We were thrilled to see the cover of Harvard Business Review Jan/Feb Issue.
 
In the lead article Michael Porter, of Five Forces of Competition Theory fame, and Mark Kramer outline a model to fix capitalism and unleash a wave of innovation and growth; they call it "Creating Shared Value".  They define shared value as, "policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates." 
 
My favourite lines are, "Profits involving a social purpose represent a higher form of capitalism - one that will enable society to advance more rapidly while allowing companies to grow even more.  The result is a positive cycle of company and community prosperity, which leads to profits that endure."  Music to our ears.

To read the whole article go to www.hbr.org.  If you're not already a subscriber there is a $6.95 reprint charge, but hey that's capitalism!

Nicole Bradbury
Vice President, Renewal2