How sometimes the "Opposites Attract" theory can be the Key to a joint Ventures

Often, odd couples do not last or even a make a good relationship, but not today. Odd couples seem to work well. Firms now couple with once-rival activist groups. Joint venture and corporate social responsibility are at the helm of this odd coupling.

Limited Brands, a US firm known with its Victoria Secret, made a surprising interest in environment. They recently talked with the government of Canadian province, Alberta, about caribou habitats. They also partnered with ForestEthics, an environment advocacy group. The advocacy group arranges the guidelines for sourcing environment-friendlier papers for Limited Brands’ catalogues and ads.

B&Qand IKEA, partnered with Rainforest Alliance and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The joint venture was odd because the 2 firms, owned by Kingfisher, are home-improvement and furniture brands that abundantly use trees, which the 2 activist groups are rallying and protecting. The odd joint venture aimed to encourage forest certification in China. Forest Stewardship Council will certify wood products according to its environmental standards.

Odd but the number of odd joint ventures is growing. George Bush and Bill Clinton, both were political rivals, partnered to raise funds for the Katrina victims and other global social initiatives. Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, teamed up with global social development organizations to cure diseases. He even called a global competition to develop a cheap vaccine. Marriott International joined forces with Conservation International and the Brazilian state of Amazonas to protect Amazon rainforest, as a greenhouse-gas offsetting effort.

Wal-Mart worked with environmentalists to implement their zero-waste program. They started selling 137m compact fluorescent lightbulbs. General Motors, Rio Tinto and ConocoPhillips also worked with environmental groups, Environmental Defense and the World Resources Institute to form theUSClimate Action Partnership. They rallied to the US government to require reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.

The couples may obviously be odd, but they are changing the world.

Here's to your success
Rivers Corbett
Founder - JVBusinessSchool.com

"Award Winning Entrepreneur and Joint Venture Specialist, Rivers Corbett offers an exclusive and exciting opportunity to a limited number of entrepreneurs who are looking to steer clear of the typical ''Get Rich Quick'' hype and build a solid business of * lasting *significance. Click on http://JVBusinessSchool.com for more information on this great offer