Glen McDermott
Executive Director
Why do we need a new way of doing business?
The earlier versions of capitalism had the effect of creating a huge middle class and a sense of shared prosperity. These benefits were best described by the slogan “the rising tide lifts all boats”.
The sense of fairness and equity had a profound positive effect on the fabric of our communities.
But recently the systems of wealth creation and distribution have been stacked to benefit those at the top and our wealth gap is now at it widest.
Our ecology and climate is also responding to years of abuse. So our business system needs to shift and deliver a sense of shared prosperity, lead with purpose and respond to the needs of the community our environment, supporting equality and diversity while still driving innovation and profitability.
Give us an idea of how have you helped make the world a better place?
I have had many roles with Fortune 500 companies driving their marketing programs and have become highly skilled at the art and science of guiding consumer behaviour. I have also been passionate about health and wellness and in 2008 I founded Red Rock Branding in response to the acute needs around health and wellness in the USA. This has allowed me to blend my interests in public health and marketing and we have built healthy communities and driven business for social good for brands like Yale, Columbia and Tulane Universities and many other local brands and non profits.
What does Conscious capitalism mean to you?
Of the 4 tenets, the Higher Purpose stands out for me. I believe the market place has a responsibility to address societal challenges and must become part of the solution. There are many companies already active and reaping the rewards. We provide a gathering place, a platform for them and salute their success.
