Should Business Focus on Social Impact, or Just Stick With Profit?

Everyone is talking about “social impact”, or “purpose”, as a way for business to deliver greater good to society. But does having a social purpose actually help society any more than a business just focused on making goods that people want to buy, for profit?

Is social impact hollow virtue signaling, a marketing tool to make customers feel warm and fuzzy? Or does it in fact signal a profound shift in our attitude to capitalism, where the common good is finally put first, where it belongs?

With a global impact investment market at $715 billion worldwide, ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) assets under management of $38 trillion, and businesses everywhere writing their impact manifestos, the stakes are high.

Andy Kuper is the CEO of LeapFrog Investments, and a founding father of “profit with purpose” movement. He joins Judith Sloan, Contributing Economics Editor with The Australian newspaper, and a strong advocate for the simplicity of profit, as we deep dive into this fascinating topic.

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You can be part of the discussion @PofCharity on Twitter, @PrincipleofCharity on Facebook and @PrincipleofCharityPodcast on Instagram.

Your hosts are Lloyd Vogelman and Emile Sherman.

Find Lloyd @LloydVogelman on Linked in

Find Emile @EmileSherman on Linked In and Twitter.

This Podcast is Produced by Jonah Primo

Find Jonah @JonahPrimo on Instagram.

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