For over a decade we've worked with a wide range of people who share our view that companies succeed in the long-term when they serve the interests of employees and societies as well as their shareholders. We have been pioneers in examining what this means in practice with regard to issues from company law to climate change. Our success is attributable to the relationships we have forged with members, partners, friends and supporters.
 
Our current work - Tomorrow’s Global Company – the inquiry
 
The ideas that we are now discussing with companies spring from our two year Tomorrow’s Global Company inquiry. Tomorrow’s Global Company: challenges and choices is a major report we launched in the UK and India in 2007. The report was the result of two years of deep dialogue and extensive research by an Inquiry Team of senior figures from companies and civil society organisations based in Europe, Asia and North America. Members of the Tomorrow’s Inquiry Team came from companies and organisations including: ABB, Alcan, Anglo American, Amnesty International Business Group, BP, Dr. Reddy’s, Ford, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Infosys, KPMG, Leaders’ Quest, McKinsey, Standard Chartered, SUEZ, and SustainAbility. As well as meetings of this team, 16 consultations were held in countries including Australia, China, France, India, South Africa, the UK and the US. We also conducted 55 interviews with business leaders, stakeholder organisations and experts from across the world.

The Tomorrow’s Global Company team explored the issues which they saw as being most significant for global business, and what needed to be done to address them. The conclusions on current trends were challenging:

 • That current patterns of consumption are unsustainable – which presents major challenges to business because global economic, social, political and environmental systems are interdependent; and

 • That the market remains the most powerful mechanism for delivering prosperity – but that the frameworks within which it operates are leading to unsustainable outcomes.

How can these challenges be tackled? The Inquiry Team considered factors such as talent and technology but eventually decided that the focus of leaders of global businesses should be on three specific and related priorities:

1. Redefining success – measuring business success not only in terms of financial and operational results but in ways that take account of social and environmental factors that affect long-term performance;

2. Embedding values – setting an example and using values as the ‘glue’ to unite complex organisations; and

3. Creating frameworks – working with governments, policy-makers and civil society to create international agreements, national legislation and voluntary frameworks needed to direct markets to sustainable ends– taking a proactive approach and therefore avoiding having regulation imposed without business involvement.

The report concluded that a change in mindset is needed. The Inquiry Team called this expanding the space’ – meaning that business should take on a larger role, extending its definition of success, applying its values more widely and creating frameworks that harness the power of business to bring wider benefits to society.

Our ongoing agenda; three key themes:

After an extensive consultation Tomorrow's Company has identified three issues that will be fundamental to the future success of business. Its programme of research, events and activities is designed to explore and build upon these themes.  In addition we have identified the need to explore all 3 themes in the context of Tomorrows Global company.

1. 21st Century Investment - towards a better investment system.
Does our current system serve the needs of savers and wealth creators? What changes are needed and how can we achieve a business-led rather than a government imposed improvement to the system? The results of our business-led Inquiry, chaired by Sir Richard Sykes, were published in June 2004, and Tomorrow's Company has set up an action team to follow up the Inquiry's agenda for action.

For further details please contact
Chris Hirst: chris@hirstc.freeserve.co.uk
Arthur Probert: arthur.probert@ntlworld.com

2. An Inclusive Company - leadership and governance.
For solutions to today's corporate problems Tomorrow's Company draws on the richness of the inclusive approach. For example:
* making the board more effective by focusing their attention on the real drivers of success
* developing an effective and productive culture based upon shared purpose and values
* helping companies improve measurement and reporting based on a clear success model - as will be required by the new Operating and Financial Review. We have set up an OFR research group of members and partners.

3. Business and Society - closing the gap.
What is the role of business in society at the local and global level? What obligations does it have to its many stakeholders? Tomorrow's Company made a major contribution to this debate with the publication of 'Redefining CSR'. Tomorrow's Company sets the criteria and contributes to the judging of "Business in the Community's Company of the Year award. Work has now started on the development of a major inquiry into Tomorrow's Global Company.

If you are interested in participating in any of these programmes, please contact Mark Goyder mark@tomorrowscompany.com  

Some of our achievements
To read a summary of our achievements since 1995 click here.

Our recent publication Ageing Population, Pensions and Wealth Creation argues that there is no 'pensions crisis' and that as a society we can afford to grow old.

Alan Pickering CBE, praised Tomorrow's Company for challenging conventional wisdom and enhancing the contemporary debate by 'asking the right questions and coming up with the right answers'. 

John Neill, of Unipart Group, states that Tomorrow's Company "has played an important part in demonstrating to companies how an inclusive approach to business can improve competitiveness".

In a recent speech, Paul Myners described the work of Tomorrow's Company as "a beacon in directing the UK to evulate the importance of values in corporate behaviour."
 
The RSA Tomorrow's Company Report (1995) has been the inspiration for many company change programmes, and led to proposals in the UK's Company Law Review to redefine the duty of directors.
 
The repealed Operating and Financial Review, which was going to be required of all large companies, had been strongly influenced by Sooner Sharper Simpler (1998), which described the annual report of the future. 

Tomorrow's Company starts partnering with Business in the Community, providing criteria and judging their 'Company of the Year' award (2002).

Redefining CSR, published in 2003, has initiated a fierce debate among business leaders and the media about current developments in corporate responsibility. 

Former Vice-President of the United States, Al Gore, gives annual lecture (2006), followed by the report Climate Change - The Role of Global Companies.

In every case the impact has come not simply from publications but from the actions of members and supporters in turning the ideas into practice.
 
Tomorrow's Company e-bulletins
The e-bulletin covers a range of areas including any new developments, press articles, current research, events, membership news and people. Published every 6 weeks our e-bulletin keeps you up to date with the work of Tomorrow's Company.

If you would like to receive a copy of the latest e-bulletin please contact gerard@tomorrowscompany.com