A few days ago, I described a meeting I attended- on social responsibility. (I wrote about it here.)  It made me consider how the firms I have started and been involved with would qualify by those metrics.

Long before there was a term “social responsibility”, our companies made sure that we were involved in what I have always called “tikun olam’- making the world a better place.

Back in the early 70’s to mid 80’s, about 1/3 of our efforts were to insure that businesses (and municipalities) recycled their resources.  From near total water recycle to partial, from conversion of honest-to-goodness-solid waste to energy (via pyrolysis and/or biological processes.)

Looking back, these were pretty good changes.  Uranium processing facilities.  Silver mines.  Car washes.  Parts plating operations.  Land farming for petroleum wastes.  Recreational facilities.  Homes.  Agricultural facilities.   All of which reduced their dependence upon conventional water supplies by 50 to 95%.

Our medical efforts would clearly be considered socially responsible.  Incentive spirometers for children- and those suffering from asbestiosis.  Neurosurgical pressure monitoring.  Bedside patient monitoring. Hemodialyzers.  Hemodialysate concentrates (physiologically based).   Colon lavage for bowel surgery.

So, we did choose to operate in areas that would make the world just a little better.  But, we went further.

For example, our dialysate concentrate business. Most clinical centers were used to purchasing (and using) this product in gallon containers.  Which meant that there would be tons of plastic waste (that’s a literal statement).

So, we began educating them (and charging them lower prices) as to how bulk containers would work.  Most of our customers were neither large enough-or adept enough- to employ those conventional 208 L barrels (55 gal drums).

So, we began offering the product in 100L vessels.  Which meant as long as there were 15 patients, the drums would be emptied in a few days.  Anything longer than that could leave the patients at risk, since bacterial contamination could be an issue. We then offered 40 L vessels.  That let even the smaller facilities able to use one drum in one day.

Every drum was collected by us, steam and chemically cleaned, and then reused.  We averaged some 25 uses for each drum.  (The drums would be banged up, occasionally cut by various moving equipment, etc.)   In so doing our bottle usage dropped from 20000 units a week to about 4000.  (Acute treatment could never use drums, some customers would never switch, and some specialized varieties for patient needs would be in low demand.)  And, our drum business went from 10 and 20 units a week, to some 5000.  (I won’t bother going into the logistics of that part of the business.)

We also did- and still do- run on companies with what is now termed open books.  Not really, though, because too many of the employees wouldn’t have a clue what those numbers meant.  But, they did get monthly profit and loss figures, rolling average sales and cash on hand, among other indicators.

But, we did not- and still do not- share this information because we pay below the market rate.  We do it because we want our folks to “own” the endeavor.  (We offered virtual stock to all employees who have at least two years tenure with our firm.   The virtual stock is associated with REAL dividends.  Yes, we shared the profits with our staff.)

We also managed to convince the principals of the firms where we serve as CEO or CFO  (chief executives or chief financial officers) to do the same.  Because it is our charge to grow their bottom lines.  And, we have found that this sort of openness AND accountability helps us achieve that goal.

If this isn’t your modus operundi, what’s holding you back from doing this?