Responsible Business: a collection of Right Lane Review articles with responses
by Dr Marc Levy
About Responsible Business
Businesses are crucial players in addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of today’s world, as employers, capital and resource allocators, and influencers. By embracing responsible practices, businesses can drive positive change and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
This compendium of articles (published in Right Lane Review) written over the past 18 months, delves into various facets of responsible business practice, offering insights and practical strategies for organisations striving to make a positive impact on society. Each article addresses a unique aspect of corporate responsibility – from enhancing ethical standards to adopting a purpose aligned ownership and governance structure – making them, I hope, useful reads for anyone interested in the future of business.
Four leaders in the fields traversed by these articles agreed to write responses to them, sharing reflections on the material and extending the thinking. I’d like to thank them all for their thoughtful and engaging contributions.
Responsible business
The first article, ‘What does it mean to be a responsible business? Moving the conversation forward’, explores the evolving definition of corporate responsibility.
The response was written by Fiona Reynolds. Fiona was CEO of the UN-auspiced Principles for Responsible Investment, whose signatories collectively manage around $150 trillion in assets worldwide.
Business ethics
Next, ‘The state of ethics in organisations: Why can’t we (still) kick straight?’ investigates the current state of business ethics and the challenges we face in maintaining ethical standards.
Dr Simon Longstaff AO, executive director of The Ethics Centre, and one of the world’s most prominent applied ethicists, wrote the response.
Corporate giving
The third article, ‘Corporate giving: Unlocking slivers of value to address social challenges’, discusses the transformative potential of corporate philanthropy.
The response was written by Jarrod Miles, author of the Giving Large Report, co-founder of STRIVE Philanthropy and Australia’s foremost expert on corporate giving.
Foundation ownership
Finally, ‘From profit and purpose to profit for purpose: Towards a more progressive professional services firm ownership model’ examines the shift from traditional profit-driven models to those that integrate purpose at their core.
Prof Steen Thomsen, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Professor of Enterprise Foundations at the Copenhagen Business School, wrote the response.
It is my aim that these articles provide valuable insights and fresh perspectives to help navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape. By reading and reflecting on them, leaders and professionals can better understand how to drive positive change within their organisations and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world.
Dr Marc Levy
Reference
The Economist. (2025, January 4). Way of the Viking: Why are Nordic companies so successful? https://www.economist.com/business/2024/12/30/why-are-nordic-companies-so-successful
Click here to get your PDF of the book.
