Articles

Leadership, Values and Ethics: Educating Global Citizens for a New Millennium

Remarks by Mr. Paul Hawken, The Sam Nunn NationsBank Policy Forum
March 1999

Although business is certainly the most powerful institution for producing wealth, it is not a facilitator of justice, social or otherwise. Rather, it is a facilitator of the destruction of the world's natural capital. All living systems are in decline, and these rates are accelerating with increased human prosperity and population. The natural capital that comprises the earth's living systems cannot be created. There is no substitue for life. Thus, it is time we bade the assumptions and practices of industrialism farewell and pledged to make the earth an unassailable sanctuary.

The violation of natural capital in turn permits the violation of individuals. One example of this can be found in the American penal system. The United States is now the largest penal colony in the world. We imprison those from marginalized communities who are out of work and out of hope, and we call our actions justice. We lambaste welfare recipients for living off the resources of others when in truth our largest corporations are recipients of government handouts as well. When corporations get off their own welfare, then and only then can they have a voice about how we use resources to aid the poor.

If we are going to talk about trust, let us talk about why the poor do not have it: The current lack of trust among those who are economically impoverished exists in large part because their communities have been stripped of resources for corporate America. The average CEO earns 350 times the compensation of the average worker. No wonder they have no trust.

Twenty-first century leaders must attend to these destructive elements and work to expand the possibilities for a healthier humankind. If leaders dare create a world that is prosperous, sacred, and honors the children, a challenge still remains: How can we increase human welfare while reducing our impact on that which gives and sustains life?