The DNA of Companies: Designed for Good

Whenever I talk about making a difference at the corporate level, some CEOs will immediately respond that they are not into doing charity or interested in corporate social responsibility initiatives. The flawed thinking that corporate social responsibility is considered exceptional and not the norm is one of the scandals of our times. We should not have to give an award to a company that is seeking to do good, it is in their DNA and should be the standard.

The idea that corporate social responsibility is considered exceptional and not the norm is one of the scandals of our times. We should not have to give an award to a company that is seeking to do good, it is in their DNA and should be the standard.

Very rarely will people set up a business as a fraud, or seek to sell products that will poison or kill someone. There are criminals who do that: run a business to perpetuate a culture of criminality and exploitation, but the vast majority of businesses are run by well-meaning folks who seek to build sustainable futures. They design and develop products they believe will be useful, are staffed by people who have families and are proud of what they do. In other words, the DNA of the vast majority of companies is the conscious choice to do good. They are run by people who are integrated into their local communities, are run by good people and seek to create good and useful products.

We initiated World Company Day(WCD) in 2013 as a way to counter this trend towards making corporate social responsibility(CSR) exceptional. It should and must be the norm to make a difference daily through work. We also wanted to raise the consciousness that the DNA of companies is for good. Over the years, we have discovered many experiences of big and small companies who see that it is smart and simply common sense to build a successful business and make a difference. Here are three experiences we like to highlight this year:

From JAPAN - Prima Luce: When a scarf can bridge differences and bring about changes for the better

From VIETNAM - RMIT - Shaping responsible leaders for Asia

From INDONESIA - Naked Press: Improve the livelihoods of customers, employees and community through education on healthy living, environmentally-responsible practices, fair trade and the support of charities.

We believe that many of you will have stories to tell about how your company is making a difference through building a more inclusive work environment, how you develop meaningful, sustainable products and services.

For World Company Day of 2016, we urge our signatory companies and all of you to commit to the following actions:

• Share how you are building corporate cultures that are conscious about making a difference at work
  
• Share how you ensure a good balance between profit and meaningful purpose
  
• Share how your business strategy, once it considers the aspect of making a difference is helping you succeed.
  

My colleagues and I have a dream about this initiative, that one day there will be no need for CSR awards or measurements because it has become so natural and normal to make a difference through daily work. Many of us are already doing this, but not many are aware, let us spread the good news and grow this movement.

 Happy World Company Day 2016

Lawrence Chong
Chairman

Share your experiences, news and ideas with this hashtag: #WCD2016 on these following channels:

World Company Day Official Website
World Company Day Facebook Page
World Company Day Linkedin Page

Email your experiences or ideas to [email protected]

About World Company Day

World Company Day is a non-profit advocacy launched by Consulus at Shape the World Conference on 15th of August 2013 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as an annual day for companies to remind them of their role in shaping a better world.

Join 200 other global companies such as Hong Kong Broadband Network, Salad Stop and become a signatory here: www.worldcompanyday.org

Today, companies shape every aspect of our lives. From creating opportunities, influencing choices, managing resources of the earth, the way business is conducted can and should be for the greater good. This is why it is important to have an annual day to celebrate the good that companies are doing all around the world and encourage others to do the same. We invite all companies to join us and henceforth commit to building companies that will shape a better world and to advocate the United Nations to set aside 15th of August as World Company Day.

Purpose of World Company Day 

Raising consciousness about the role companies plays in shaping a better world and enhancing collaboration to bring about greater good.

We call on the world’s companies to:

1) Build a more collaborative and meaningful culture in our companies
2) Treat customers and suppliers as partners in shaping a better world
3) Create products and services that will add meaningful value to society