Former Coca-Cola Executive Embarks on New, Spiritually-Centered Chapter

As a Coca-Cola executive, Jeff Dunn spent two decades working for one of the best-known brands in the world.  His new project: "branding peace." Dunn has put his life on a different path since leaving the soft drink giant two years ago. Dunn, whose most recent job at Coke was president of its North American operation, now works out of a quiet, funky office in King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta.

He's largely given up the MBA-speak one hears at Coke's headquarters on North Avenue and talks instead in New Age jargon, mentioning his "authentic self," discussing "the recognition of one-ness" and "the expansion of consciousness," and referring often to books about spirituality and service.

Dunn, already working with a number of causes, had lunch in May with metaphysical guru Deepak Chopra and was immediately impressed. Now the two are working on a project that essentially is, Dunn says, branding peace.

But don't expect a catchy jingle or a traditional ad campaign featuring anti-war protesters. Dunn uses the words "brand" and "peace" broadly.

"Peace is not the absence of war," Dunn said. "It is a way of living your own life. It is about walking softly on the Earth. It is about being present in your own body."

The goal of Chopra's organization, called the Alliance for a New Humanity, is to connect individuals and organizations doing good in the world, whether they are working on environmental causes or trying to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa, and to draw others into that do-gooder fold.

Dunn says the alliance will use conferences, a planned Internet portal and personal introductions to get people working together.

"If you can get everyone to understand we are all connected, you can't look at a child in Africa with AIDS the same way," he said.

Dunn's personal mission: to engage the world's corporations in environmental and social issues. He wants to connect his sizable business Rolodex with his growing network of academics, anthropologists, spiritual leaders and nonprofit directors.

"I don't see business as the enemy," he said.

Instead, he believes that corporations are full of individuals who want to do the right thing. The trick is balancing that desire with the needs of shareholders.

For Dunn, this dream goes well beyond his work with Chopra's alliance. He is fascinated by a concept he calls "the conscious consumer" -- the idea that consumers increasingly will choose to do business with companies that have good environmental practices, offer quality health care to employees and are otherwise positive corporate citizens. Author Patricia Aburdene explores the concept in her book, "Megatrends 2010: The Rise of Conscious Capitalism."

Dunn agrees that the conscious consumer is a megatrend and said companies such as Nike, Starbucks and Unilever are set to take advantage of it. "This is not a small trend," Dunn said. "This is a big trend. I just don't think it has hit the mainstream media yet."

He declined to comment about whether Coke fits into this model, citing a severance agreement that bars him from talking about the company.

He'd like to invest in or buy an early-stage company that is built around the conscious consumer concept -- perhaps in the food or beverage industry. He has a non-compete agreement with Coke that stops him from working for another beverage company until February.

So how does someone go from a big-time corporate executive to a New Age entrepreneur?

After all, Dunn's life was going just about as you would expect for the son of a well-known Coca-Cola executive. He went to the University of Georgia, earned an MBA from Pepperdine University in California and began his own career at the venerable soft drink giant. He worked long hours and climbed the ranks quickly, heading up the company's operations in both North and South America by the time he was in his mid-40s.

Things changed when Dunn clashed with the company's then-President Steve Heyer -- a personality conflict that landed Dunn out of a job in late 2003. Dunn got a severance package of about $4 million and spent a year working on his body, mind and spirit, he said.

"I needed to decompress from corporate life," he said.

There have been "several defining moments" that have led him to change the path of his life, Dunn said. First, about 10 years ago, he took up yoga and meditation as a way to deal with stress. The practices took on more meaning over time, he said.

Also, when he was still at Coke, he traveled extensively in Latin America, seeing extreme poverty. "You just can't be exposed to that and not have it impact you," he said.

His second wife, an artist, has also helped change his worldview, and he has been inspired by people at nonprofits who have aligned their professional and personal missions, he said.

These days, Dunn splits time between consulting and working on charitable causes that interest him.

He said he spends about 70 percent of his time on for-profit work. Some of it is traditional business consulting, including a gig with Miller Brewing Co. Some of it is working with companies on the conscious consumer concept, though he declined to name his clients in that realm.

Looking out five years, he said he'd like to be running a company that embodies the conscious consumer philosophy. Ideally, he'd develop a leadership model that other companies could replicate.

"I see myself leading an organization with scope and with a mission to be a great business but to be a great business for all its stakeholders."