Accountable

"Uses a combination of great stories and thoughtful analysis to suggest that we must find a way to change the purpose of our corporations if we are to build a society that works for all of us.
Rebecca M. Henderson, John & Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University

"Fresh, balanced, highly readable and deeply informed"
John Pepper, former Chairman and CEO of P&G

"Thought-provoking and insightful, Accountable offers a pragmatic and original roadmap to transform capitalism into a system that's more inclusive, sustainable, and just."
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation

Capitalism is failing and the tools we are relying on to fix it - corporate social responsibility, divestment, impact investing, and government control - are only making things worse.

-Chevron boasts about the $50 million per year it spends on renewable energy whilst it spends 200 times that on oil exploration

-Goldman Sachs touts its 10,000 Women initiative but its board ranks 358th out of the Fortune 500 for gender diversity and women earn 55% less than men do on average

By focusing on corporations rather than people, we've put our faith in empty trends and brand-focused window-dressing. Why should those responsible for our current crisis be trusted to fix it?

In Accountable, authors Michael O'Leary and Warren Valdmanis offer a blueprint for everyone to take responsibility for using their economic power as consumers, as investors, as employees, and as voters to trigger a fundamental shift away from an economy that is unethical, unfair, and destructive to our environment and institutions. Their investigation cuts through the tired dogma of current economic thinking to reveal a hopeful truth: if we can make our corporations accountable to a deeper purpose, we can make capitalism both prosperous and good.

Trenchant and gripping, this is an indispensable guide and call to action for citizens to take control of our economic power and hold corporations to a higher standard.

Reviews

The issues posed could not be more topical or provocative. The coronavirus pandemic has catapulted capitalism into the future, where we need new and better answers to the crucial questions 'What matters most in our society' 'How should we organize work to support those priorities?' and 'What's a fair way to pay people for their contributions?' Accountable offers a fresh and compelling perspective on these questions.