Experience

Natural Logic, Inc.

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Fractional CSO

  • Oct 2023 - Present

  https://www.intro.co/GilFriend If your company is between CSOs… Not sure it's ready for a CSO… Getting ready to hire a CSO… But needing experienced help now to design, advance, and/or manage its sustainability/regeneration/ESG/climate initiatives… Our new "Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer" (fCSO) service may be just what you need. We'll have a fuller description coming soon, but as a first step, check out this low-friction micro-consulting platform that lets you engage me for short, focused conversations and problem… Show more If your company is between CSOs… Not sure it's ready for a CSO… Getting ready to hire a CSO… But needing experienced help now to design, advance, and/or manage its sustainability/regeneration/ESG/climate initiatives… Our new "Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer" (fCSO) service may be just what you need. We'll have a fuller description coming soon, but as a first step, check out this low-friction micro-consulting platform that lets you engage me for short, focused conversations and problem solving sessions—without proposals, contracts, or corporate approval processesI https://www.intro.co/GilFriend

• Founder and CEO

  • May 1999 - Present

  Berkeley, California, United States What might be possible…if you did business as though you actually belonged to the living world? What might be possible…if you could find the path to both real contribution AND massive value? Natural Logic helps courageous companies discover, create, and capture the strategic, economic, and brand value—disclosed by a rigorous, purpose-driven approach grounded in the 3.8 billion years of open-source R&D—offered to us as a gift of the living systems of Earth that undergird the global… Show more What might be possible…if you did business as though you actually belonged to the living world? What might be possible…if you could find the path to both real contribution AND massive value? Natural Logic helps courageous companies discover, create, and capture the strategic, economic, and brand value—disclosed by a rigorous, purpose-driven approach grounded in the 3.8 billion years of open-source R&D—offered to us as a gift of the living systems of Earth that undergird the global economy—and all we hold dear. Offerings include our Full Cycle Sustainability™ program and our f/CSO™ "fractional CSO" services. Please contact me directly to discuss details, and whether either (or both!) of these might be a bit for your company. Clients have included Avery-Dennison, Coca-Cola, Equal Exchange, HP, Levis, Odwalla, Steelcase, Sunpower, and many others. - The Global Head of Strategy for multi-billion company said the opportunity we identified represented "massive" value. We asked: "How massive?" He responded: "About as big as our total global revenue!" - A city council that always voted 5-4 (except when they voted 4-5), approved our economic development strategy 9-0—and won the Governor's award from a governor of the other party. - A Fortune 500 manufacturing company declared that just one of eight breakout groups (in the first of three breakout rounds) generated three times their investment in our two-day Sustainability FrameWorkShop™ for 80 product managers and engineers. (Just one of eight. In the first of three rounds. Do the math.)

• Mentor / Coach / Thought Partner

  • Jan 2012 - Present

  http://www.Trimtab4Trimtabs.com A different kind of coaching…for a different kind of leader! "One of the best business investments I've made, ever." (A serial CEO client.) For leaders and emerging leaders focused on climate, sustainability, regeneration, "ESG," and impact. A world that works. And the transformation of everything. “If you’re ready for the next step – in your career, and in your life’s purpose – my confidential strategic coaching will help you clarify and advance both your company’s and your… Show more A different kind of coaching…for a different kind of leader! "One of the best business investments I've made, ever." (A serial CEO client.) For leaders and emerging leaders focused on climate, sustainability, regeneration, "ESG," and impact. A world that works. And the transformation of everything. “If you’re ready for the next step – in your career, and in your life’s purpose – my confidential strategic coaching will help you clarify and advance both your company’s and your personal sustainability goals and move them into effective action. And do that with more power, presence, and peace of mind."



Critical Path Capital

• Founder and Managing Director

  • Nov 2018 - Present

  https://www.criticalpath.capital Critical Path Capital is a holding company acquiring, transforming, up-valuing, and transitioning SMEs into ecologically-grounded, employee-owned, community-rooted companies—the picks and shovels of the next economy.™



Living Between Worlds

• Host

  • Apr 2020 - Present

  "New worlds don't just happen. We speak them into being…" "Living Between Worlds—with Grace, Dignity and Power" is a monthly conversation, now in its fourth year. These began in early days of Covid pandemic, looking at the parallels and echoes of the Covid crisis and the climate crisis, as I was struck by the similar curves, and the common call for speed, scope, and scale in our global response. We meet on the third Wednesday of every month, 12:00-1:30pm Pacific time… Show more "New worlds don't just happen. We speak them into being…" "Living Between Worlds—with Grace, Dignity and Power" is a monthly conversation, now in its fourth year. These began in early days of Covid pandemic, looking at the parallels and echoes of the Covid crisis and the climate crisis, as I was struck by the similar curves, and the common call for speed, scope, and scale in our global response. We meet on the third Wednesday of every month, 12:00-1:30pm Pacific time. Register here: https://bit.ly/LivingBetweenWorlds. Who joins these conversations? Executives. Sustainability professionals. Investors. Activists. Entrepreneurs. Seekers. Up-and-comers. A poet or two. And you! "Because people are hungry for meaningful conversations that move worlds. Let’s have some!" Show less



Many clients in many countries

• Global Keynote Speaker

  • Apr 1973 - Present

  https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/profile/35564 "Gil is one of the most thoughtful and creative thinkers I know in the area of sustainable business, and artfully bridges the scientific and technical sides the issue, the realities of the daily world of business and people and the systems in which they operate." - Joel Makower, Executive Chairman, GreenBiz Options include keynotes, interactive keynotes, executive and board briefings, workshops, conference moderation, and more. Please contact me directly to co-design the perfect program… Show more "Gil is one of the most thoughtful and creative thinkers I know in the area of sustainable business, and artfully bridges the scientific and technical sides the issue, the realities of the daily world of business and people and the systems in which they operate." - Joel Makower, Executive Chairman, GreenBiz Options include keynotes, interactive keynotes, executive and board briefings, workshops, conference moderation, and more. Please contact me directly to co-design the perfect program for your organiatinor event. Some examples of recent topics: - The problem with purpose - Leading in an Uncertain World - Why C_F_Os Should Take the Lead on Climate - The one thing sustainability people never talk about - The Mysteriously Elusive Sustainability Business Case - Why smart cities aren't so smart—and why living cities can be - The Structural Defects of Capital-ism—and What Every Reform Effort Is Missing - Doing Business—and Everything Else—As Though We Actually Belong to the Living World. And Each Other. Show less



Blue Planet Energy

• United States
• Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • Feb 2021 - Present

  https://www.BluePlanetEnergy.com Premier energy storage and microgrid systems for homes, large businesses, and communities around the world—using "the safest battery chemistry out there."



Inquiring Systems, Inc.

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Of Directors

  • Sep 2010 - Present

  https://www.inquiringsystems.org Inquiring Systems Inc, ISI, provides full service fiscal sponsorship services to not-for-profit organizations working in the Regenerative and Sustainability realms.



Kora

• United Kingdom
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Strategic Advisor

  • Nov 2018 - Present

  Kora is creating a new financial instrument to fight climate change, globally by incentivizing sustainable behavior​



Reporting 3.0

• Advocation Partner

  • Mar 2018 - Present

  The Mission of the Reporting 3.0 Platform is to help catalyze the trigger-function of reporting to spur the emergence of a regenerative and inclusive global economy. To achieve this transformation, Reporting 3.0 curates a collaborative, pre-competitive, neutral space where stakeholders from across the reporting spectrum gather to co-create the design needs and pilot new best practices for future-ready reporting.



City of Palo Alto

• Chief Sustainability Officer

  • Dec 2013 - Nov 2018

  Palo Alto, CA Charged to "develop a world class sustainability strategy for the city, and manage the activities that will lead Palo Alto be being the greenest city in America." I led the development of Palo Alto's first Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, including "80x30" greenhouse gas reduction goals (at 56.5% by the time I left), the toughest green building standards in the US, innovative "new mobility" initiatives, and more—and implementation plans to achieve them.



Open Data Registry

• Chairman

  • Apr 2010 - Nov 2012

  San Francisco Bay Area Startup supply chain intelligence company building information infrastructure to make transparent the impacts of all products on earth.



Presidio Graduate School

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Adjunct Faculty

  • 2004 - Dec 2010

  San Francisco Bay Area I taught in both the MBA program and the Executive Education program, and returned in early 2019 as Expert in Residence.



Natural Capitalism Solutions

• Ally

  • 2007 - 2010



Worldchanging

• Online Audio and Video Media

• Contributor

  • 2004 - 2010



Sustainable Business Alliance

• Co-Founder, Board of Directtors

  • 1998 - 2009

  Berkeley, CA



Integral Sustainability

• Faculty

  • 2006 - 2006

  Co-developed and co-presented five-day immersive mind/body/spirit sustainability leadership training.



Suntrain

• Board Of Directors

  • 1995 - 1999



Institute for Global Communications

• Board Of Directors

  • 1983 - 1990

  Founding board member of pioneering, pre-internet Internet company



Foundation for the Arts of Peace

• Executive Director

  • 1982 - 1987

  Berkeley CA Social marketing company that produced and managed national direct response television campaigns for peace and national security issues. Incubator for PeaceNet and Institute for Global Communications, an early Internet company



Office of Planning and Research

• Policy Analyst, California Office of Appropriate Technology (OAT)

  • 1978 - 1981

  Sacramento, California Area Think-and-Do-Tank In the California Governor’s Office under Governor Jerry Brown. Sustainability strategy and policy. Sustainable agriculture policy. Community engagement and economic development. Publications included: Biofuels and Soil Productivity; Working Together—Self-reliance in California's Communities



Institute for Local Self-Reliance

• Co-Founder, Co-Director

  • 1973 - 1976

  Washington, DC ILSR is a national research and advocacy organization that partners with allies across the country to build an American economy driven by local priorities and accountable to people and the planet. I focused on building our sustainable urban agriculture program, which included one of the first rooftop farms in the US (profiled in Mother Earth News), designing a 700 ton/day composting program for NYC's Hunt Point produce terminal, and publishing "Energy, Agriculture, and Neighborhood Food… Show more ILSR is a national research and advocacy organization that partners with allies across the country to build an American economy driven by local priorities and accountable to people and the planet. I focused on building our sustainable urban agriculture program, which included one of the first rooftop farms in the US (profiled in Mother Earth News), designing a 700 ton/day composting program for NYC's Hunt Point produce terminal, and publishing "Energy, Agriculture, and Neighborhood Food Systems" (co-authored with David Morris) and the "Urban Farmer" info-poster series (with Michel Connor). Show less



Buckminster Fuller's World Game Workshop

• Faculty

  • 1972 - 1973

  Carbondale, Illinois, United States