Purposeful Company Stewardship w/Christopher Marquis

Christopher Marquis believes that purposeful company stewardship is required more than ever. He is the Sinyi Professor at the University of Cambridge Judge School of Business. He writes a regular column for Forbes and his work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Fortune, TIME, Foreign Policy, and Harvard Business Review. His previous books, Better Business: How the B Corp is Remaking Capitalism and Mao and Markets, a Financial Times “Best Book of 2022,” were published by Yale University Press. Episode Insight: It’s time for leaders to rethink our current economic system and envision a more equitable and sustainable future, leading with purposeful company stewardship. Background: In this week’s episode of Reflect Forward, I interview Christopher Marquis, a business professor at the University of Cambridge and author of 'The Profiteers.' Chris shares his journey and focus on corporate social responsibility and purposeful company stewardship, discussing the challenges of aligning profit motives with social goals. We highlight the importance of purpose-driven leadership, sustainability, and addressing systemic environmental issues. Chris offers insights into teaching ESG concepts, the role of strategic governance, and innovative companies like Grove Collaborative. We also cover corporate gaslighting in industries like fossil fuels and plastic and the need for upstream thinking to tackle the root causes of systemic problems. How to find Chris: Website: https://chrismarquis.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-marquis/ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Business-Movement-Remaking-Capitalism/dp/030024715X https://www.amazon.com/Profiteers-Business-Privatizes-Profits-Socializes/dp/1541703529 Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophermarquis/#6fdf8e2e67dc Timestamp for Episode 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:00 Meet Christopher Marquis 01:11 Journey into Academia 02:51 Teaching Impactful Business 05:02 Challenges in Sustainable Business 06:31 Innovative Business Practices 09:02 Leadership and Purpose 11:30 Elon Musk: A Case Study 13:46 Corporate Gaslighting: Shifting Blame to Consumers 14:48 Fossil Fuels and Carbon Emissions: The Hidden Truth 16:03 Plastic Recycling Myths: The Reality Behind the Ads 17:21 Upstream Thinking: Addressing Root Causes 19:11 Corporate Social Responsibility: A Deeper Dive 25:08 Reflect Forward: Influencing Future Leaders 26:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Please consider ordering my book, The Ownership Mindset, on Amazon or Barnes and Noble Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn. Subscribe to my podcast Reflect Forward on iTunes Or check out my new YouTube Channel, where you can watch full-length episodes of Advice From a CEO! And if you are looking for a keynote speaker or a podcast guest, click here to book a meeting with me to discuss what you are looking for!