The Brain - and Soul - of Capitalism

Most executives today accept social and civic responsibilities as indispensable to doing good business; their enterprises won't survive if those responsibilities are ignored. Keep in mind that capitalism needs a brain and a soul. Solving today's burning issues--social, environmental, political, and financial - requires bigger goals, new incentives, and a reconception of what business really is. It also requires leaders with moral muscle who are willing to pursue sustainable goodness and positive impact despite colossal challenges. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Unilever CEO Paul Polman are champions in this movement: Their long-term missions and pursuits are models for building companies to last. Invest in people above all. A company's most important assets - mission, reputation, and people - are not on the balance sheet. Starbucks and Unilever may have a resource advantage, but they use their brand, visibility, and scale to blend capitalism with activism to influence change.