A Duty to Grow

I think a company’s purpose is to fulfill itself, to grow, and develop to the best it can be. Doing this means creating a better balance between financial accomplishments and doing the right thing. Doing the right thing, in my view, means that the company’s reason for existence should be to contribute to a better society. Responsible companies have a duty to grow because their contribution to society is so important. In reality, this probably calls for more companies being controlled by strong owners with the right values and dedication. And if not that, the boards and management of public companies must be brave enough to work as if they owned the company—taking risks, putting value on vision, etc.

Is it naïve to believe that change can happen? After all, the drive for financial wealth is a strong motivator in the business community, and therefore contributing to a better society will never be a priority among the vast majority of company owners and managers. Adam Smith, in his epic work The Wealth of Nations, wrote, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.”