In 2014, the founder and chief executive officer of Beyond Meat, Ethan Brown, reflected on the question that had led him to start the company: “How difficult can it be to change what you eat for dinner?” The small start up based in Los Angeles, California, had faced considerable challenges in changing customer perceptions and attitudes since it was founded in 2009. Its intention was to address both health and environmental problems related to meat consumption by creating plant-based meat. The company had successfully developed plant-based meats that were similar in taste, texture, and composition to regular animal meat. However, Beyond Meat needed to change customer perceptions and behaviours to persuade US consumers to switch from animal- to plant-based protein. What strategies could Beyond Meat use to market its disruptive innovation and become a game changer in the meat industry? Should the company invest in aggressive research and development to make its product taste and feel more like real meat, or should it focus on marketing the product based on its nutritional, health, and environmental benefits? Should it target vegetarians or meat eaters, and what demographic changes should it consider?

In 2014, the founder and chief executive officer of Beyond Meat, Ethan Brown, reflected on the question that had led him to start the company: "How difficult can it be to change what you eat for dinner?" The small start up based in Los Angeles, California, had faced considerable challenges in changing customer perceptions and attitudes since it was founded in 2009. Its intention was to address both health and environmental problems related to meat consumption by creating plant-based meat. The company had successfully developed plant-based meats that were similar in taste, texture, and composition to regular animal meat. However, Beyond Meat needed to change customer perceptions and behaviours to persuade US consumers to switch from animal- to plant-based protein. What strategies could Beyond Meat use to market its disruptive innovation and become a game changer in the meat industry? Should the company invest in aggressive research and development to make its product taste and feel more like real meat, or should it focus on marketing the product based on its nutritional, health, and environmental benefits? Should it target vegetarians or meat eaters, and what demographic changes should it consider?

In January 2017, the owner and founder of Storehouse Tea based in Cleveland, Ohio, was considering the company’s next move. Storehouse Tea focused on providing organic, fair trade certified teas, and the founder was committed to operating her business in a way that would have a positive impact in the world by providing work to local refugees. However, she wondered how she could scale this impact. Among her options, she could introduce product extensions, pursue geographic expansion, target larger accounts, or hire additional employees. But which avenue for growth would best allow Storehouse Tea to further its core mission?

In January 2017, the owner and founder of Storehouse Tea based in Cleveland, Ohio, was considering the company's next move. Storehouse Tea focused on providing organic, fair trade certified teas, and the founder was committed to operating her business in a way that would have a positive impact in the world by providing work to local refugees. However, she wondered how she could scale this impact. Among her options, she could introduce product extensions, pursue geographic expansion, target larger accounts, or hire additional employees. But which avenue for growth would best allow Storehouse Tea to further its core mission?

Centric Cleveland was a business unit of Centric Consulting, a full-service management consulting and technology solutions firm. The firm had been founded with the intention of being different from other consulting firms with regard to building internal and external relationships, developing and supporting employees, adjusting for work-life balance, and being devoted to community service. But in 2015, Centric Cleveland was experiencing rapid growth, which was challenging the company's ability to sustain its unique corporate culture. How could Centric Cleveland sustain its culture and core values as it grew and gained more employees? What changes needed to be made to meet rising expectations for personal well-being and meaningfulness among millennials and generation Z hires? When culture was becoming a popular selling feature to potential new hires in the consulting sector, what could Centric Cleveland do to remain unique and stay competitive?

Centric Cleveland was a business unit of Centric Consulting, a full-service management consulting and technology solutions firm. The firm had been founded with the intention of being different from other consulting firms with regard to building internal and external relationships, developing and supporting employees, adjusting for work-life balance, and being devoted to community service. But in 2015, Centric Cleveland was experiencing rapid growth, which was challenging the company’s ability to sustain its unique corporate culture. How could Centric Cleveland sustain its culture and core values as it grew and gained more employees? What changes needed to be made to meet rising expectations for personal well-being and meaningfulness among millennials and generation Z hires? When culture was becoming a popular selling feature to potential new hires in the consulting sector, what could Centric Cleveland do to remain unique and stay competitive?

In 2015, MobilityWorks, the largest mobility dealership and reformer of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in the United States, found itself unable to cater to a large enough fraction of the population with limited mobility. With the baby boomers starting to retire, the gap was widening at a pace much faster than the growth of the WAV industry. How could MobilityWorks re-work its business strategy in order to grow across different market segments?

In 2015, MobilityWorks, the largest mobility dealership and reformer of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in the United States, found itself unable to cater to a large enough fraction of the population with limited mobility. With the baby boomers starting to retire, the gap was widening at a pace much faster than the growth of the WAV industry. How could MobilityWorks re-work its business strategy in order to grow across different market segments?

In 2014, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Calvert Investments (Calvert) found herself at a crossroads. Under her stewardship, Calvert had become one of the world’s leading investment management firms, specialized in using sustainability as a platform to create value for investors. After having been recruited to the position from Wall Street, the CEO had enthusiastically embraced and encouraged Calvert’s unique positioning for 17 years. The idea of environmental, social, and governance sustainability had not only defined Calvert’s niche in investments, but had come to describe the CEO’s personal leadership style and shaped how she ran the company. However, with many apparent challenges to the environmental, social, and governance community and the broader investor community, the CEO wondered if the old way of doing sustainable and socially responsible investing was sufficient to support the changes that she felt were needed.

In 2015, Corticeira Amorim, S.G.P.S., S.A. (Amorim), the world’s largest cork manufacturer, was facing multiple strategic dilemmas. After enjoying a near-monopoly in the wine stopper market for over 300 years, cork’s reputation had been damaged in the 20th century by concerns over “cork taint,” and the cork industry had been challenged by the resulting disruptive technologies of screw caps and synthetic corks. Amorim needed to rethink its core assumptions, including product design and supply chain strategy. The company had taken a new direction in the previous 15 years, and appeared to have regained a secure niche for the foreseeable future. The family-owned business was now emerging from its comeback and reviewing various strategic options to secure a sustainable future. Should Amorim rely more or less heavily on its wine stopper business in the future? Which form of competition should Amorim confront most directly? Should the company compete primarily based on cost or value?

In 2015, Corticeira Amorim, S.G.P.S., S.A. (Amorim), the world's largest cork manufacturer, was facing multiple strategic dilemmas. After enjoying a near-monopoly in the wine stopper market for over 300 years, cork's reputation had been damaged in the 20th century by concerns over "cork taint," and the cork industry had been challenged by the resulting disruptive technologies of screw caps and synthetic corks. Amorim needed to rethink its core assumptions, including product design and supply chain strategy. The company had taken a new direction in the previous 15 years, and appeared to have regained a secure niche for the foreseeable future. The family-owned business was now emerging from its comeback and reviewing various strategic options to secure a sustainable future. Should Amorim rely more or less heavily on its wine stopper business in the future? Which form of competition should Amorim confront most directly? Should the company compete primarily based on cost or value?

In 2014, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Calvert Investments (Calvert) found herself at a crossroads. Under her stewardship, Calvert had become one of the world's leading investment management firms, specialized in using sustainability as a platform to create value for investors. After having been recruited to the position from Wall Street, the CEO had enthusiastically embraced and encouraged Calvert's unique positioning for 17 years. The idea of environmental, social, and governance sustainability had not only defined Calvert's niche in investments, but had come to describe the CEO's personal leadership style and shaped how she ran the company. However, with many apparent challenges to the environmental, social, and governance community and the broader investor community, the CEO wondered if the old way of doing sustainable and socially responsible investing was sufficient to support the changes that she felt were needed.

Food Donation Connection is a for-profit company that creates sustainable value — value for both shareholders/owners and stakeholders — by facilitating the redistribution of surplus prepared food from donor corporations, such as restaurants, convenience stores and grocery stores, to charities that distribute the food to people in need. In fulfilling its mission of “Let nothing be wasted,” the company addresses the extensive food waste at the retail and wholesale stages of the food supply chain, a key pressure point in global food waste. Food Donation Connection has operated successfully for more than 20 years in the United States; however, the founder and chief executive officer is now considering the company’s future. He must determine whether and how to expand the company’s services globally.

Food Donation Connection is a for-profit company that creates sustainable value - value for both shareholders/owners and stakeholders - by facilitating the redistribution of surplus prepared food from donor corporations, such as restaurants, convenience stores and grocery stores, to charities that distribute the food to people in need. In fulfilling its mission of "Let nothing be wasted," the company addresses the extensive food waste at the retail and wholesale stages of the food supply chain, a key pressure point in global food waste. Food Donation Connection has operated successfully for more than 20 years in the United States; however, the founder and chief executive officer is now considering the company's future. He must determine whether and how to expand the company's services globally.

TriCiclos, a recycling company in Chile, and the first B Corporation in Latin America, is innovating the way business is understood and conducted. The chief executive officer is excited about the financial future of the company, including expansion into new geographic markets in Latin America. Nevertheless, different geographic markets bring a new set of challenges for a sustainable business: foreign governments with different laws and regulations for recycling and partnering with clients and recyclers, the need to establish partnerships with local recycling plants and, more importantly, how these variables affect the company's organizational mission and culture.

TriCiclos, a recycling company in Chile, and the first B Corporation in Latin America, is innovating the way business is understood and conducted. The chief executive officer is excited about the financial future of the company, including expansion into new geographic markets in Latin America. Nevertheless, different geographic markets bring a new set of challenges for a sustainable business: foreign governments with different laws and regulations for recycling and partnering with clients and recyclers, the need to establish partnerships with local recycling plants and, more importantly, how these variables affect the company’s organizational mission and culture.

Pyramyd Air, a small and growing online airgun retailer serving the shooting community, wants to broaden its sustainability practices from its current internal initiatives in order to communicate an even stronger value proposition: sustainability isn’t just about recycling and efficiency, it is about a thriving environment leading to more engaged employees and more loyal premium customers. Though the airgun industry is not by its nature built on sustainability principles, as is solar energy for example, Pyramyd Air recognizes that some sustainability practices are vital to its customers’ long-term enjoyment of a flourishing outdoor sporting industry. For a company with strong customer relationships, can sustainability strengthen the relationship between employees and customers by building on the inherent industry values of the great outdoors and a sense of community?