Champion of better capitalism
Last week I compared the Big Four Accounting firms with the Church and said that their plans to invest heavily in the market for ESG reminded me of the sale of Indulgences in the early church. So what should the Big Four do in response … Continue readingArchitects or plumbers – the big four’s ESG dilemma
For the medieval church the quest for salvation was a major concern. Demonstrating your faith through good works was a good way to save your soul from purgatory. And so emerged the concept of indulgences, which could be granted by popes, as measurable ways of … Continue readingESG and the lucrative market for salvation
Oh to be a fly on the wall in the Exxon boardroom as Alexander Krasner joins Kaisa Hietala and Gregory Goff for their first meeting. While these three well-qualified champions of decarbonisation were endorsed by the votes of shareholders, Darren Woods, the Chairman & CEO, … Continue readingFrom hubris to hybrid
The BBC reported last week that a local councillor who oversaw the Grenfell Tower refurbishment has admitted questioning the colour of the cladding – but not whether it was safe. Rock Feilding-Mellen told a public inquiry that he believed safety was being handled by experts … Continue readingNone of us can outsource our consciences
I love this time of year. Here in Suffolk the ground is carpeted in bluebells. The sun shines through the early growth on the beech trees. This year I love it all the more because I recently had a cataract removed. I see things more … Continue readingThere is no wealth but life
In early April Boris Johnson was explaining capitalism to his backbenchers. The vaccine success, he confidently asserted, was all about greed. Later in the month greed was back in the headlines, with the billionaire owners of football clubs and their proposal for a European Super … Continue readingGreed, Super Leagues and Sewage
‘I get the impression that there is an upper echelon of people who think that the rules that the rest of us have to follow don’t apply to them.’ These are the words of a woman in Cardiff who was stopped in the street by … Continue readingPrivate Sector Smugness and An Entitlement Mentality.
“The reason we have the vaccine success is because of capitalism, because of greed my friends.” Thus spoke the UK’s Prime Minister according to the reports by Conservative members of parliament to whom he was speaking on a conference call. It’s a surprising … Continue readingBoris dropped the ball – but does he even know what shape it is?
Meet Rafaela. Rafaela is from Chile. She is an experienced care professional recruited to a new management role in the UK. That’s how she comes to be sitting in enforced hotel quarantine in Hounslow. Determined to improve her understanding of her new country, she turns … Continue readingIf we really want to ‘protect the NHS’ we must invest in prevention
As the people of Myanmar came to terms with yet another military coup, Facebook had attracted 200,000 followers to a civil disobedience page. This was too much for the generals. Years ago, the decisive symbol of a military coup would be seizing the TV station. … Continue readingGlobal companies, governments and the pandemic