About Us

What we do

Tomorrow’s Company is a not-for-profit think-tank that exists to inspire and enable business to be a force for good. Our goal is to encourage a business approach that creates value for staff, shareholders and society through a focus on purpose, values, relationships and the long-term.

Our approach combines vision with practicality as we identify the changes needed to ownership and governance structures and government policy in order to create conditions in which companies can flourish.

The strength of our work comes from our community whom we support on their journey to be a force for good. Their experience and insight provides the practical grounding to our research and offers a network of advocates for change.

In 1996, Tomorrow’s Company defined tomorrow’s company as one that:

• Clearly defines its purpose and values, and communicates them in a consistent manner to all those important to the company’s success;
• 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;
• 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;
• Works actively to build reciprocal relationships with customers, suppliers, and other key stakeholders through a partnership approach; and
• 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:

• A purpose beyond profit and a set of values that are lived through the behaviours of all employees to create a self-reinforcing culture;
• 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
• A long-term approach that embraces risk – investing long term and embracing disruptive innovation.

Why we do it

There are emerging trends in British business that we cannot ignore. Despite considerable success in many areas, companies in the UK suffer from under-investment, low productivity, low real wage growth, employees that are demotivated and disconnected from management and diminishing public support. The irony is that the returns to shareholders have also been poor.

The good news is that an alternative business approach already exists. Instead of the current focus on short-term incentives, targets and profit, it focuses on purpose, values, relationships and the long-term.

We recognise that this is easier said than done and short-term pressure is formidable. However, twenty years of convening companies, investors and policy makers has proven to us that change can be achieved when the business and investor community work together to achieve a common goal.

This is why the Tomorrow’s Company community is our greatest strength and we invite you to join us.

How we do it

Independent research

Since its founding in 1996, Tomorrow’s Company has published forward-thinking research reports, articles and books. These have influenced a large number of key decision-makers in business and government globally.

Learn more about our work here.

Events

We hold regular events and discussions for our partners which include:

• Roundtable discussions with guest speakers
• Bi-monthly breakfasts to discuss and debate our latest research
• Quarterly events and an annual half-day conference.
• An annual Parliamentary Reception

See our event program here.

Insight & practical tools

We make publicly available the collective knowledge of our community which includes:

• Over 20 practical tool-kits, guides, agendas & roadmaps
• Videos, interviews and other online content

We also offer the application of our intellectual capital through bespoke advisory.

Read our publications here.

Collaborative projects

Throughout the year our partners collaborate on projects to understand, find solutions and take action on the areas of leadership, governance and stewardship which encourage a long-term business approach.

Learn more about our collaborative projects here.