Inspiring business to be a force for good in society
Tomorrow's Company is an independent, non-profit think tank that inspires and enables business to be a force for good in society. We create challenging insights, breakthrough impacts and long term value for business and society.
ABOUT US
Our Mission
We aim to improve the quality of life by improving the quality of business. We believe that the best way of making positive progress is through dialogue, through collaboration between every part of the system, by producing critical research and creating the space for leaders to think differently. If you'd like to get involved and join a community of organisations that share our belief that companies succeed in the long term when they serve the interests of employees and society as well as their shareholders, don't hesitate to get in touch.
ABOUT US
Who are we?
We are an independent, pioneering not-for-profit think tank. We bring business and society together to address some of the biggest
challenges of today’s world, which we face through our research, innovation, advocacy and collaborative action. We create challenging insights, breakthrough impacts and long term value for business and society.
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Our work started in 1996 to follow up the agenda for action developed by the pioneering RSA Inquiry, Tomorrow’s Company – the role of business in a changing world.
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In 2020, stewardship of Tomorrow’s Company together with its concept, intellectual property and back catalogue of publications was transferred to the Telos Foundation. (registered charity no. 1183271). We aim to relaunch as a reinvigorated independent charity once again in the autumn of 2024.
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What do we do?
Our current activities aim to strengthen the potential for business to be a force for good in society in three areas:
EDUCATION & LEARNING
PUBLIC POLICY, LAW, REGULATION & STANDARDS
ADVOCACY & AGENDA SETTING
Our 'Future Skills' project is a pioneering programme of essential skills coaching and business mentoring for Key Stage 4 students around the UK, and 'Business as a Force for Good' is a challenging programme undergone by all first year undergraduates in business studies at the University of East Anglia. The focus is on entrepreneurship and the contribution business can make to society in the future.
Working with the BSI, and organisations across business and society, we have developed a new form of due diligence to help public sector better assess the character of the private sector businesses with which they engage. This has now become British Standard 95009 and offers a crucial framework to help government and public sector achieve value for money and social value from the £350 bn of taxpayers’ money that is spent on the private sector.
A regular programme of blogs and social media provocations that draw on three decades of research and experience. These cover, among other things, education, corporate governance, business leadership, investment, social cohesion, stewardship of the planet for future generations and the sustainable success of companies.
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Our legacy and agenda
As a not-for-profit think-tank that exists to inspire and enable business to be a force for good in society, our goal has been to encourage a business approach that creates value for staff, shareholders and society through a focus on purpose, values, relationships and the long-term. In 1996, Tomorrow’s Company defined tomorrow’s company as one that:
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Clearly defines its purpose and values, and communicates them in a consistent manner to all those important to the company’s success;
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Uses its stated purpose and values, and its understanding of the importance of each relationship to develop its own success model from which it can generate a meaningful framework for performance measurement;
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Values reciprocal relationships, understanding that by focusing on and learning from all those who contribute to the business, it will best be able to improve returns to shareholders;
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Works actively to build reciprocal relationships with customers, suppliers, and other key stakeholders through a partnership approach; and
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Expects its relationships to overlap and acts, with others where necessary, to maintain a strong licence to operate.
Twenty years later, in 2016, in the light of all the organisation’s learning and experience in working with companies and investors, Tomorrow’s Company report, UK Business: What’s Wrong? What’s Next? restated this as three principles. These are:
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A purpose beyond profit and a set of values that are lived through the behaviours of all employees to create a self-reinforcing culture;
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Collaborative and reciprocal relationships with key stakeholders – a strong focus on customer satisfaction, employee engagement and, where possible, collaboration with suppliers, alongside working with society; and
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A long-term approach that embraces risk – investing long term and embracing disruptive innovation.
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Let's work together
If you're interested in learning more about our services, or would like to schedule a call or online meeting, please fill out the form and one of our team will be in touch.