Andrew Shalit, who has returned to the advocacy team at Green Century after a hiatus, brings a wealth of knowledge about the corporate world from his years working in tech and, later, time developing educational computer applications for startup companies.
Since he rejoined Green Century in September 2023, he has focused on biodiversity and forest protections, specifically pressing for corporate actions that help preserve old-growth forests in Canada. “Companies have a huge impact on the natural world,” he said. “And responsible investors can have a huge impact on companies.”
He’s noticed that companies today are more sophisticated about environmental practices.
“It is amazing to see how far companies have come in the 15 years that I was away. These days companies have staff who are trained in sustainability. They understand what we’re asking more quickly and are often more receptive to our proposals,” he said. “And this helps as we give them a nudge from the outside to invest in those changes.”
From 2006-2009, Andrew was the sole full-time shareholder advocate at Green Century. One of his biggest wins involved teaming up with the Investor Environmental Health Network to engage the supermarket giant, Whole Foods. The negotiations targeted the use of bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical widely used in the manufacturing of clear plastic, including baby bottles.
“We approached Whole Foods and explained the negative health effects,” he said. “They agreed to pull the baby bottles. That was the first action by a U.S. company to stop selling products made with BPA.”
Green Century has various tactics for corporate engagement, and acts both independently and in tandem with other groups to bring about corporate change.
“Sometimes we play a role in between advocacy organizations and companies. We can research issues raised by advocacy organizations and advance these causes in our role as investors,” Andrew said. “We can also explain the business case for improving their environmental practices.”
With a chuckle, he draws a contrast from years ago when Green Century functioned as an ally with the nonprofit Greenpeace, which is known for its more strident and dramatic tactics.
Back then, the American chemical conglomerate, Dupont, had been targeted by Greenpeace for its storage of chemicals near large U.S. population centers.
A Dupont manager involved in the discussions said he appreciated Green Century’s approach. “I’m always happy to meet with you, Andrew. Last time I talked to someone from Greenpeace, I ended up handcuffed to him.”
Andrew said he’s excited to rejoin Green Century and make a difference with his advocacy efforts.
“There is still a lot of work to do, and they still need to hear from Green Century to push their standards and do better.”
Andrew lives in the Boston area with his wife and two children.