When people believe in what they are doing and feel a part of it, they create better customer service. When employees feel psychologically safe to innovate, they push their thinking further and happily voice their ideas. They are excited about going to work, don’t often miss work, feel like they are a part of the solution, and don’t quit. And if people aren’t leaving, then companies aren’t spending billions to replace them.

Getting It Right

So who’s currently getting this right? And what does that look like?

In my book Return on Humanity: Leadership Lessons from All Corners of the World, I bring this thinking to life with a handful of inspiring examples. Here’s one below about GOOD Agency, the first company I worked for in London after graduating from the Ivey Business School back in 2001. 

I arrived in London shortly after the 9/11 attacks, and it was a grim economic period; the odds weren’t in my favor. However, through various contacts and connections, I was fortunate enough to meet one of the partners of Ideas Unlimited, a small communications company based in Battersea, London (which later turned into GOOD Agency).

At that time, Ideas Unlimited was run by three directors: Chris Norman, who oversaw the charity portfolio (the area I worked in when I worked for them), and two others who managed commercial brands such as events, horse shows, property, and luxury goods. Over time, the not-for-profit arm of the business grew to encompass about 90% of their work. Norman was passionate about promoting a human-to-human approach to business —connecting with humanity and values rather than focusing on self-interest and commercial outcomes.

Initially, this mission was primarily realized through their charity clients, as it was thought this was the only way. However, Norman soon realized that although the charity sector was important, it didn’t have the reach, influence, or financial power to make a significant impact on a global scale. He concluded that real change needed to happen within the business sector. Shortly afterward, Ideas Unlimited evolved into GOOD Agency, with Norman as the sole director.

GOOD’s work shifted to helping clients define and promote their purpose, demonstrating the positive social and environmental impacts they could achieve while creating value for stakeholders and benefiting the business’s bottom line. Norman believed that communication was the strongest weapon for creating change. Brilliant ideas need to be communicated clearly, concisely, and compellingly to make an impact. GOOD’s focus was not on traditional ad campaigns but on overall delivery, doing, and behaviors — real impact was at the core of the company’s ethos.

GOOD’s first significant project was with Mars, helping it define and understand its environmental positioning. Mars’s staff didn’t appreciate the importance of having a sustainable supply chain. To address this, GOOD created a traveling photo exhibition to re-engage Mars’s internal staff with supply chain and corporate sustainability practices. The exhibition illustrated how the company sourced cocoa and sugar, the benefits of relationships with farmers, and how sustainability impacts communities.

From then on, Norman’s work with clients focused on helping them connect with the human story and make things meaningful. He emphasized the importance of considering all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This included employees, communities, and everyone impacted by their products. As he explained: “Marketing and sales lack meaning if they don’t have purpose.” This philosophy guided GOOD as it evolved, staying true to Norman’s mission of making a difference by changing the system.

[For more from the author on this topic, see: “The Power of Purpose.”]