Overview

How everyone can use their power as consumers, investors, employees and voters to take back control of capitalism and hold corporations to account Capitalism is failing and the tools we are relying on to fix it - corporate social responsibility, divestment, impact investing, and government control - are only making things worse. -Chevron boasts about the $50 million per year it spends on renewable energy whilst it spends 200 times that on oil exploration -Goldman Sachs touts its 10,000 Women initiative but its board ranks 358th out of the Fortune 500 for gender diversity and women earn 55% less than men do on average By focusing on corporations rather than people, we've put our faith in empty trends and brand-focused window-dressing. Why should those responsible for our current crisis be trusted to fix it? In Accountable, authors Michael O'Leary and Warren Valdmanis offer a blueprint for everyone to take responsibility for using their economic power as consumers, as investors, as employees, and as voters to trigger a fundamental shift away from an economy that is unethical, unfair, and destructive to our environment and institutions. Their investigation cuts through the tired dogma of current economic thinking to reveal a hopeful truth- if we can make our corporations accountable to a deeper purpose, we can make capitalism both prosperous and good. Trenchant and gripping, this is an indispensable guide and call to action for citizens to take control of our economic power and hold corporations to a higher standard.

Full Product Details

Author:   Warren Valdmanis ,  Michael O'Leary
Publisher:   Penguin Books Ltd
Imprint:   Penguin Business
Dimensions:   Width: 16.20cm , Height: 3.40cm , Length: 24.00cm
Weight:   0.592kg
ISBN:  

9780241460337

ISBN 10:   0241460336
Pages:   368
Publication Date:   20 August 2020
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Reviews

The authors have been at the forefront of thinking on how markets and business can better serve society for many years. Accountable captures not only the history that underpins modern-day corporate purpose, but its present and future. The central message-that capitalism can and must be part of the solution to society's greatest challenges-has never been more important * Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital * For decades the dominant view has been that the purpose of companies is to make money for their shareholders. No more. Combining compelling examples and analytical insights, O'Leary and Valdmanis explain why the world is changing and provide a roadmap for how shareholders and citizens can and must transform the corporate landscape to save capitalism from itself * Oliver Hart, Harvard University, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2016 * In today's reality, business represents a picture of dysfunctionality, of excesses benefitting the few, of gross injustice. Tomorrow's business leaders have an obligation to create a different reality reflecting our better hopes and inspirations. Accountable takes you on that journey. It's a wonderful trip * Peter Georgescu, Chairman Emeritus of Young & Rubicam * Solving our biggest social and environmental problems means reshaping the role that businesses play in our society. This informative book addresses the challenges we face in achieving this crucial transformation * Sir Ronald Cohen, Chair GSG (Global Steering Group for Impact Investment) * Striking in its clarity and insights borne from the authors' experience as investors on the frontlines of capitalism's excesses and potential. The case studies of some of the best-known companies and investors don't pull punches while offering tangible examples of the changes in culture and rules of the game required for a new type of capitalism * Daniella Ballou-Aares, CEO and Co-Founder of the Leadership Now Project * Unwilling to settle for easy answers or superficial changes, O'Leary and Valdmanis push us all to ask more of our economic system * United States Senator Michael F. Bennet * More than ever before, this is the book our economy needs * Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation * Presents a fresh, balanced, highly readable and deeply informed case for how the pursuit of sustained financial success and the exercise of social responsibility to employees, consumers and society not only can-but must-go hand in hand if we are to have the world we seek in the future. I learned a lot * John Pepper, former Chairman and CEO of P&G * A thoughtful, well researched and compelling way to rethink how to assure that prosperity and fairness are linked * Deval Patrick, Former Massachusetts Governor *

The authors have been at the forefront of thinking on how markets and business can better serve society for many years. Accountable captures not only the history that underpins modern-day corporate purpose, but its present and future. The central message-that capitalism can and must be part of the solution to society's greatest challenges-has never been more important * Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital * For decades the dominant view has been that the purpose of companies is to make money for their shareholders. No more. Combining compelling examples and analytical insights, O'Leary and Valdmanis explain why the world is changing and provide a roadmap for how shareholders and citizens can and must transform the corporate landscape to save capitalism from itself * Oliver Hart, Harvard University, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2016 * In today's reality, business represents a picture of dysfunctionality, of excesses benefitting the few, of gross injustice. Tomorrow's business leaders have an obligation to create a different reality reflecting our better hopes and inspirations. Accountable takes you on that journey. It's a wonderful trip * Peter Georgescu, Chairman Emeritus of Young & Rubicam * Solving our biggest social and environmental problems means reshaping the role that businesses play in our society. This informative book addresses the challenges we face in achieving this crucial transformation * Sir Ronald Cohen, Chair GSG (Global Steering Group for Impact Investment) * Striking in its clarity and insights borne from the authors' experience as investors on the frontlines of capitalism's excesses and potential. The case studies of some of the best-known companies and investors don't pull punches while offering tangible examples of the changes in culture and rules of the game required for a new type of capitalism * Daniella Ballou-Aares, CEO and Co-Founder of the Leadership Now Project * Unwilling to settle for easy answers or superficial changes, O'Leary and Valdmanis push us all to ask more of our economic system * United States Senator Michael F. Bennet * More than ever before, this is the book our economy needs * Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation * Presents a fresh, balanced, highly readable and deeply informed case for how the pursuit of sustained financial success and the exercise of social responsibility to employees, consumers and society not only can-but must-go hand in hand if we are to have the world we seek in the future. I learned a lot * John Pepper, former Chairman and CEO of P&G * A thoughtful, well researched and compelling way to rethink how to assure that prosperity and fairness are linked * Deval Patrick, Former Massachusetts Governor * Reminds us that today's short-termism is as dangerous for corporations as it is for the world and uses a combination of great stories and thoughtful analysis to suggest that we must find a way to change the purpose of our corporations if we are to build a society that works for all of us * Rebecca M. Henderson, John & Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University * Takes a fresh look at a fundamental question of capitalism-whose interests should corporations serve? Its call for collective action by consumers, workers, and investors to reorient corporate behavior may foretell the next decade * Jonathan Levin, Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business * If we want to save free market, enterprise economics and all the benefits it brings, we have to reform capitalism and the way corporations behave. The authors do a great job in explaining that this is not a wealth-bashing, negative agenda but a positive and exciting one. Business doing good is good business-and this book puts that beyond doubt * David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom *

Author Information

Warren Valdmanis (Author) Warren Valdmanis is a partner at Two Sigma Impact, a private equity business that invests in the American workforce. He was previously a managing director with Bain Capital's social impact fund, and before that invested with Bain Capital's private equity team for over a decade. He grew up in Canada and has lived and worked in Australia, Chile, France, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa and the United States. Warren studied economics at Dartmouth College and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives with his wife, Kristin, and their four children in Portland, Maine. Michael O'Leary (Author) Michael O'Leary is a managing director with the impact investing firm Engine No. 1. Previously, he was on the founding team of Bain Capital's social impact fund and invested in consumer, industrial and technology companies through Bain Capital's private equity fund. Michael studied philosophy at Harvard College and earned his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He lives in New York.

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