These companies are embracing new consumers with human needs—from affordable nutrition and lower-cost health care to everyday products that fit the much lower annual incomes of most of the world.

What this compelling study found was that the more intensive communicators tended to have much higher growth in revenue, operating margin and net profit.

Some venture capital funds are pursuing clean-tech approaches, like Khosla Ventures, TBL Capital and the Patient Capital Collaborative.

1. Customer satisfaction 2. Employee satisfaction and retention 3. Wellness programs for all stakeholders 4. Employee safety 5. Supplier safety 6. Stakeholder and community health

Public companies are increasingly tracking these types of earth-related metrics, from waste to water to carbon and energy. As a HIP investor, you will see improvements in reporting these metrics over time, and will be better prepared to identify leading companies who will have higher profits and shareholder value.

However, four billion people live on less than two dollars per day (Prahalad 2006).

Let’s look at a less obvious Health factor—employee satisfaction. Employee satisfaction is a leading indicator that measures the involvement, engagement, and commitment of a company’s staff. Satisfied employees offer better customer service, yielding increased profits through higher sales while also improving the mental health of a company’s

Back in 1997, several scientists estimated the total value of “ecosystem services” at $14 to $54 trillion—the average, $33 trillion, was almost twice the worldwide GDP that year (Staff of World Resources Program 1998).

A HIP approach to the world’s problems will lead to solutions that are financially attractive, lower overall risk, and improve society.