Q. This year the theme of our Best 50 summer party was the knowledge transfer between sustainability pioneers and up-and-comers. At IBM, does the idea of sustainability come as a top-down or bottom-up idea, or both? How does IBM facilitate knowledge transfer amongst its employees?

A. I would suggest to you that it’s a commitment throughout the corporation - both top-down and bottom-up. Not too many people realize that the IT industry has a larger carbon footprint than the airline industry. So [through Project Big Green] we’re very much dedicated to helping our clients by developing new products that reduce that [footprint], but also helping them understand how they can reduce their own footprints in what they do.

Our employees are also demanding it. It’s in the DNA of the type of employees we have and the people we like to hire. In our software lab here in Toronto, we have close to 2,000 employees. They are so focused on very local initiatives and sustainability in what they do.

If you are going to hire the very best and the very brightest today, you need to be socially responsible and to understand how to progress your own sustainability in others. Because the best and brightest want to work for a company that’s focused in that regard. They just won’t put up with a company that is not focused enough.

Q. When what’s good for sustainability isn’t good for the bottom line, does business have a responsibility to change the rules?

A. I find things always correct themselves. When you say when sustainability’s not good for the bottom line – I think the only question is, “When is it good for the bottom line?” And there will be early adopters and late adopters; people will take initiative early and perhaps it will hurt their bottom line. But you can’t have two things that are true continue in an incongruous fashion. Sustainability is something that is real and true and will continue and will only become more of a responsibility of all of us – as consumers and as corporations.

Q. So would you say that business has already started to change the rules?

A. I think so. Companies are emerging today that are focused on sustainability. You look at where the money’s going in venture capital – [towards] green companies.