What Unilever's Seventh Generation Deal Means for Sustainable Consumer Brands
If it's good for the world, it could be good for business.
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Jeffrey Hollender has had a wild ride in the sustainable consumer products business. He co-founded natural laundry-detergent and diaper Seventh Generation in 1988, only to be fired from the company in 2010. Now that Unilever NV is set to acquire the brand in a deal announced last week, he's been invited back onto the Seventh Generation's "social mission board." Hollender, who currently runs Sustain, an all natural condom and sexual wellness company, with his daughter, sat down to talk about the challenges and benefits of investing in smaller consumer sustainable companies. Comments have been edited and condensed.
Q: How did you start Seventh Generation?