Zipcar Chairman and CEO Honored by Root Cause with First-Ever Business Innovator Award

BOSTON, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Root Cause, a nonprofit research and consulting firm working to advance solutions to social issues by partnering with the nonprofit, philanthropic, government and business sectors, presented its first Business Innovator Award to Scott Griffith, Chairman and CEO of Zipcar (Nasdaq: ZIP) on Thursday, May 5, 2011, during the eighth-annual Social Innovation Forum Showcase.

"I am both honored and humbled to receive the first Business Innovator Award from Root Cause," said Zipcar Chairman and CEO Scott Griffith. "At Zipcar, innovation is a guiding principle and integrated into every aspect of our business. In addition, one of our core values is: 'have an impact.' Our business helps to reduce congestion and carbon emissions, while emphasizing smart consumption choices.  These are all strong indicators of Zipcar's positive social impact. On behalf of our community of more than 575,000 Zipsters around the world, I'd like to congratulate the social entrepreneurs associated with Root Cause for their powerful and inspiring work."

Since Scott took the wheel in February of 2003, Zipcar has emerged as the world's leading car-sharing network. Scott has solidified Zipcar's position as the leader of the car-sharing industry, establishing a brand and customer experience that has attracted hundreds of thousands of savvy, urban residents and businesses on the go. He has forged strong partnerships with some of the world's top brands and largest automakers, and developed relationships with transit agencies, universities and influential city and state governments. Under Scott's leadership, Zipcar has fostered the emergence of car sharing as a new transportation category, changing urban life by providing instant, affordable mobility across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

"At Root Cause, we are working to create a future where nonprofits, philanthropy, government and business work together to foster social innovation and spread what works," said Andrew Wolk, Founder and CEO of Root Cause. "Our Social Innovation Forum seeks to accomplish this within the Greater Boston community and beyond. We are pleased to honor Scott Griffith as a role model who took the car-sharing concept, began at the local level and turned that into a reality, now on a national and international scale."

Each year, the event aims to bring together innovative entrepreneurs and leading philanthropists, business leaders and government officials. This year's selected entrepreneurs represented Fiscal Health Vital Signs, Future Chefs, Massachusetts Senior Action Council, MathPower and Smart from the Start as the 2011 Social Innovators. These entrepreneurs, chosen from a pool of 135 applicants to receive a package of in-kind services and support, presented their work and "pitched" their business models to potential investors both on Thursday, May 5 and again today at the Second Look at the Showcase Forum.

Since 2004, Root Cause has worked extensively with social innovators who demonstrate promising approaches to solving social problems. By providing the skills they need to succeed, Root Cause has helped these nonprofits to increase their impact while providing donors with opportunities to identify nonprofits that will make the most of resources provided.

About Root Cause

Founded in 2004, Root Cause began as a small nonprofit consulting practice for innovative nonprofits.  Since then, Root Cause has grown to become a nationally recognized organization with 30 team members, an annual budget of $3 million, and offices in Boston, San Francisco, and New York.  Root Cause has developed growth plans for more than 100 nonprofit organizations that have subsequently raised $45 million.

About Zipcar

Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing network with more than 575,000 members and more than 8,000 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

SOURCE Root Cause