Seeding Change: The Power of Conscious Commerce

Seeding Change: The Power of Conscious Commerce is an award-winning documentary released in 2020 that brings forward the concepts of triple bottom line businesses and explores how entrepreneurs can not only generate profit, but also contribute to a healthier environment and a more just society.

Directed by Richard Yelland, the film features individuals like Jeremy Black, co-founder of Sambazon, Zach Bush MD, an internist, endocrinologist, and founder of Farmer's Footprint, an organization dedicated to regenerative farming practices, David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner's, a soap company emphasizing corporate responsibility, Dwight Collins, professor of sustainable management at Presidio Graduate School, Lara Dickinson, founder of OSC2, a network for sustainable business leaders, and Paul Hawken, environmentalist and author. Each of these people have made significant contributions in their respective fields, embodying the ethos of socially conscious business and speaking passionately about their commitment to transforming commerce into a vehicle for positive change.

Throughout the film, viewers are invited to consider the role they play in the commercial cycle: as consumers, our choices dictate the direction of the global market, and we have the potential to influence businesses to adopt more sustainable and socially conscious practices. Recognizing this power, the film encourages viewers to become more mindful consumers and to support businesses that make a positive impact on society and the environment.

The film emphasizes the importance of companies that strive to benefit all stakeholders involved in their operations, from employees to suppliers and consumers, establishing what has been coined a 'triple bottom line'. The triple bottom line business approach focuses not just on economic success but also on the company's environmental footprint and social commitment. Businesses that adopt this approach look beyond profit and consider the long-term wellbeing of the planet as well as people associated with their operation.

Through a combination of one-on-one interviews, on-the-ground footage, and explanatory diagrams, Seeding Change delves into the experiences and philosophies of the champions of conscious commerce. Jeremy Black's Sambazon, for instance, is an acai company that cultivates its berries in the Amazon rainforest under sustainable, fair-trade conditions, ensuring both environmental stewardship and fair compensation for workers. Similarly, David Bronner leads Dr. Bronner's, a brand which consistently shares its profits with charitable causes while promoting its organic, biodegradable, fair-trade products.

Furthermore, the documentary highlights the scientific facts and figures, courtesy of Zach Bush MD and Dwight Collins, demonstrating the dire need for change in our existing business models and comsumer habits due to environmental emergencies and social justice issues. It showcases inspiring, real-world examples of corporations that not only prioritize profit, but also people and the planet.

Seeding Change: The Power of Conscious Commerce is more than just a documentary; it is an invitation, a call-to-action for us to rethink consumerism, to support businesses that prioritize ethical and environmental objectives, and to use commerce as a potent tool for betterment. It proposes that companies focusing on a triple bottom line of 'people, planet, and profit' should be our new norm. Believing that we can use our power as consumers to shape businesses, it asserts that we can create a more equitable and sustainable economy.

By surfacing the extraordinary work of these pioneers, this movie successfully provides a roadmap for a new generation of entrepreneurs who wish to follow in their footsteps and deliver real change. With the belief that ethical practices and financial success can go hand-in-hand, this movie stirs every concerned viewer to be a catalyst in reshaping the model of commerce to support a healthier planet and a just society.

Seeding Change: The Power of Conscious Commerce thus makes a compelling argument for conscious capitalism, emphasizing the need for businesses to step up and consumers to make mindful purchases. This film is not only inspiring but also educational, making viewers aware of the power they hold as consumers – that every purchase is a vote for the kind of world they wish to live in. It is a must-watch for those interested in sustainability, conscious consumerism, and the intersection of business, environmentalism, and social justice.