Join the IRG Community

Join the IRG Community

Published on: 30 November -0001

Purpose isn't just a numbers game

“It’s no surprise that the upheaval of a global pandemic, combined with increasing anxiety about climate change, and a renewed focus on racial justice have pushed businesses to place greater emphasis on purpose and sustainability. No one wants to be embarrassed to tell their friends who they work for, especially when so many people are turning away from the corporate world.”

These are the words of Ella McKay, 2022 IRG100 participant and managing director of One Young World. They serve as a response to the annual letter of Terry Smith, founder of Fundsmith Equity Fund. Smith blamed Unilever to be “obsessed with publicly displaying sustainability credentials at the expense of focusing on the fundamentals of the business”. According to McKay, in our age of activism, no brand can afford the reputational risks of not being seen to be purposeful by customers and perceived to be ethical by employees. Truly purposeful companies will be the ones that ultimately thrive.

Although ‘making money’ is indeed fundamental to business, at the IRG, we consider it an outcome and not a prime objective, which focuses on attracting the right talent, providing a meaningful place to work, and delivering value to customers and communities. We believe the future of business is about creating value for all stakeholders.

Inspired by Ella McKay, 2022 IRG100 participant and managing director of One Young World. Read her full article here.

Join the community and receive curated CMO insights straight to your inbox