Conscious Capitalism

What Is Conscious Capitalism?

The term conscious capitalism refers to a socially responsible economic and political philosophy. The premise behind conscious capitalism is that businesses should operate ethically while they pursue profits. This means they should consider serving all stakeholders involved including their employees, humanity, and the environment — not just their management teams and shareholders. The idea of conscious capital was created by Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey and marketing professor Raj Sisodia.

Understanding Conscious Capitalism

The concept of conscious capitalism was coined and popularized by Whole Foods co-founder and co-CEO John Mackey and marketing professor and speaker Raj Sisodia in their book "Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business." Sisodia, who now teaches at Babson College, was a professor at Bentley University at the time. The two are also co-founders of Conscious Capitalism, a nonprofit organization that has chapters in more than two dozen U.S. cities and 10 other countries.

The conscious capitalism credo acknowledges that while free-market capitalism is the most powerful system for social cooperation and human progress, people can aspire to achieve more. It does not minimize profit-seeking but encourages the assimilation of all common interests into the company's business plan.

The credo includes competition, entrepreneurship, freedom to trade, the rule of law, and voluntary exchange. But it also builds on this foundation of traditional capitalism by adding elements like trust, compassion, collaboration, and value creation to the formula. Although profits don't take a backseat in conscious capitalism, the philosophy emphasizes doing so in a manner that integrates the interests of all major stakeholders in a company.

There are four guiding principles behind the concept:

Benefits of Conscious Capitalism

Conscious capitalism has become an increasingly popular concept in the business world. In fact, a growing number of businesses have adopted its principles, including Whole Foods Market, Starbucks, The Container Store, and Trader Joe's. Corporations that reject the philosophy may see their positions adversely impact both revenues and profits.

Because of the increasing popularity of socially responsible investing, companies that reject conscious capitalism may see a negative impact on their profits and revenue.

Firms that adopt this philosophy reap significant rewards. Many consumers and investors consider the impact businesses have on the environment. These stakeholders seek businesses that align moral principles with corporate values. According to Nielsen's 2014 report entitled Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility, 55% of consumers said they would prefer to spend more on products and services that support worthwhile causes. That's a rise in positive sentiment from the 50% the report cited in 2012.

Criticism of Conscious Capitalism

Although there may be generally favorable sentiment toward the idea of conscious capital, that doesn't mean there isn't some criticism.

One of the most common misconceptions that critics draw is that proponents of conscious capital believe it can fix problems within the corporate structure. But those who are opposed to the philosophy say the opposite. They also state that adopting this ideal may not necessarily bode well with investors who, for the most part, are after good returns.

Other critics say that the onus shouldn't necessarily fall only on the business sphere — notably the private sector. These critics say that the responsibility to enable change comes through public policy from the collective efforts of leaders.