Corporate Enlightened Self Interest

Leaders Need to Think Beyond Economic Growth and Success. 

This concept of enlightened self interest can (and should) be applied to the corporate and commercial worlds as well, through the concept of the Triple Bottom Line and its emphasis on people, planet and profits (note the order).

Consumers across the globe have begun acting on their desires for a higher level of responsibility by companies in dealing with societal issues. This global consumer movement was revealed in the 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study which was conducted in 10 countries (USA, Canada, Brazil, UK, Germany, France, Russia, China, India and Japan) comprising roughly half the world's population. Over 10,000 consumers were surveyed.

The top three results in this study were:

·     81% of consumers say companies have a responsibility to address key social and environmental issues beyond their local communities.

·    93% of consumers say companies must go beyond their legal compliance to operate responsibly.

·   94% of consumers say companies must analyze and evolve their business practices to make their impact as positive as possible.

These consumers believe it is important for companies to address a full range of social and environmental issues, including:

·         economic development (96%)

·         environment (96%)

·         water (95%)

·         human rights (94%)

·         education (90%)

·         health and disease (90%)

·         poverty and hunger (87%)

Importantly, 94% of respondents indicated they are likely to buy a product that has an environmental benefit (76% did so in the previous 12 months) or one that is associated with a cause (65% purchased cause-related products in the past year).

Additionally, 93% said they would boycott a company for irresponsibility, with over half saying they have already done so.

Consumers are already using their own discretionary spending and loyalty to press their demands for greater corporate social responsibility, as this research clearly shows. Consumers want businesses and organizations to give back to the communities in which they conduct operations. Now the question becomes, is anyone in the corporate world listening?

Every organization, and in fact every individual, has the obligation to make the world a better place for our children and grandchildren to inherit.

It’s that simple.

It is also a huge responsibility.

Nations which produce only great, profitable corporations will be prosperous, but not truly great, nations. Our future generations need us to be producing great leaders, and great leadership, in all sectors of society.

It is time to change our commercial, business and societal focus from just profits and economic prosperity to the triple concerns of environmental sustainability, social responsibility and global harmony. As Henry Ford said, "A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business." 

Everyone in a leadership position needs to be thinking beyond economic growth and success.

In the Project You concept, there is a great responsibility placed on people and organizations that are successful financially or socially to pay back to society for the fruits they enjoy. 

Basically this means a requirement to contribute to something larger than one's self (and applies equally to corporations, organizations and individuals). This can be done by contributing to their communities, a global cause such as the environment or starvation, or to any charity or cause of their choosing.

Achieving this means entering a world of collaboration, in which you work together with people and organizations with which you have a shared view and shared values.

This article is excerpted from the top-selling book Project You: Living A Determined Life, available at Amazon in paperback ($7.90) and Kindle ($6.88) formats.