Conscious Capitalism

The case that business and capitalism are inherently good comes from Whole Foods Market cofounder John Mackey and Rajendra Sisodia, a professor who cofounded Conscious Capitalism, Inc. Their argument rests on four tenets: a higher purpose, the integration of stakeholders, conscious leadership, and a conscious culture and approach to management. Costco, Patagonia, Southwest Airlines, UPS, Google and The Container Store serve as examples of companies that create value at once for employees, customers, investors, suppliers, the environment and society. Mackey and Sisodia present the idea both as a defense of free-enterprise capitalism and as a blueprint for doing business on a more evolved ethical footing. It appeared on the New York Times hardcover business best seller list.

Defining Paths founder Virginia LeBlanc chose it for its reachable yet utopian picture of free enterprise guided by higher purpose and humane values in business. It also appears on a list of entrepreneurship books recommended by top CEOs, which notes that The Container Store chief executive Kip Tindell, a close friend of Mackey, shares his belief in conscious capitalism.