Someone has been watching what Henry McKoy is doing to encourage businesses to pay attention to the triple bottom line. Word went all the way up to President Obama, who invited McKoy to the White House to discuss how sustainable enterprise fits with the new economy.
“I hope President Obama takes to heart the opportunity to be successful using the green economy as a means of having broad social impact,” says McKoy, who earned a B.S. in business administration from Carolina in 1995. “If you’re talking about long-term sustainable growth that’s not driven by bubbles, then sustainability is the right strategy.”
McKoy founded Fourth-Sector Financial Corp. in 2006. As Fourth-Sector’s chairman and CEO, he has earned a reputation as a leader in green finance and strategy. His company connects sustainable businesses with capital markets. He provides technology, financial products and education to move capital through the green economy.
“So many voices out there say you have to give up something financially to have an environmental or social impact; I totally disagree,” he says.
McKoy’s passion for aiding sustainable enterprise came as an epiphany during his undergraduate days. Despite the demands of coursework and athletics — a sprinter and middle-distance runner, he was named All American twice and was part of the 1995 NCAA track championship team — he made time for community development and outreach service. “I recognized that the American standard of what it takes to live a decent life centered on accumulation, and the planet couldn’t withstand that kind of impact.”
