Book Review

Why

Why did 132 of Zimbabwe’s 140 clothing factories close down?

Why is a ramp for a bridge in the Guatemala jungle located a mile away from the river it is supposed to span?

Why is Voluntary Service Overseas asking young people not to volunteer?

Why did a village in Zambia become dependent on alcohol and transistor radios?

Answer: Because people really want to help.

How

How did a man walking down a road transform an inner city?

How did a man sitting in a church free thousands of political prisoners?

How did a woman sitting on a bus change a country?

To find the answers read Gentle Action: Bringing Creative Change to a Turbulent World the book that provides creative alternatives to society’s dependence on quick-fix solutions How can we build a kinder world for our families, our businesses, our society and ourselves? Gentle Action explores ways in which we can exercise more effective, creative and noninvasive action from the local to the international level. The book is packed with examples of ways in which individuals and groups have totally transformed economies, societies and situations by means of gentle and creative actions. It also highlights those far-too-many cases in which well-meaning attempts to help or to provide aid have gone disastrously wrong; wrong because the organizations involved were over rigid, failed to understand the complexities involved and operated from “outside the system”.

An invaluable resource for everyone from CEOs, policy makers, community leaders, opinion makers, aid organizations, business groups, consultants and politicians as well as parents and indeed anyone who is trying to make a difference.

"...required reading for those aspiring to address society's most complex and pressing issues." Joseph Jaworski, Generon International. Author, Synchronicity: The inner path of leadership.

"...embraces positive change toward a sustainable world, showing in many fascinating stories, how each of us can contribute to healthier communities and societies." Hazel Henderson, author, Ethical Markets: Growing the green economy.

"...brings the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer into the 21st century...leading the way to a greener, kinder kind of engaged social action. Onward!" Eric Utne, founder, The Utne Reader.

EBBF was invited to attend the launch of the book written by Joaquín Garralda - Director of the PWC-IE Corporate Responsibility Centre - an excellent publication which offers new questions and new answers to the concept of Sustainable Corporate Responsibility. The book is titled “Hacia La Empresa Razonable” (Towards The Reasonable Organization) and the evening offered a lively debate which started from the concept of the wind and push for change that is sweeping the world.

It is clear also from the recent result of the elections in the USA of this strong demand for change coming from a growing number of people. Major change and evolution has occurred since the end of the 20th century with the beginning of a new world order that moved from ideological conflicts to a more global view and activities offering exponential growth in technology, bio and nano technology, communications, migration flows, the flow of people towards cities and the shift of world production patterns.

We are now on the verge of a financial world summit that is expected to bring about a second Bretton Woods; one that will now look not at one or two continents but at the entire world status and the new global interconnectedness it has to deal with. New agreements that will also have to bear in mind climate and environmental issues and internet and online global communication security and accessibility.

This wind of change will also demand an important shift in the way business is run and regulated.

Where will this change in business take place? Who will demand and push this change?

Will Corporate Responsibility now be considered an expensive luxury or become lost in definitions?

In the keynote that introduced the book interestingly Carlos Mas president of PWC Spain underlined how one of the most important stakeholders in their own Corporate Responsibility focus was that of its own employees and the need to feel proud of the reputation and responsible activities of its firm.

Could it then perhaps be that staff, colleagues the human resources that represent the talent that companies so desperately need to attract and retain be the main force for change and for responsible change?

Will you demand your company to treat you and other stakeholders responsibly as a pre-requisite to join or stay and dedicate all your talents and your full commitment to build the success of your company?

Would you like to work for a company that allows you to work with flexible time, rewarding you objectively and fairly for your achievements, that looks after you and the development of your talents and caring for your family, a company that strives to reach its financial objectives but with a vision and actions that look for ways to also benefit the wider community that surrounds it? Bearing in mind that nowadays that community is the world.

It seems that the new Corporate Responsibility (which Joaquin Garralda’s book rightly extends beyond corporates including small and medium enterprises) will indeed benefit from the new motivations and need for change that all citizens, customers, suppliers and staff will demand of the enterprise of the future.

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