Leading with Purpose

Now more than ever, it’s time for Boards to take a leading role in social and environmental responsibility as well as fiscal responsibility.

I have seen the benefits first hand at J&J, a company driven by a strong purpose. Robert Wood Johnson was clearly a visionary when he drafted the purpose, known as the Credo, in 1943. That was a long time before the term social responsibility was ever coined. J&J lives by the Credo. Accountability starts at the highest levels with the CEO and the Board and the focus continues in board rooms, lunch rooms and now in zooms all over the world. The Credo drives responsible results and these results have delivered outstanding returns for shareholders.

It may sound easier than it really is. Other Boards can follow J&J’s lead with the blueprint laid out by McKinsey.

The board’s role in embedding corporate purpose: Five actions directors can take today | McKinsey