Business as a force for good? Impactful or token? 

“At the moment, we are possibly the first generation of humans who are knowingly improving their own lives at the expense of the next generation. What are we going to do with this knowledge?”

• Sarah Gillard, CEO, Blueprint for Better Business

The concept of business as a force for good has become more widely accepted over the years. The shift away from a focus solely on increasing profit for the benefit of the few has and is changing - as it should. Businesses are evolving and purpose, people and planet are finding their way into strategies, business models and the board room.

At Leaders, we celebrate and support this progress. Businesses should be a force for good, positively impacting the wider community. Most leaders we meet agree. They are good people, wanting to achieve good things. And yet, even with this momentum building, there are multiple barriers to overcome. Barriers that significantly slow progress and in some cases block progress altogether.

Here are some examples of the barriers and blockers we hear:

• “It’s a nice idea, but the board will never go for it.” 

• “Our shareholders demand maximum returns on their investment. I can’t afford to worry about supply chains.” 

• “We don’t have enough resources for business as usual, so we certainly can’t invest our people’s time exploring the most environmentally friendly paper towel options!”  

• “We offer our people one day a year to volunteer for a charity of their choice, that’s all we can manage.” 

• “Our people work long hours but we pay them well and buy them pizza once a month.”

Have you heard any of these?  

Have you said any of these?

There is a wealth of information and support available on how to be a force for good - maybe too much, if that is even possible. But that’s not the fundamental barrier. The fundamental barrier is human. 

When human desires for comfort, stability, pleasure, profit, ego and short-term gains are driving, then compassion, courage, generosity and purpose take a back seat. And yet, to repeat, leaders are usually good people trying to achieve good things. Competing demands and distractions are real.

Here are some ideas to get back on track or take the first steps towards creating a business that is genuinely being a force for good:

• Talk to your people, genuinely connect with them. What do they see in the organisation that is good? What ideas do they have? 

• Engage with the experts in your community (you know who they are) who can connect you with others who are developing their organisations. 

• Do your research - especially in the areas that seem stuck. Why do supply chains matter? Does it really matter what brand of XXX we buy? Are your people flourishing on long hours and monthly pizza? How would you know? B-Corp and Blueprint for Better Business are both good places to begin. 

• Most importantly, find others who share your values and commitment to overcome barriers and make positive, impactful, lasting changes. They will help you to keep your focus and celebrate the small wins with you.

Ultimately we can have all the tools, tactics and strategies, but as long as humans prioritise profit and comfort over people and planet, the tools and tactics will never have the impact their creators hoped for.

For real change on the scale needed, leaders of people and organisations need to care about the long term effects of today’s decisions, not short term profitability or people pleasing.

What will you do today that will make your business a greater force for good?

And if you’re feeling stuck come and talk to us. We will always have time for leaders who are seeking positive change.