For episode 96 we welcome the President of the Wildlife Habitat Foundation, Margaret O’Gorman.  O’Gorman operates at the intersection of business and nature. As President of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), she helps companies find value in natural resources conservation and mainstream biodiversity across operations.   She has worked with Toyota, Owens Corning, Exelon, CRH Americas, General Motors and many more, and led the design of WHC’s signature Conservation Certification(R) recognition, a voluntary sustainability standard which defines corporate conservation worldwide.
.
For 30 years The Wildlife Habitat Council has been promoting and certifying habitat conservation and management on working lands through partnerships and education.  As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands.  Wildlife Habitat Council corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 29 countries.
.
In our 45 minute discussion we learn more about the work of Margaret and her WHC team.  We hear about successful projects already completed, and the vast opportunities that business has for stabilizing the planet through a deeper commitment to mitigating climate and investing in biodiversity.  Margaret explains the difference between a ‘Shareholder’ & ‘Stakeholder’ value creation; and what that means for the future of investing-in, and operating the businesses providing our goods and services.  We also learn how O’Gorman’s recently released book – Strategic Corporate Conservation Planning: A Guide to Meaningful Engagement  – has been received by her peers and followers.

 .