Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/54806
Eco-Friendly Academic The by Tricia Bisoux S ustainability's gone from fringe to mainstream, says Michael Crooke. As the former CEO of eco-driven outdoor appar- el companies such as prAna and Patagonia, Crooke is now delighted to continue to be a part of that movement as an academic. Last summer, he joined the faculty of Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management in Los Angeles as a visiting professor. He helped to coordinate the launch of the school's new Certifi- cate in Socially, Environmen- tally and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Business Practice pro- gram and now teaches courses on strategy, leadership, and corporate social responsibility. Crooke brings more than his years of corporate leadership to the classroom. The former Navy SEAL, who served four years with an underwater demolition team in the 1970s, also is an aca- demically qualified professor with a doctorate degree in manage- ment from California's Claremont Graduate University. In his doctoral dissertation, Crooke highlighted four primary values that companies must adopt to be successful for the long term: sustainable business practices, environmental ethics, a good prod- uct or service, and strong finances. If any one part of this model falters, he argues, the business will fail. Former Patagonia CEO Michael Crooke now teaches business students the four cornerstones of leading sustainable and profitable businesses. 20 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2011