Our Story
Allison and I believe the future of our world hinges on society’s ability to organize global communities and economies around the common good. And that purpose led companies can be a leading source of that movement.
I grew up one of six kids who all worked for my parents in a small Austrian meat market in Omaha, Nebraska -opened in 1910 by my grandfather. Imagine the community of Bedford Falls in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. We were all part of a neighborhood. We knew each other’s families. We supported other local businesses; children walked to neighborhood schools. Most importantly, we cared about each other.
These are the types of communities my wife, Allison, and I have been working to build during our life together. We have spent a good part of the last 40 years raising capital to fund and help grow for-profit and nonprofit community-based companies and partnerships. We’ve worked on issues including public/private land issues, the environment and recycling, racial equity, public school teacher strikes, and funding for performing and fine arts programs. And we’ve had a great time doing it.
After a lot of long walks together talking about the world we wanted to leave our children and grandchildren, we decided to combine our finance, media, marketing experience and relationships to build a network of media professionals, storytellers and investors dedicated to supporting what is now called “stakeholder capitalism”- that is redefining the priorities of business. For centuries a company’s only priority was building shareholder wealth. As history shows, this often came at the expense of employees, communities and the environment. Stakeholder capitalism gives priority to employees, supply chain sustainability, consumers, communities, the environment, and yes, shareholders.
The three greatest challenges facing the world today are climate change, income inequality and social justice. We believe stakeholder capitalism fueled by purpose led companies that incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies into their day-to-day operations can be the leading force to solve them. Employees want to work for them, investors want to invest in them, and consumers want to buy their products. Approximately 25% of all capital invested globally is now allocated to socially responsible/purpose led companies. It’s not a fad; it’s a movement!
Allison and I established Goal 17 Media and the Goal 17 Foundation to build and support this movement. We hope you will join us on this adventure as we try to make the world safer, more inclusive and prosperous for everyone.
How about it? How many times do you get to save the world?
Greg & Allison Mollner
Co-Founders
Goal 17 Media & Goal 17 Foundation