A Conversation With Kate Williams, CEO of One Percent for the Planet

For nearly 25 years, One Percent for the Planet has quietly reshaped how businesses think about responsibility, strategy, and long term stewardship. What began as a simple commitment has grown into a global network spanning more than 100 countries and hundreds of millions of dollars in certified environmental giving.

In this episode of Disruptors for GOOD, I sit down with Kate Williams, the organization’s CEO, to unpack how the model really works, why progress matters more than perfection, and what it takes to keep climate action grounded, practical, and nonpartisan.

This conversation goes beyond surface level sustainability talk. It digs into how businesses of all sizes can meaningfully participate, how philanthropy becomes strategy when done right, and why steady commitments often outlast trends, politics, and fatigue.

About 1% for the Planet

1% for the Planet is a global network that turns business success into real environmental support. Founded in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia and Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies, the idea started with a simple belief: if a company profits from the planet’s resources, it has a responsibility to help protect them.

Member businesses commit to giving 1% of annual sales, not profits, to vetted environmental partners. Companies give directly, and 1% for the Planet verifies the giving each year through its certification process. The result is a practical, accountable model that helps businesses follow through, year after year.

Today, the network spans the globe and has certified over $823 million in support for environmental causes. It is built on a clear principle, commit, then figure it out, and it exists to prove what collective action looks like when companies back up their values with money, consistently.

If you want to be part of a movement that does not rely on slogans, but on verified giving, 1% for the Planet is the place to start.

From Wild Places to Global Leadership

Kate’s path to becoming CEO was not planned, and that is precisely the point. Her journey began outdoors, developing a deep connection to wild places and an equal fascination with how people work together under pressure. That mix of nature and leadership became the through line of her career.

Starting as an outdoor educator, Kate gradually moved into nonprofit leadership, focusing less on being in the field and more on enabling others to succeed. Over time, that led her to executive leadership roles and eventually to One Percent for the Planet.

Her story reinforces a truth many founders learn the hard way. The role of a CEO is not about knowing everything. It is about creating space for others to excel.

What One Percent for the Planet Actually Does

At its core, One Percent for the Planet exists to create action and commitment so the planet and future generations can thrive. The model is simple, but disciplined.

Member businesses commit to giving one percent of annual revenue, not profit, to vetted environmental nonprofit partners. Those nonprofits are carefully reviewed against eligibility criteria aligned with the organization’s four impact areas:

• Just economies

• Resilient communities

• Rights to nature

• Conservation and restoration

Rather than pooling and redistributing funds like a foundation, One Percent for the Planet acts as a connector. Businesses choose where their giving goes, nonprofits receive funds directly, and the organization certifies the commitment annually.

The result is not just philanthropy. It is a network built on relationships, accountability, and long term partnership.

Strategy Over Optics

One of the most important ideas in this conversation is that One Percent for the Planet is designed for progress, not perfection.

Kate is clear that the organization does not exist to elevate a small group of “perfect” companies. No such companies exist. Instead, the goal is to meet businesses where they are and help them take a concrete step forward.

That one percent commitment often becomes a forcing function.

Once it is built into budgets and operations, companies begin asking better questions. They start aligning giving with core challenges like energy use, waste, supply chains, and community impact.

This is where philanthropy stops being a side project and starts functioning like strategy.

Global Reach, Local Impact

While One Percent for the Planet operates in over 100 countries, most giving still happens locally. Companies tend to support causes they can see, touch, and understand, often within their home countries.

That said, the model is flexible. Businesses can support international nonprofits when that is where their impact makes the most sense. The organization helps navigate tax considerations and compliance, but does not limit where giving can go.

The guiding question is always the same. What problem are you trying to solve, and where can your resources do the most good?

Introducing the Planet Impact Fund

In 2022, One Percent for the Planet launched the Planet Impact Fund to expand its reach beyond the one percent model.

The fund allows donors to contribute capital that is invested for positive impact, with ten percent granted annually to a portfolio of environmental nonprofits. Over time, the fund has expanded from public equities into private investments in areas like renewable energy, sustainable forestry, and biodiversity.

The organization also offers donor advised funds built on the same impact focused investment platform, giving individuals an alternative to traditional DAFs that often lack values alignment.

While not a major revenue driver, the fund represents a meaningful extension of the organization’s mission.

Leadership Lessons From the Long View

Kate has spent two decades in executive leadership, and her advice is refreshingly direct.

Leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about removing yourself as the bottleneck.

The best leaders build teams that outperform them, delegate work they once owned, and stay focused on what serves the organization rather than their own ego. If people around you are doing things better than you ever did, that is success.

The Road to One Billion and Beyond

As of today, One Percent for the Planet has certified nearly $840 million in lifetime giving. The organization is on track to reach $1 billion soon, a milestone decades in the making.

But Kate is already looking past it. The real question is not how to celebrate the first billion. It is how to build an engine that reaches the next billion faster.

The challenges facing the planet demand scale, consistency, and long term commitment. That is what this organization was built for.

Podcast Q&A

How did you become CEO of One Percent for the Planet?

I never set out to be a CEO. My path was about getting clear on what I cared about and continually orienting my work around that. Wild places and people working together were the constants. Leadership came naturally from there.

What makes One Percent for the Planet different from a foundation?

We do not take in and redistribute funds. Businesses give directly to vetted nonprofits. Our role is to vet, connect, support strategy, and certify that the commitment is met each year.

How do companies choose which nonprofits to support?

We use four impact areas and clear subcategories to guide decisions. From there, it becomes a conversation about values, business challenges, employee engagement, geography, and desired outcomes.

Do you work with companies in extractive or controversial industries?

We are a progress focused organization. We believe in meeting companies where they are and helping them move forward. We reserve the right to say no if a company would be brand damaging, but we do not exclude industries by default.

How do public companies participate?

The process is similar to private companies. Internal governance is their responsibility. What stands out is how thoughtful public companies are about making the business case for environmental commitment.

How do you keep environmental work from becoming political?

We focus on shared ground. Clean air, water, resilient communities, and conservation benefit everyone. We avoid partisan framing and stay grounded in practical impact.

Is most giving local or global?

Most giving happens locally, largely for tax and proximity reasons. That said, companies can give internationally if that aligns better with the impact they want to make.

Do you see climate or environmental fatigue among businesses?

We see change over time, but the one percent commitment creates consistency. Once it is embedded into operations, it reduces decision fatigue and keeps momentum going year after year.

How does the Planet Impact Fund fit into the overall model?

It allows us to reach donors beyond member businesses and invest capital for impact while granting annually to nonprofits. It complements our core model rather than replacing it.

What is your biggest leadership lesson?

Your job is to create headroom for others to succeed. Let go of needing to know everything. Build a team that outgrows you.

What are the organization’s biggest goals for the next five years?

Reaching $1 billion in certified giving is important, but the real goal is building the engine to reach the next billion faster. The scale of the challenge demands it.