Inventing another pathway to a world without poverty (Pt 2 of 2)

Transforming the world of global business enterprise

Danone and Grameen are, in fact, changing the game of business. They have created a profit-making enterprise where societal contribution is more important than maximizing profit (a “social business”), and opened the door for other new inventions that move us towards a world without poverty.

What could happen in the world of profit-making business if societal contribution became at least the equal of mazimizing profit in boardrooms throughout the world?

There are clear indications that global business enterprise is already leaning toward “changing the game.” Grameen Danone is one example. Others include the recent participation of U.S. major businesses in collaboration with scientists and politicians to address global warming (e.g. USCAP*). Even the emerging importance of corporate social responsibility could be considered a positive indicator.

How do we transform the world of global business enterprise through changing the game as I’ve suggested in Part 1 of this blog? While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, one thing I do know is that every worthwhile global societal transformation began with a small group of people standing up and making a bold declaration followed by committed action.

Muhammad Yunus and Danone have taken just such a bold step. Here’s what I have taken on as one personal expression of my own commitment to changing the game.

The CEO Roundtable to End Global Warming

My partner Paul Dolan and I have taken on an initiative to create what we’re calling the “CEO Roundtable to End Global Warming.”

To end global warming in time, we say the following things are missing:

1. a global goal to end global warming by a specific date (e.g., average mean global temperature shall stabilize at or below 15.5 degrees Centigrade prior to 2050).
2. leadership that takes full accountability for the world achieving that goal.
3. that leadership must:

• have the power to cut through global commercial and political resistance, coalesce the many exemplary initiatives already under way, and galvanize people’s participation around the world;
• include CEO's from the very industries that have the most to lose by rapid and dramatic curtailment of fossil fuel consumption from the very countries that are the largest consumers of carbon;
• be impassioned in its commitment to the global good.

We are now searching for a global CEO with the genuine commitment to make a profound societal contribution, and with the courage, freedom and influence to pull together the worldwide team to end global warming in time.

If you have a nomination, someone whom you know personally and have direct access to, please let us know at info [at] starrco.org.

Gordon Starr
Starr Consulting Group
we support visionary leaders in transforming their organizations

*United States Climate Action Partnership
//www.us-cap.org/