Journey To Regeneration
The Purpose Pledge: Les Szabo from Dr. Bronner’s on Redefining What It Means to Be a Good Company
Published: 23 April 2026 at 07:43 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Les Szabo of personal care company Dr. Bronner’s, a long-time leader in regenerative and purpose-driven business, about the limits of philanthropy and policy in addressing systemic challenges and the need for business itself to take responsibility for its full impacts. Drawing on Dr. Bronner’s evolution—from organic sourcing to fair trade and regenerative organic certification—the conversation explores how deep supply chain engagement, stakeholder accountability, and community investment can reshape how value is created and distributed. Szabo also introduces the Purpose Pledge, a multi-stakeholder initiative that defines what it means to be a purpose-led company through ten integrated commitments spanning governance, compensation, supply chains, climate, and more. Rather than allowing selective storytelling, the pledge emphasizes transparency, operational rigor, and peer learning to address trade-offs across stakeholders. The episode ultimately reframes regeneration not as a set of isolated best practices, but as a systemic transformation requiring collective action, shared standards, and new forms of accountability across business ecosystems.
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