Trim Tab v.29 I Letter from the Editor

As you sip your morning cup of coffee, have you ever wondered where the beans come from? Are you curious about the ingredients in your shampoo, or the principles and protocols that create the foundations of your organizations? Transparency is a powerful tool that can lead to critical information-sharing, thus in allowing consumers to make wiser choices. This democracy of information can lead to a more sustainable economic model, which is a critical component to changing the paradigm of the current climate crisis.

In this edition of Trim Tab, we assembled stories that foster the power of transparency. We reflect on transforming the cultural, economic and political conditions of the climate crisis through the historical model of dismantling of the slave economy in the 19th century. We tell the story of an innovative organization that challenged their internal practices to change their workplace environment and culture. We explore how a building in the Chesapeake Bay has transformed the people who built it and the place it calls home.

As you read these stories, think about how you can incorporate the ideas of transparency in your work, life, and community, and about how that can change the way people interact with one another and do business together. Transparency can uncover opportunities for learning, growth, and change. It has the power to change the current archetype of the sustainability movement through openness, honesty, and responsibility.