Ethical Chic

February 20, 2012
Joining the backlash against corporate social responsibility, journalist Hawthorne (Inside the FDA) evaluates six companies (Tom’s of Maine, Timberland, Starbucks, Apple, Trader Joe’s, and American Apparel) that have built brands around goodness, and asks: “Do they deserve their haloes?” In reviewing the impact of these companies on the environment, treatment of workers, and public service, Hawthorne’s methodology is mainly qualitative, based on interviews with company representatives, union leaders, and staff at various watchdog organizations. One of her biggest criticisms is the price premium some companies can command in the marketplace. Here Hawthorne’s argument is inconsistent, as when she criticizes American Apparel for nearly going bankrupt (“It might seem that a key requirement for a socially responsible company would be... to stay in business”) while also accusing Starbucks of overpricing coffee (“it is socially irresponsible for Starbucks to claim the ethical mantle while pricing out people who can’t afford its wares”). No one expects the author to resolve such conundrums; however, these pronouncements, set alongside attempts to maintain journalistic objectivity, make for a confusing read. Agent: Lauren E. Abramo, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

May 15, 2012
Brands popular both for their social currency and image of social responsibility go under journalist Hawthorne's (The Overloaded Liberal: Shopping, Investing, Parenting, and Other Daily Dilemmas in an Age of Political Activism, 2010, etc.) microscope in this exploration of how closely the ethical words match up to corporate actions. In today's consumer world, advertising, publicity and marketing are mostly geared toward drawing customers to the brand, rather than pushing the product. Akin to social media, where people connect via shared interests, today's best-known brands seek to create communities based on shared product appreciation. One of the common elements companies seek to build these communities around is an ethical approach to business. Caretaking of the environment, fair treatment of workers and a focus on "doing the right thing" are as important as the profit margins. Hawthorne turns an optimistic-but-skeptical eye on a half-dozen companies to dig past the marketing hyperbole and explore actual practices. The companies--Apple, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, American Apparel, Timberland and Tom's of Maine--all purport to carry that best-case combination of ethical practices and "cool products." In reality, however, they all make significant concessions in pursuit of growing profits. Hawthorne wisely avoids taking a staunch green-or-not approach, instead taking into account the various complexities and realities of doing business in a world that doesn't always provide the infrastructure necessary to make a purely ethical business decision. The author ably explains the standards by which the industries police themselves and the different layers of whitewash and how they're applied to some egregiously unethical policies. She also acknowledges that a company's ethical practices, while increasingly important to younger consumers, are still far from being make-or-break factors for these entrenched status brands. American Apparel still runs ads designed to titillate; Tom's of Maine is now owned by Colgate. Hawthorne's research provides clear, rational insights into our ethical choices, empowering us to be savvy shoppers.

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Starred review from May 1, 2012

Journalist Hawthorne (The Overloaded Liberal: Shopping, Investing, Parenting, and Other Daily Dilemmas in an Age of Political Activism) analyzes six companies that have a reputation of being hip, ethical, and socially responsible: Tom's of Maine, Timberland, Starbucks, Apple, Trader Joe's, and American Apparel. Hawthorne draws from interviews as well as corporate reports to present a case study of each company's level of social responsibility and evaluates whether or not they deserve their reputation for being ethically hip. While other titles, most notably Gary Hirshberg's Stirring It Up, Bo Burlingham's Small Giants, and Jeffrey Hollender's What Matters Most, cover similar ground, Hawthorne's inquiry is more comprehensive, examining each company's record on environmental impact, human rights, working conditions, cost of the product to the consumer, and relationship with corporate owners. VERDICT Instead of writing hagiographies of well-known, socially active companies, Hawthorne gives readers an impartial picture of the difficulties of running a profitable company while trying to maintain a positive corporate belief system. This will appeal to the socially conscious consumer interested in how companies struggle to balance their beliefs with practical concerns. Highly recommended.--John Rodzvilla, Emerson Coll., Boston

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2012
Hawthorne, financial journalist and editor, sets out to determine if a company can be trendy yet socially responsible. Can it be popular yet trustworthy? She selects six companies to put to the test (American Apparel, Apple, Starbucks, Timberland, Tom's of Maine, and Trader Joe's) and explores issues for each, including energy efficiency, recycling, hiring practices, pricing strategies, and animal treatment. A company can create a false image of social responsibility through marketing hype, as this responsibility is now central to many companies' brands. Yet the author contends that the web is helpful in exposing damaging incidents of irresponsibility, such as polluting and operating sweatshops, because an observer with a smart phone and camera can promptly record the incident and post it on the Internet. Hawthorne concludes, The best way to judge whether to trust a corporate image is to remember that these companies are out to make a buck, and they will be most likely to go green, humane, and squishy if it makes business sense. A very informative look.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)