There is no region better than the San Francisco Bay Area when it comes to advancing corporate sustainability through good, old-fashioned innovation. Whether it’s firms like Impossible Foods transforming how we think about food, Lyft reimagining our urban environments, or Salesforce using technology to improve the world, it’s the proving ground for solutions which propel people and the planet forward.

Alright, as a Bay Area native I might be a bit biased. But the positive social and environmental impact — and the untapped potential for creating more of it — speaks for itself.

Indeed, we will solve the world’s urgent social and environmental challenges only if we can find the courage to think differently about how we both address and talk about these issues. Stories are how humans make sense of the world, and what make impact real in the minds of your customers, investors, employees, and others. Amplifying impact should be a top priority.

That’s why today, I’m excited to announce that I have joined the thinkPARALLAX team as Managing Director, Sustainability & Social Impact, to lead the opening of our new San Francisco office. The very name ‘thinkPARALLAX’ means to approach a problem from different perspectives to arrive at the best solution.

Over the past decade of my corporate sustainability career, I’ve worn many hats and learned a thing or two about thinking differently about the world’s social, economic, and environmental challenges.

• As a journalist for GreenBiz, Sustainable Brands, and Triple Pundit, I’ve written thousands of stories covering every topic under the sustainability sun — from the climate crisis to the circular economy.

• As a strategist at Edelman, I’ve helped companies like The North Face, HP, and Kashi execute and articulate sustainability and social impact programs.

• As a clean energy communications nerd, I’ve worked with Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Environmental Defense Fund, and emerging startups.

• As a graduate student, I published research examining the link between extreme weather events, information technology, and climate policy change.

• I’ve even tried my hand as a corporate sustainability lobbyist, working with EDF Action to advocate for sensible climate policy on Capitol Hill.

From all of this, I’ve learned that no volume of corporate sustainability innovation can amount to much without the ability to properly communicate it to different audiences. Telling compelling stories about sustainability and social impact is what thinkPARALLAX excels at.

For more than 15 years, thinkPARALLAX has helped more than 100 companies across the United States — including Interface, Southwest Airlines, International Paper, Qualcomm, and Kashi, among others — to give meaning and voice to sustainability and social impact initiatives.

We helped Interface evolve and execute a stakeholder engagement campaign around its innovative Climate Take Back initiative. thinkPARALLAX was the brains and brawn behind Southwest’s industry-leading annual One Report, which highlights its economic, environmental and social performance, communicated through triple bottom line principles. We also worked with International Paper to develop and deliver its innovative “IP Way Forward” framework, which helped the company find its voice and change its trajectory toward one which strives to be among the most successful, sustainable, and responsible companies in the world.

As thinkPARALLAX sets out to grow our presence in the San Francisco Bay Area, we want to partner with companies looking to go outside their comfort zones, challenge their own thinking, and reach their full potential as sustainable brands.

The world needs more businesses to amplify their impact, and customers, investors, and employees are demanding it. If you’re a mission-driven firm already innovating on sustainability and social impact — or even just starting down the path — let’s talk. We’re ready to listen and learn how we can work together to help you achieve your business goals through smart sustainability strategy and storytelling.

Contact me any time at: mike@thinkparallax.com