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Gifford Pinchot III
Implementing climate mitigation Innovation. Successful startup CEO. Coined the word and wrote the book on intrapreneurship.
Gifford Pinchot III is a prominent figure in the fields of sustainability and innovation, currently serving as the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at ClimateUnbound.org. He is based in Hood River, Oregon, and has a rich background in entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and climate action.
Professional Background
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Intrapreneurship Pioneer: Gifford is credited with coining the term "intrapreneur" and authored the influential book Intrapreneuring: Why You Don't Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur, which has been translated into 15 languages. This work has significantly shaped the intrapreneurship movement, encouraging innovation within established organizations.12
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Consulting and Coaching: He leads Pinchot & Company, a consulting firm focused on fostering innovation and sustainability. The firm has assisted over half of the Fortune 100 companies in launching new products and services.1
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Educational Contributions: Gifford co-founded the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, which was the first institution to offer an MBA in Sustainable Business. This program has since merged with Presidio Graduate School.1
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Civil Rights Activism: In addition to his business endeavors, he was active in civil rights movements during the 1960s, showcasing his commitment to social justice alongside environmental sustainability.14
Current Focus
At ClimateUnbound.org, Gifford is dedicated to accelerating climate mitigation innovations. His work involves coaching leaders and developing training programs aimed at leveraging innovation to tackle significant global challenges related to climate change and sustainability.23 He is also actively writing a new book with his wife on building resilient organizations through engagement and motivation.1
Gifford's multifaceted career reflects a deep commitment to integrating environmental sustainability with innovative business practices, making him a key player in contemporary discussions on climate action and corporate responsibility.
Highlights
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as President at ClimateUnbound.org! Our purpose is accelerating the deployment of just and effective climate mitigation technology. We know that getting permits has become as big a barrier to climate mitigation as lack of funding. We address this challenge by building dialogue between climate mitigation entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs and the environmental organizations who object to their permits. Real communication works much faster and better that legal salvos with a month or more between each filing. Let's get down to the facts about emissions, etc. and then each party can decide with better information on what to do next. P.S. My boss is Libba Pinchot who founded Climate Unbound.
I love that Lyndsay Freeman chose "dreamers who do. Those who take responsibility for creating an innovation of any kind in an organization," because it makes room for intrapreneurship in any job, not just in new products and services. That is where the bulk of opportunities lie.
Intrapreneurs are driven by “intrinsic motivation,” a passion that comes from inside rather than external motivation by a boss. It applies to what you are doing in any job, doing what you know needs to be done because that is the right thing to do.
The preponderance of intrinsic motivation in intrapreneurial action also suggests that if you can only do one thing for an intrapreneur or intrapreneurship, giving them the freedom and support to implement their ideas their own way is far more important than rewards. That is what Shamsa Lea is talking about when she says, “create the space.” Intrapreneurs leave the organization or resign on the job when they are blocked too many times or waste too much time pursuing or waiting for permission when they know what needs to be done next.
That said do reward intrapreneurs. If after a few successes they see people who took no risks and burned no midnight oil get more rewards they become resentful, and no good will come from that.
