growth and the public policies that advance it.

The Progressive Business Leaders Network (PBLN) is emerging as a new voice and new force for innovation and engagement among CEOs and top business leaders. PBLN business leaders represent diverse sectors, backgrounds and business models. The aim of PBLN is to help “invent a more sustainable economy” that fosters economic growth, lasting and shared prosperity and 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. There is no time for "business as usual." We bring progressive business leaders together with their peers and with shapers of public policy from government, think-tanks and academia. As a result, CEOs, top officers and other business leaders find their own ways of contributing to the development of progressive public policies and thoughtful public-private partnerships.

PBLN has an agenda for change that we fully intend to share for the education of our business communities, policy makers and the general public. 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.

You can expect to read in this space about issues and people that are driving a progressive approach to  to public policy and business practices. We want to highlight examples of leadership, innovation and progress in order to inspire entrepreneurs and executives, investors and inventors to make contributing to the development of thoughtful public policy their business. Join us at the PBLN Summit at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston on November 20th called "Business Leadership and Public Policy: Inventing a More Sustainable Economy." Details are available at http://www.pbln.org/

Please feel free to let us know what you think, and how you would like to participate by commenting here or emailing aaron@pbln.org. On behalf of our Board of Directors, Officers, members and sponsors, thank you for your interest in PBLN. 

Apple breaks ties with US Chamber of Commerce over

Apple joined a recent trend of major players breaking with the US Chamber of Commerce over its opposition to US government attempts to address climate change. The details are still coming in but the basics are here. As well, Newsweek's Dan Gross writes this week about the new progressive CEOs who are not easily pegged as left or right, but who see this issue and their responsibility to lead differently than their peers do. Dan's piece is here - and he calls it "Corner Office Converts."

PBLN's Board of Directors recently adopted a position in support of climate change legislation that is at least as robust as what is found in the so-called Waxman-Markey bill that passed the House this summer

The entire PBLN position statement on the issue will be posted here shortly. These issues will be given a good workout at PBLN's November 20th Summit on Business Leadership and Public Policy by a panel moderated by Mitch Tyson, CEO of Advanced Electron Beams and Board Member of the New England Clean Energy Council. It will be interesting to see at the Summit how many CEOs and Executives indicate the desire to line up with Apple, as well as Nike and others. These mega-brand companies certainly get attention to the issue when they take this kind of leadership step.

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.