Press Release
National Geographic Teams Up with Sustainable Brands, Leads Push for Next Sustainable Economy

Sustainable Brands® today announced the addition of National Geographic to the highest level of its Corporate Member Network established in 2008. The 131-year-old organization joins 80+ other companies committed to leveraging their unique role in business and society to pave the path towards a sustainable economy.

“We are thrilled to join this tribe of like-minded companies using their power to drive a sustainable future,” said Jill Cress, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at National Geographic Partners. “As a global brand with a rich history of scientific discovery and exploration, sustainability is a core tenet of what we do through our award-winning storytelling and science. National Geographic’s Planet or Plastic?initiative—our global, collaborative commitment to significantly reduce the amount of single-use plastic that reaches the ocean by raising awareness, elevating science and education, advancing innovation and inspiring consumer action—is merely one recent example of that. We look forward to collaborating with our fellow Sustainable Brands Corporate Members to drive further impact on the issues that matter most for the future.”

The 80+ other companies that comprise the Sustainable Brands Corporate Member Network collectively represent over $2.1 trillion in annual revenue, serving over 5 billion customers worldwide, and have a combined workforce of over 4.5 million employees across the globe. A member benchmark study indicated that 83 percent of them were consistently using sustainability as an innovation driver within one or more product level brands and over 90 percent expect many or most of their product brands will explore opportunities to leverage sustainability as a value proposition in the near term. To accomplish this, a 4-point collaboration agenda was established by the member group.

1. To adopt new business metrics that enable them to better measure and connect the true environmental costs, social costs and positive impacts of their businesses to the bottom line.
2. To explore and enable disruptive innovation that drives growth and supports the shift to a sustainable economy.
3. To better understand and drive a shift in societal demand & behavior toward healthy, sustainable lifestyles and consumption.
4. To explore the new nature of individual and organizational leadership required to help drive success for business, society and the environment in a changing world.

“National Geographic is an iconic brand that touches the lives of millions around the globe. Through the powerful stories and images they share, all of us can experience the social and environmental issues impacting our world at personal level and see opportunities to take action," said Darren Beck, Vice President of the SB Corporate Member Network. "We are delighted to welcome National Geographic as our newest member. They wonderfully enhance our community of purpose-driven brands—a community that believes business prosperity and sustainable lifestyles can go hand-in-hand."

“Through their commitment to becoming a top tier SB Corporate Member, National Geographic is deepening its longstanding pledge to be part of the change they seek in the world.” states KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Brands. “In addition, their sponsorship of SB’19 Detroit demonstrates their commitment to support and encourage the SB community as a whole, as together we lean in to create systems shift toward the world we want.”

Select members recently convened in Paris, France to examine where purpose-driven design innovation emerges along the journey to becoming a better brand. A full gathering of members is scheduled in Detroit, MI this June. To learn more about the SB Corporate Member Network and how to participate in select discussion groups, visit SustainableBrands.com or contact [email protected]. For information about the Sustainable Brands community, including SB’19 Detroit and other upcoming community events, email [email protected].

About National Geographic. National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between the National Geographic Society and Disney, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.