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Interview with Kate Williams, CEO, 1% for the Planet
Kate holds a fundamental belief that businesses can ‘do good’ and ‘do well.’ She and her team are inspiring a global movement to support environmental solutions through individual and company memberships and everyday actions.
It’s a picture-perfect Friday in Vermont. While it is undeniably t-shirt weather, something in the air hints that fall is just around the corner. In New England, this rare type of day exists in the neutral zone between seasons. Because it will soon take on the melancholy notes of nostalgia that are often associated with fall, the day’s late-summer beauty becomes even more precious.
And so it is somehow fitting that from the comfort of her back porch, Kate Williams sports a t-shirt that reads, “Right on Hereford Street, Left on Boylston Street.” Runners and spectators familiar with the Boston Marathon route know that these are the two final turns before the finish line—a choreographed last act that most definitely exists in the space between two places.
Running is a meditative practice for Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet. But she typically prefers trail running to concrete. “Connecting with the outdoors—and the purity of being on my feet in a wild place—helps me figure out the most intellectual questions I'm wrestling with,” says Williams. “I have this mental image of my thoughts unfurling behind me.”
Her deep connection to nature began on a mountaintop in Wyoming when she was 18 years old. “It’s remarkable to me now how pivotal that moment was,” recalls Williams of her earliest experience with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), where she went on to serve as Board Chair. Williams vividly recalls standing on a pass in the Wind River Range called “Hailey Pass” when her worldview changed.
The sun was beginning to set, a snowstorm had just hit the mountain, and the group was waiting for a rescue helicopter to land. Halfway through their four-week leadership trip, the group’s instructor broke his leg and it had been a highly orchestrated endeavor to get to Hailey Pass. Their work was about to pay off.
“It was this profound leadership experience,” shares Williams. “I was given a lot of individual responsibility and we worked hard together as a team. When the helicopter arrived, I remember feeling a sense of purpose, like I had been challenged in a new way and was learning and growing by the minute. But I also had a sense of awe when I looked around me and felt the ‘realness’ of being in the outdoors. That realness included a broken leg. But that realness also included this amazing sunset and beautiful mountains. I remember thinking ‘This is my best self.’ In the power of that moment, I knew that these kinds of experiences needed to continue to exist for me.”
To this day, Williams reflects on the moment in a self-recursive way, continually circling back to the elements of leadership, wilderness, and privilege that led to her life-altering experience. “Lately I ask myself, ‘How did I get to be there? Who gets to be there? What's the impact of being in these places, and why are they valuable to people who live elsewhere?’” You can almost see the questions unspooling in Williams’ mind in real-time. She adds, “Having that spark—that connection to nature—has served as the inspiration and the touchstone that fuels my work for the planet.”
About 1% for the Planet
Today, Williams spends her time protecting our planet’s most vulnerable people and places. She joined 1% for the Planet as CEO in 2015 and has since shaped the company’s vision and mission. In 2018, 1% for the Planet certified close to $25 million in giving to more than 1,700 environmental nonprofits. “That’s the ‘So what?’” Williams shared during the Global Summit in Portland, Oregon this year. It was a 25% growth over the prior year. 1% for the Planet also saw its largest-ever member growth, including the most significant global growth to date. Not only is the nonprofit attracting more members, it is breaking into new industries such as mobile gaming, freight shipping, and sound effects.
Asked what’s next for 1% for the Planet, Williams shares, “We've seen tons of momentum these last couple of years and we are seeking to build on that and grow with our members—it really is a collective effort and a movement that is global and we're all in to grow for the planet.”
Only 3% of philanthropic giving goes toward the environment. What is the concept of 1% for the Planet and how are you aiming to rewrite the corporate script?
Companies profit from the resources they take from the earth, and we believe they should protect those resources. At 1% for the Planet we have a fundamental belief in the power of business to do good and do well as a result of doing good. We connect our members (companies and individuals) with high-impact nonprofit partners that align with their values and add to their brand story. In doing so, we take the time to get to know what’s really important to our members.
Today, we have more than 2,000 members in over 45 countries coming together to protect the future of our planet. We very much want to see all corporate entities held accountable for the role that they can play and to create a fabulous new green economy which is entirely a choice that we can make.
Environmental protections and initiatives are being scaled back or defunded by our administration, but individual and corporate action appear to be on the rise. Have you seen this trend in the trenches?
We're continuing to see a lot of growth at 1% for the Planet and what that says to me is that more individuals and companies are saying, “We have to do our part,” or “We can do something so we should do something.” Think of COP21 when the United States pulled out; a lot of companies decided to remain committed to the goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is a really powerful example of where we are now. I think we have a reason to be optimistic because people are recognizing their power as individuals and they’re beginning to question their purchases and how they set up their households.
The terms eco-anxiety and climate anxiety are becoming more widely used. Is this something you have experienced personally? If so, how do you channel your anxiety into action?
I do worry about climate anxiety in the sense that sometimes individuals bear the burden that actually needs to be owned by some of the big corporations. Part of the problem is that we get scared of feeling the seriousness of what's happening around us. It can feel overwhelming and we may not know what to do or where to begin. At 1% for the Planet, we aim to be really clear-eyed about the fact that matters are urgent. There are issues that merit feelings of despair because they're posing risks to people and places. But at the same time, we are not hopeless. We are not unable to act. Looking at the school climate strikes, I am encouraged because it generates more power for each of us to step forward. That groundswell sends a strong message to those in positions of power and we need to make sure that we're sending that loud and clear message.
Storytelling is an integral part of your business model. Can you speak to its power?
Yes! Storytelling is so important. It's how individual and collective experiences give meaning that we can all access and grow from. Stories engage people in “active hope.” If you tell a story about something, other people can understand that it exists and empathize. Going back to my experience on that mountain top in Wyoming, it wasn’t about everyone having that exact same experience. But if we tell stories about the experiences that are meaningful to us, people can gain something vicariously and we can increase the level of awe and inspiration in the world.
I also think that stories are a way to present facts and analysis in accessible ways. For example, rather than feeling the heavy load of the IPCC report, through stories people can make sense of it and understand how to respond.
Stories are the crucible where we can all gain energy, instruction, and inspiration. For us at 1% for the Planet, it is through sharing stories and the power of giving that we connect the dots between all of our members.
What are your mindfulness practices?
Writing is a way that I figure out what's going on in my head. I do meditate and that is sometimes where I ponder these things. But my true meditation is going trail running. Being out on the trails I feel strong and that's when I figure out, “What are the questions that might be dogging me or weighing on my mind?” For me, a run would be where I would start to be able to understand what I am feeling anxious about or why I am feeling unsettled. I would say connecting with the outdoors in that way, and just being on my feet in a wild place—to me, that's a truly mind-body meditative space.
This interview originally appeared on a blog by Aly Morrissey related to climate action.
Interview with Emma Lovewell
The Peloton instructor opens up about being raised on Martha’s Vineyard, establishing a career in fitness and wellness, and maintaining a sustainable lifestyle
Nestled in the West Side of Manhattan, the flagship Peloton Studio looks like any other storefront. The latest boutique items hang neatly from sparse clothing racks and the coveted stationary bike sits on display underneath a life-sized poster of the instructors.
But through the showroom and past the cafe exists a full-blown production studio stocked with 48 bikes, multiple cameras, and set managers who keep things running smoothly during the live-streamed exercise classes. It’s basically the Mary Poppins bag of fitness.
Unfazed by the heart-pumping countdown to “lights, camera, action,” Emma Lovewell seems at home under the hot studio lights. Her training as a backup dancer has prepared her for the intensity of these live performances, during which instructors not only have to pay attention to timing, playlists, user milestones, and safety, they have to do it with raised heart rates and sky-high outputs. If you were unaware that Lovewell performed on stage with acts ranging from Bjork to The Rolling Stones, you’d pick it up quickly; dancing on a bike—and doing it well—is apparently a thing.
But in contrast to the vibrant spandex, dressing room selfies, and rockstar status, Lovewell is just as happy to be barefoot in her backyard garden in Brooklyn with the company of her boyfriend and cat, Kimchi. Lovewell gushes, “My boyfriend and I have the most fun gardening; it's been a really cool part of our relationship.” She laughs, “We text each other things like, ‘Did you see the tomatoes today!? They’re poppin’ off!’”
At Peloton, Lovewell is considered the “earthy” one. In fact, she even has an inside joke with fellow instructor Cody Rigsby. Lovewell laughs, “Anytime I opt for a reusable fork or talk about a plant, he replies, ‘You’re so on brand.’”
The seemingly stark contrast between these two versions of Emma Lovewell makes sense when you dig into her past. “I’m very lucky that my parents are who they are,” she says. The daughter of a salt-of-the-earth writer, photographer, and musician, and a nature-lover from Taiwan with unparalleled gardening chops, you could say Lovewell is a perfect blend of her parents. And, much like her musical preferences, she is impossible to categorize.
Growing Up On Martha’s Vineyard
There is no doubt that growing up on Martha’s Vineyard influenced the way Lovewell connects with the world today. “I didn’t really know it was a weird place to be raised until I left,” she jokes.
From predawn fishing trips to yard sale adventures, Lovewell’s father always instigated a do-it-yourself kind of lifestyle that she and her brother blissfully took part in. At the same time, Lovewell’s mother cultivated in her a love of nature. “My mom taught me to live off of the land,” she recalls. “We grew up in a small house and were very into gardening.”
Her childhood home was on a quarter acre of land with an old, rundown pool that they filled in with dirt and, eventually, a big vegetable garden; it was home to prize-winning produce that was often entered into the island’s annual agricultural fair. “I have some funny photos of me as a two or three-year-old holding these giant radishes,” Lovewell laughs. “It was a big part of my life.”
Despite her love for the Vineyard, Lovewell was destined for bigger things. She admits, “Sometimes when you're really ambitious in a small town, people judge you whether they realize it or not.” But after visiting New York City in college, Lovewell became intoxicated by the energy and diversity. It was a revelation for her after years of trying to understand her biracial identity; New York City became a place of belonging that she didn’t realize she had been craving. “Everybody I met here was so driven, so ambitious, and so diverse. I loved it.”
“If I have a voice, I want to use it and I want to make sure that I'm proud of the things that I'm putting out there,” says Lovewell. “I want to ensure the things that I'm saying support who I am and what I believe in.”
And so, eleven years ago, the duality that seems to mark her life intensified when she moved to Manhattan. She never thought she would be on a bike performing, but feels incredibly grateful to have landed at Peloton. She says, “It's an honor to be a part of this team. Honestly, it's been very cool to be a part of a company that is growing so fast and also changing so many lives so quickly.”
A Balanced Perspective On Environmental Issues
She takes sustainability seriously, but Lovewell’s actions and lifestyle choices aren’t rooted solely in environmentalism—they’re about personal growth and happiness. “Culturally, I feel like we're remembering how to grow things and make things by hand. And that is holding more value because we’re realizing that in a world where everything is mass-produced, it's actually more gratifying and skillful to do things the old way.”
During her classes, Lovewell often says, “progress over perfection,” and it rings true. In the context of climate action, she adds, “You’re not going to be 100-percent at anything all the time. You should take the steps that you can take and feel good about them.”
As a travel enthusiast, the guilt of her environmental impact can weigh on her, but Lovewell doesn’t let herself go down a dark rabbit hole. She knows it’s not a productive approach. “I don’t think that’s the key for progress,” she states emphatically. “In fact, I think guilt and fear scare people off even more. People need to experience and love life in order to value it.”
As often as possible she totes around reusable items like a straw, fork, grocery bags, and water bottle. But her most important tip is to talk about these actions with friends. “You don’t have to be the straw police,” she says, “but giving positive reinforcement when someone goes the extra mile will help more people get on board. We're all in this together. We all want to protect the planet as much as possible, as well as the future and our children's futures.”
Lovewell believes that if everybody could put a little more thought into the activities they take part in, and the products they use, the collective shift would significantly impact climate change. “It would make a big difference and that’s a more attainable approach for the average person,” she shares, rightly pointing out that individuals often shoulder the blame when big corporations and governments are mostly at fault.
Live Learn Lovewell — It’s a Vibe
In addition to inspiring thousands on her leaderboard at Peloton, Lovewell is a lifestyle blogger and inspires people online with her often plant-based recipes, sustainability tips, and travel stories.
“Live Learn Lovewell is a community and a lifestyle,” she shares. “It’s about living your best life, and about learning something new every single day.” As the name suggests, her content always comes from a place of love.
“If I have a voice, I want to use it and I want to make sure that I'm proud of the things that I'm putting out there,” says Lovewell. “I want to ensure the things that I'm saying support who I am and what I believe in. It's been fun. It's a creative outlet and I love helping people.”
This interview originally appeared on a blog by Aly Morrissey related to climate action.