The Role of Business in the Responsibility Revolution

I’ve always been drawn to the general concept of business as an invention of society to create “wealth” for all stakeholders, with wealth measured far beyond the ability of that business to make money.

In this era of heightened business responsibility across all sectors of our society, myopic focus upon the transgressions of certain firms and sectors has in many ways diminished the coverage and impacted many socially responsible businesses. I’m speaking of those who created their businesses by steadily and quietly making societal contributions (along with of course, making a profit). These businesses long ago “baked in” their commitment to making a positive contribution as an inherent part of their organizational DNA. We can all think of companies and brands that have this key ingredient inherently linked to responsibility: a few that come to mind for me include Yoplait, Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s, The Body Shop, Ford Motor Co., The Home Depot. For me, each of these socially responsible companies have contributed “wealth” in their own unique and different ways. They are known as contributors, making their own special and important imprint on the world.

The hallmark of responsible businesses includes (but isn’t limited to) the following values: transparency, honesty, innovation, partnership, and finally, being a part of the solution. By doing so, these businesses earn a seat at the table of “community” and our larger society as a whole. Let’s hope that business as a whole realizes this concept and embraces it wholeheartedly, and not just as a marketing “flavor of the month” campaign tactic designed to capture attention for the moment.

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Tags: business responsibility, responsibility in business, responsible businesses, responsible habits of business, role of business