Strategic Partnerships

GWC has developed key strategic partnerships with institutions that share its criteria of standards, practices, and a holistic approach to ecology and sustainable development.

DAVID AND GOLIATH GWC’s advertising agency, recently launched the Kia electric car at the Paris auto show. With offices in Los Angeles, Frankfurt, and London (where they have created a GWC “guerilla marketing” campaign), they are poised to launch the GWC “brand” worldwide under the leadership of J.D. Davis (see bio under “Core Management Team”)

THE SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE includes a 10,000 product sustainable technology catalogue and is working in 23 countries. They are focusing on solar lanterns with advanced power management systems (under a World Bank development grant), super-efficient ½ hp pumps (under a Gates Foundation grant), and new water purification systems, and other inventions. Products can be sourced to villages via tree-planting programs.

IDEO is one the world's top innovation and design groups, with 600 employees in offices from Palo Alto to Shanghai, and deep connection with leading Silicon Valley enterprises. Clients include 3M, AT&T, Apple, Intel and Bank of America. IDEO specializes in whole systems design, from services to software and media to industrial products (the first Apple computer mouse, the Palm V PDA) to global corporate strategies. With Paul Polak of I.D.E., they helped design a human powered "deep lift" Treadle Pump that has changed the lives of millions of rural farmers.

COMMUNITY FORGE develops mutual credit systems that build social capital across Europe. They provide management, consulting and technology to make mutual credit systems understandable, marketable and easy to use. Community Forge has helped develop and continues to maintain over 50 mutual credit systems in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and New Zealand.