3p Twitter Chats: Top 10 Tweets of Substance

With a busy week behind you and the weekend within reach, there’s no shame in taking things a bit easy on Friday afternoon. With this in mind, every Friday TriplePundit will give you a fun, easy read on a topic you care about. So, take a break from those endless email threads, and spend five minutes catching up on the latest trends in sustainability and business.

Let's be honest: It's Friday afternoon, and you'll probably spend half of your post-lunch day on social media anyhow. So, why not learn something in the process? Some complain that Twitter is just wasted time and that nothing of substance can be said in 140 characters, but these 10 quotes from our Twitter chats prove them wrong. Read, get inspired and RT away!

All the tweets here are from recent chats that we've organized with various collaborators and sponsors, to see full synopses of these chats, visit our main Twitter chat page here.

1. Kimberly-Clark and Greenpeace talk collaboration in #ForestSolutions

A4a: We were hopeful change was near. That could = good things for forests. Eagerness overcame awkwardness #forestsolutions

— Rolf Skar (@RolfSkarGP) August 5, 2014

A11a: Once we started one on one conversations, we realized we had more in common than we thought. #forestsolutions — Peggy Ward (@PeggyatKC) August 5, 2014

Greenpeace and Kimberly-Clark went on to describe how they resolved their differences five years ago and what they’ve achieved since. Their collaboration success story proves what's possible when stakeholders work together, and the results are enough to brighten anyone's Friday.

Click here for a full recap of our #ForestrySolutions chat.

2. Duke's Deb Gallagher speaks the truth about environmental leadership in #EnvLead

Our Twitter chat earlier this year with Duke University centered around its Environmental Leadership program, but naturally the conversation extended to how environmental leadership can be put into practice across all sectors. With admirable ease, Deb Gallagher, Duke associate professor of the Practice of Resource and Environmental Policy, spoke to a broad range of sustainability issues.

On partnerships:

A11a: Critical for all sectors to work together. Partnerships between non-profits and corporate sector are key. #envlead

— Deb Gallagher (@drdebgal) January 14, 2014

When asked how to make environmental leadership a true triple-bottom-line philosophy that spans the whole world, Gallagher dropped this beauty:

A20: Environmental leadership is just a shell if it doesn’t address the concerns of under-resourced communities. #envlead

— Deb Gallagher (@drdebgal) January 14, 2014

You said it, Deb!

Click here for a full recap of our #EnvLead chat.

3. David Tulauskas calls for a new future for the auto industry in #GMCSR

General Motors has been open about the fact that it's facing an automotive industry that is unsustainable in its current form. We asked GM’s director of sustainability, David Tulauskas, why the company feels that way and what could be done to change it. He summed it perfectly in a few short words:

A2a Our industry is heavily reliant on oil and various resources we use are stressed and becoming increasingly scarce #gmcsr

— David Tulauskas (@davidtulauskas) July 16, 2014

A2c Addressing challenges through innovative, customer-centered solutions will make our business stronger and more competitive. #gmcsr — David Tulauskas (@davidtulauskas) July 16, 2014

Preach it, David! The chat went on to touch on everything from widespread adoption of electric vehicles to "transforming transportation," giving us plenty of reasons to keep our eye on GM's role in the "new" auto industry.

Click here for a full recap of our #GMCSR chat.

4. Mars, Inc. speaks to sustainability and consumer purchasing decisions in #MarsSusty

In a recent Twitter chat with Mars Inc. about how the company handles sustainability, @dean_best asked: "Do you have examples of how consumer interest in sustainability can change their purchasing behavior?" The company had this say:

We hope consumers do value sustainability as it will encourage us to do more. #MarsSusty - @MarsGlobal

After describing cause-marketing campaigns at some of its biggest brands like Uncle Ben's and Pedigree, as well as supply chain sustainability initiatives for everything from palm oil to tea, this remark seemed especially poignant. Even for a company already making exemplary strives in sustainability, consumers hold the power to inspire them to do more. Vote with your dollar, folks!

Click here for a full recap of our #MarsSusty chat.

5. Pam Wickham puts STEM education at the forefront in #RaytheonCSR

Most people wouldn't necessarily think of a defense company as a "green" company, but Raytheon took us by surprise in our recent #RaytheonCSR chat. Pam Wickham, Raytheon's VP of corporate affairs and communications, discussed how the company is addressing a range of issues, from finding jobs for veterans to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She also spoke in-depth about the company's efforts to boost STEM education, including this call for more stakeholders to take action:

A8:Today’s global economy depends on #STEM #RaytheonCSR

— Pam Wickham (@PamWickham1) July 8, 2014

A8d: It’s time for Corporate America to step up. We all can play a role in building #STEM talent #RaytheonCSR — Pam Wickham (@PamWickham1) July 8, 2014

Click here for a full recap of our #RaytheonCSR chat.

6. McDonald's meets criticism with transparency in #McDsustainability

When you host a Twitter chat with a consumer-facing corporate behemoth like McDonald's, you expect to see both cheers and critiques to roll through your feed. Bob Langert, VP of sustainability at McDonald’s, met critiques head on and noted that while there's still much work to be done, the best thing the company can do to prove it's serious about sustainability is embrace transparency:

A8a) Being a big, visible brand, we’ll always have some critics. The key for us is to welcome and embrace transparency #mcdsustainability

— McDonald's (@McDonaldsCorp) May 7, 2014

A8b) We'll accelerate social/digital to be transparent & connect w/ consumers/stakeholders & engage in the conversation #mcdsustainability — McDonald's (@McDonaldsCorp) May 7, 2014

As our Editor in Chief Jen Boynton pointed out, using the corporate handle for a sustainability chat -- and opening the brand up for public criticism on social and environmental issues -- is a great first step.

Click here for a full recap of our #McDsustainability chat.

7. Future of Fish keeps an open mind in our #3pChat on sustainable seafood

Some say developing a sustainable approach to seafood is black and white -- either eliminate wild catch to preserve ocean biodiversity or halt the development of aquaculture to avoid its potential environmental impacts. But in our recent #3pChat Tweet Jam on sustainable seafood, Future of Fish pointed out that it takes a multi-pronged approach to get things done:

Wild catch can stay; way we catch & distribute wild catch needs to change. our ideal supply chain: http://bit.ly/1srD2PG #3pchat

Aquaculture is definitely part of multi-pronged solution, & many innovations happening: http://bit.ly/1rM8o35 #3pchat @BellAquaculture -- @FutureofFish

Click here for a full recap of our #3pChat on sustainable seafood.

8. Heineken talks sustainability from all angles in #BaBF

Our recent Twitter chat with Heineken on its Brewing a Better Future (BaBF) strategy touched on loads of sustainability efforts at the company, from empowering smallholder farmers and investing in renewable energy to cutting back on water use and waste. In the chat, Jan-Willem Vosmeer, the company's corporate social responsibility manager, summed up all of these initiatives in less than 140 characters:

A8: JwV: Our approach to #sustainability covers the value chain ‘from barley to bar’ and aims to benefit our business, stakeholders. #BaBF

— HEINEKEN Company (@HEINEKENCorp) April 30, 2014

Happy Hour, anyone?

Click here for a full recap of our #BaBF chat.

9. Jerry Lynch addresses one of the world's mega-challenges in #GenMillsSusty

In the midst of remarks on water savings, carbon emissions reductions and empowering farmers, the dialogue in our recent Twitter chat with General Mills turned to one of the most pressing mega-challenges facing the industry -- how to feed a growing population in a resource-constrained world. General Mills Chief Sustainability Officer Jerry Lynch had this to say:

A10c: Will need 50% more food, 45% more energy and 20% more water by 2050. #GenMillsSusty

— Jerry Lynch (@gmills_jerry) April 23, 2014

A10d: Innovation in sustainability is needed to address these growing needs. #GenMillsSusty

— Jerry Lynch (@gmills_jerry) April 23, 2014

Click here for a full recap of our #GenMillsSusty chat.

10. SAP and CDP get holistic with integrated thinking in #SustyBiz

Our recent Twitter chat with SAP, BSR and CDP centered around "integrated thinking," a holistic approach that allows companies to approach sustainability in all of its departments internally, as well as externally, to drive meaningful change. Nigel Topping, executive director of CDP, and Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer for SAP, summed the concept up beautifully:

A3a #SustyBiz integrated thinking is holistic in three dimensions – full value chain, full range of capitals and multiple timescales…

— Nigel Topping (@topnigel) April 11, 2014

A3b Understand the links between financial and non-financial performance helps find big opportunities: http://t.co/hazM2n1HsV #sustybiz

— Peter Graf (@PeterGGraf) April 11, 2014

Sounds like a plan to us!

Click here for a full recap of our #SustyBiz chat.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter (@triplepundit) and stop by for our upcoming Twitter chat with Heineken on August 27.

Mary Mazzoni is a Senior Editor for Triple Pundit. You can follow her on Twitter @mary_mazzoni.