I had lunch today with my friend Hajime who is the “International Sales Dude” for Tom’s shoes. I have been awed by Hajime since he was my student a good many years ago before he went off to UCLA and laid a first rate education on top of the good person he is.  That he joined a company with a corporate culture committed to social responsibility says something about the good person that he is.  That this good company has made Hajime responsible for International sales says something about his good mind and about his work ethic. Tom’s shoes was founded by Blake Mycoskie, a young fellow with a social conscience.  For every pair of shoes sold by the company, another pair is given away to someone in the world who needs shoes but can’t afford them.  Mycoskie said about the company, “We know every day that we’re going to give away one pair of shoes for every one we sell, and that’s that.  If we can’t make the business work that way, the the business just doesn’t work.”  It works... because of Bryan  Mycoskie and around 300 other employes like Hajime who are committed to doing social good while they make an honorable living.  Check their WEB site.

http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialentrepreneurs/a/tomsshoescorporaterespons.htm