Bringing Responsibility to Adult Beverages
Rob Kaplan’s job at Brown-Forman, one of the leading alcoholic beverage companies in the world, is no easy feat. The product might taste great, but his industry can sometimes be criticized for contributing to environmental and social ills. So Rob’s job as Manager of Corporate Responsibility is to help eliminate harm to the environment and society. He focuses specifically on the sustainability of Brown-Forman’s product lifecycle by analyzing how products are sourced, produced, packaged, sold, and used.
“It’s not a question of whether or not it’s the right thing, but how to do these things when there’s tremendous pressure on everybody to meet business goals,” Rob says.
But Rob finds ways to encourage corporate responsibility while still meeting, and even surpassing, business goals. While researching the ever-popular Jack Daniel’s, for example, he discovered that 99% of the production process is waste-free — almost every material is either reused or recycled. Waste management makes good business sense, but Rob realized customers had no idea that less than 1% of Jack Daniel’s production ends up in landfill. So, he decided to tell them. He partnered with Sam’s Club to feature Jack Daniel’s as a sustainable product in stores, increasing visibility of the brand, and resulting in several hundred thousand dollars worth of profit.
How did Rob land such a unique position that allows him to do good at one of the least obvious places? Getting his MBA at Haas School of Business definitely opened some pretty big doors. By taking advantage of relevant courses, becoming co-president of his school’s Net Impact Chapter, and networking with the right people, he created an environment that led naturally to his job.
During a course at Haas (taught by a Net Impact board member), Rob created a green marketing plan for Brown-Forman’s Fetzer Wines. The class project — and Rob’s proven commitment to sustainability — landed him a summer internship with the company, eventually leading to his full-time position. Now Rob spends his days linking company profit to positive environmental impact.
Rob is also profiled in our free Corporate Careers That Make a Difference guide. If you'd like to share your experiences or a specific project you've worked on, please contact us.
