Welcome
Change is in the air, literally. As the new season brings more color to Maastricht we are again reminded that without change renewal is not possible. Organizations that remain stagnant will never achieve their potential. Many business organizations need to change fundamentally to deal with some of the global challenges that threaten prosperity and stability. The fast growth of many countries over the past decade had caused many businesses to lose sight of what is really important: people and their happiness. We were reminded of this with the celebration of the UN’s International Day of Happiness (20 March). A recent blog in the Guardian was spot-on in recognizing that “Organizations that create products and services that make the world a better place will surely be rewarded with employees who are happier, more engaged, and genuinely proud to work there. There is a win-win-win here for individuals, business and society”. The question is how can businesses contribute to a better world? For one, as William Easterly argues in his new book “The Tyranny of Experts”, we should stop neglecting human rights. It is insightful in this regard that earlier this year McDonald’s released for the first time a human rights due diligence, to identify how its operations may risk human rights. More companies need to follow suit. Given the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and human rights, you will read in this newsletter about some of MSM’s activities in this regard. Our annual CSR Conference was a huge success, not least due to the enthusiasm of our business partners. And in September our 4th Annual Research Conference will be on the theme of Human Rights and Global Business in Emerging Markets. Join in and work together with us for better global management.
Dean Director
