Business respects it’s social license to operate

I imagine that if a business does not operate in a manner congruent with human needs and the greater good, there is an understanding that it will not operate for long, as it needs a social license, to be sanctioned by public support to succeed for any length of time. The public will not tolerate business objectives or behaviours that have negative impacts on social health, environmental … and business can only operate successfully if they treat their people, customers, and other stakeholders with respect.

Currently, people do not see business and industry as a source of unbiased information. In many modern story lines, industry and business interests are seen as anti-social if not evil. They are the ones who want to tear down community centres, don’t care about their staff and are big bad and faceless. Not to mention soulless. Although commerce is an age-old practice that is part of everyday life, business and industry are not well regarded.

Corporate refugees are creating a business brain drain by going out on their own, joining start-ups or freelancing. Often, a company’s values are listed on their website but rarely do they translate into anything other than an imposed concept. A new way of doing business is emerging, slowly but surely, yet the norm is to focus on profit, shareholders and other business outcomes, not customers needs, not staff satisfaction, not communities or the future of the planet.

If business respected it’s social license to operate, then society might regain trust in business, the workforce might have jobs that are meaningful, that provide a sense of pride as rule rather than an exception. Communities, environment, people….all benefit from business outcomes when industry interests are aligned with human interests and inspire social evolution.  

Can you imagine?