By tradition, there has been a philosophical divide between non-profit and for-profit companies. Non-profit companies exist for some higher purpose. For-profit companies simply do not. But why should we make this assumption? The code that distinguishes for-profit from non-profit companies is a tax code, not an attempt to regulate our ideologies.
If you want your organization to get out of paying some taxes, and you want to be able to accept tax-deductible donations, then you can apply for 501c3 status (that's the US tax code covering most non-profit entities). In exchange for this rather extraordinary concession, you must give up your own right to take home company profits.
In short, you can't get rich off of tax-free dollars. But nowhere does the code insist that taxable dollars must be raised through pure, unadulterated greed.
There is nothing to prevent a for-profit company from championing a cause. In fact, there is a growing movement toward for-profit philanthropy that is rapidly demonstrating the power of the corporation to change the world. Look at Starbucks, with its dedication to health care. Look at Stonyfield Farms, dedicated to championing organic farming and healthy living.
In the world of big business, there is a new awareness that big hearts can also mean big money.
And well there should be! There are roughly 144 million people currently employed in the United States. Assuming an average of around 30 hours spent at work per week, per person (the real number is probably higher), that makes over four billion hours of work per week just in the U.S. alone.
Imagine how much good we could do in the world if every one of those hours were spent working for a company with a higher purpose!
It might seem like a pipe dream, but all it would take for any company is such a small shift in philosophy. Oil companies, for example, are dedicated to providing energy for mass consumption. What if they decided to dedicate themselves to providing clean, safe energy instead? (Some are already making real progress in this direction, largely in response to consumer demands.)
Business is quite simply the most powerful, organized force for change in the world today. Its infrastructure spans the globe, and its combined financial resources are unparalleled. It would be such a small thing--one simple idea at a time--to turn this staggering potential toward the greater good. Such a small thing.
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