We envision a future in which business and civil society work as equal partners and responsible stewards of a clean, just, and prosperous world.
Why: Future 500’s mission is rooted in stakeholder capitalism. We believe that building common ground among companies and stakeholders is foundational to effecting positive systems change.
How: We act as depolarizers, building trust between companies and diverse organizations to progress positive environmental and social change.
What: We work with industry and stakeholders at the speed of trust, servings as critical friends to cultivate strategic relationships that enable all sides to constructively collaborate toward solutions that can benefit business, the planet, and society.
Our Theory of Change
Our Team
We have deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, corporate sustainability, NGO advocacy, and political activism. Our work is supported by a talented board of directors and experienced senior fellows.
Our Beginning
When Rainforest Action Network targeted Mitsubishi over deforestation in its supply chain, Future 500 was called in to help.
Future 500 traces its roots to a pioneering 1996 agreement between the Mitsubishi companies and Rainforest Action Network. When RAN targeted the Mitsubishi companies over deforestation in their supply chain, the conglomerate turned to Bill Shireman, Future 500’s Founder, a seasoned negotiator who had recently helped pass California’s “Bottle Bill” (AB 2020).
Through a series of meetings and discussions with other environmental thought leaders – and after one critical fly-fishing trip – Shireman helped Mitsubishi executives work with RAN to craft a bold new forestry stewardship strategy. The resulting framework was ultimately adopted by nearly 400 companies, instigating a global transformation in forest conservation practices.
Inspired by the successful engagement, Shireman and Mitsubishi Electric chairman Tachi Kiuchi founded Future 500, a global organization dedicated to finding common ground for the common good. In the 30+ years since, we’ve helped countless companies, NGOs, and other organizations collaboratively tackle complex sustainability challenges.
Careers
We are not hiring at this time.