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Compassionate Capitalism: How Corporations Can Make Doing Good an Integral Part of Doing Well
The coauthors are uniquely suited to bring this important issue to light. Marc Benioff is CEO and chairman of Salesforce.com foundation. Salesforce.com has received the Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Service by the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network and the first ever U.S. Chamber of Commerce Corporate Stewardship Award. A former sales and marketing executive at Oracle Corporation, Benioff is now devoting his considerable talent and energy to building an integrated technological business and philanthropic models.
- GenresBusiness
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
14 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Marc Benioff
17 books139 followersMarc Benioff is chairman, co-CEO, and founder of Salesforce and a pioneer of cloud computing. Benioff was named the Decade’s Top Innovator by Forbes, one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune, and one of the 10 Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review. He has won numerous awards for his leadership on equality.
A Fortune 500 company with more than 45,000 employees, Salesforce has been recognized as the Most Innovative Company by Forbes and the Best Place to Work and 15th Most Admired Company in the World by Fortune. Upon founding Salesforce, Benioff created the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy, giving one percent of the company’s equity and product and employees’ time back to communities around the world. Today, more than 8,500 companies have adopted the 1-1-1 model through the Pledge 1% movement.
A Fortune 500 company with more than 45,000 employees, Salesforce has been recognized as the Most Innovative Company by Forbes and the Best Place to Work and 15th Most Admired Company in the World by Fortune. Upon founding Salesforce, Benioff created the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy, giving one percent of the company’s equity and product and employees’ time back to communities around the world. Today, more than 8,500 companies have adopted the 1-1-1 model through the Pledge 1% movement.
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December 29, 2022"Read books by people you disagree with." -Emily Maroutian.
Working for Salesforce, I see this spirit, but I also see that it does not address the root values issue that is at play in global conversations of capitalism. Benioff is aware of some critiques of capitalism, but he nonetheless fights for a vision of capitalism that does no harm. I want to believe, but I'm not convinced, and here's why:
1. Corporations can serve disempowered communities all day long, but often we have not taken the time to understand those communities, so our efforts will just play out power dynamics that do not address the root power structure. Did we think about how we have contributed to their disempowerment? Can we avoid doing so again and revitalize them? Therein lies an opportunity.
2. Salesforce.com is not a real need in the world. It does not meet the needs of life, it meets the needs of a technocratic existence we've created for the middle to upper classes. Corporations are an excess, an auxiliary aspect of existence. Benioff believes they are essential.
3. What makes a corporation-- a large body of globalized labor-- possible? Stolen, opportunistic seizure of another person's existence. Their land, their time, perhaps the lifeblood of community members that made culture special, before it was homogenized. Sometimes people do labor willingly. But many of us work because we are terrified of not having basic sustenance. This is not a real choice-- this is a coercion. Many of us exercise labor that is far removed from what we culturally or even spiritually agree with.
4. Benioff's discussion of globalization was particularly interesting- he is aware that globalization has destroyed languages, cultures, and environment, and that many people have acted in the name of profit without heed to those they take advantage of. Benioff thinks corporations can act as local businesses once did: whatever profits they take, get infused back into the community. I like the idea, but I see it as flawed on a global scale. At that point, the business is retired from having to understand the communities it 'serves.' It does not come from that community, so how can it serve adequately? That community did not want their business there in the first place.
5. Benioff is a strong supporter of non-profits too, but the irony here is that for non-profits to exist, they require the donations of profit-making companies... he is fueling another version of business and cleaning his hands with a soft towel.
6. I think what I'm trying to tease out here is a) there is a genuine commitment to service that Benioff wants to instill in other companies, which I do respect but b) there is just a fundamental values difference between us. I think profit is by nature at odds with any life system based in harmonious relationship. Everything has limits, but within capitalism those limits are ignored or unplanned for. Compassion will help, but it ultimately does not stop the train headed toward destruction-- of community, diversity, and of the environment.
Your labor is a direct support of your CEOs mission, so be critical of what that mission is. Will you be the 'army' (a word Benioff uses) to do that person's bidding? Do you understand their motivations and the result of your collective actions?
Working for Salesforce, I see this spirit, but I also see that it does not address the root values issue that is at play in global conversations of capitalism. Benioff is aware of some critiques of capitalism, but he nonetheless fights for a vision of capitalism that does no harm. I want to believe, but I'm not convinced, and here's why:
1. Corporations can serve disempowered communities all day long, but often we have not taken the time to understand those communities, so our efforts will just play out power dynamics that do not address the root power structure. Did we think about how we have contributed to their disempowerment? Can we avoid doing so again and revitalize them? Therein lies an opportunity.
2. Salesforce.com is not a real need in the world. It does not meet the needs of life, it meets the needs of a technocratic existence we've created for the middle to upper classes. Corporations are an excess, an auxiliary aspect of existence. Benioff believes they are essential.
3. What makes a corporation-- a large body of globalized labor-- possible? Stolen, opportunistic seizure of another person's existence. Their land, their time, perhaps the lifeblood of community members that made culture special, before it was homogenized. Sometimes people do labor willingly. But many of us work because we are terrified of not having basic sustenance. This is not a real choice-- this is a coercion. Many of us exercise labor that is far removed from what we culturally or even spiritually agree with.
4. Benioff's discussion of globalization was particularly interesting- he is aware that globalization has destroyed languages, cultures, and environment, and that many people have acted in the name of profit without heed to those they take advantage of. Benioff thinks corporations can act as local businesses once did: whatever profits they take, get infused back into the community. I like the idea, but I see it as flawed on a global scale. At that point, the business is retired from having to understand the communities it 'serves.' It does not come from that community, so how can it serve adequately? That community did not want their business there in the first place.
5. Benioff is a strong supporter of non-profits too, but the irony here is that for non-profits to exist, they require the donations of profit-making companies... he is fueling another version of business and cleaning his hands with a soft towel.
6. I think what I'm trying to tease out here is a) there is a genuine commitment to service that Benioff wants to instill in other companies, which I do respect but b) there is just a fundamental values difference between us. I think profit is by nature at odds with any life system based in harmonious relationship. Everything has limits, but within capitalism those limits are ignored or unplanned for. Compassion will help, but it ultimately does not stop the train headed toward destruction-- of community, diversity, and of the environment.
Your labor is a direct support of your CEOs mission, so be critical of what that mission is. Will you be the 'army' (a word Benioff uses) to do that person's bidding? Do you understand their motivations and the result of your collective actions?
October 20, 2021
Thought it was gonna be something interesting coz of the name but nope straight up corporatist propaganda. Lmao idiots rating this book highly should probably know by now that corporate philanthropy is done for tax write offs. Better way to give back would be uhh idk maybe raise the wages of the employees that have been stagnant for years while the prices of goods and services rises and the money is being devalued by inflation. That’s philanthropy. This just a stroke my own ego book for the CEO wrote it.
June 17, 2019
Great book showing how the principles of Aristotle are alive in our world today
March 7, 2013
I agree with Rebecca's review. There are so many practical ideas found in the pages of this book. Things companies can do today to change the way business is done here in the US and around the globe. All the while honoring the principles of free markets and the ideals our country was founded on.
"Most would agree that the highest goal of capitalism is to increase the wealth of the enterprise owner(s). While that may be a true statement, the definition of the phrase "increase the wealth" is open to interpretation. Wealth does not necessarily mean money - the concept of wealth can be interpreted to mean prestige; a sense of belonging; helping those less fortunate; leaving an enduring legacy or any number of other aspirational intangibles. In their book - "Compassionate Capitalism" the authors propose that businesses that integrate a philanthropic worldview into their culture can increase the organizational wealth of all vested stakeholders far beyond a profit-and-loss statement. Soundview highly recommends this book because it not only seeks to inspire but aspires to a grander pursuit of "sowing and reaping" versus "hoarding and keeping." Using case studies and real-world examples, this book does an excellent job of positioning compassion as a competitive advantage, retention incentive and corporate differentiator for those businesses bold enough to embrace such high ideals."
~Rebecca Clement
"Publisher, Soundview Executive Book Summaries"
"Most would agree that the highest goal of capitalism is to increase the wealth of the enterprise owner(s). While that may be a true statement, the definition of the phrase "increase the wealth" is open to interpretation. Wealth does not necessarily mean money - the concept of wealth can be interpreted to mean prestige; a sense of belonging; helping those less fortunate; leaving an enduring legacy or any number of other aspirational intangibles. In their book - "Compassionate Capitalism" the authors propose that businesses that integrate a philanthropic worldview into their culture can increase the organizational wealth of all vested stakeholders far beyond a profit-and-loss statement. Soundview highly recommends this book because it not only seeks to inspire but aspires to a grander pursuit of "sowing and reaping" versus "hoarding and keeping." Using case studies and real-world examples, this book does an excellent job of positioning compassion as a competitive advantage, retention incentive and corporate differentiator for those businesses bold enough to embrace such high ideals."
~Rebecca Clement
"Publisher, Soundview Executive Book Summaries"
August 4, 2014
Desde Leader Summaries recomendamos la lectura del libro Capitalismo compasivo, de Marc Benioff.
Las personas interesadas en las siguientes temáticas lo encontrarán práctico y útil: management, responsabilidad social corporativa.
En el siguiente enlace tienes el resumen del libro Capitalismo compasivo, Cómo las empresas pueden combinar negocios con filantropía: Capitalismo compasivo
Las personas interesadas en las siguientes temáticas lo encontrarán práctico y útil: management, responsabilidad social corporativa.
En el siguiente enlace tienes el resumen del libro Capitalismo compasivo, Cómo las empresas pueden combinar negocios con filantropía: Capitalismo compasivo
June 26, 2016
Compassionate Capitalism is similar to Compassionate Conservatism: it is fictitious. Capitalism exploits labor and nature until exhaustion and we are witnessing that first hand. Just read the news. Wealthy folks like Benioff can try to wash their hands clean of the incredible destruction and greed they are creating and paint it as philanthropic goods - but buyer be ware of this theory.
January 30, 2023
I found this book in the garbage, and that was probably the most appropriate place for it to have been.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews