The Inclusion Manifesto

Last week 50 leaders of business associations and related affiliations assembled with the expressed intent to amplify, enhance, coordinate, and accelerate world-changing initiatives already occurring throughout the business community.

Held March 17–19 in Santa Barbara, the event was sponsored by the World Business Academy and driven by the leadership team at The Praemia Group—most notably, Steering Committee leader Vince DiBianca. Together, we agreed “the future of business is making the future its business.”

The 50 members of this initial meeting of the Business Alliance for the Future (#BizAlliance4Future) share a common conviction: It is time for a defining moment in business leadership wherein the business community steps up its responsibility and actions to create what facilitator David Cooperrider calls “a full spectrum economy” where businesses can excel, people can thrive, and nature can flourish.

A significant contribution was made by Patrick Doherty, Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, who shared his breakthrough work, “A New U.S. Grand Strategy.” Doherty’s presentation set the stage for focused and coordinated conversation, collaboration, and action as we explored ways to leverage the work each organization is already doing.

As part of our work together, we drafted what was termed The Inclusion Manifesto to clearly state our intention to ensure focus on, and participation by, all groups. The Inclusion Manifesto draft is offered below for comment followed by a list of associations involved.

Thanks to the leaders who participated. We are excited to now expand the team!

The Inclusion Manifesto

“Critical challenges collide in the 21st century that include global climate change, economic dislocation, exploding populations, increasing income disparity, and persistent poverty for billions. Unenlightened business practices are at the heart of the challenges. Only new business understanding and practice can help us confront them.

The most significant source of underutilized capital and excess liquidity in the global economy consists of human beings—women, marginalized ethnic groups, the economically disadvantaged, and the population of the developing world. The most powerful driver of balanced, sustainable economic development will be the full inclusion of the human community in all its diversity in the leadership and management of business in our deeply interconnected and integrated world.

We call upon business leaders, governments, and civil society to demand and expect the full inclusion of those who are today marginalized and excluded. We will create the healthy, successful, sustainable businesses and communities of tomorrow by beginning to model those inclusive institutions in every startup, in every global corporation, in every small business, in every country today.

We will tell a new story of the power of inclusion. We will publically recognize the powerful examples of organizations that model inclusive behavior. We will demand that those currently excluded are included in decision-making bodies at every level of corporate life and consistent with their representation in any company’s community of stakeholders. We will transform our world through inclusion.”

Represented Business Associations

American Sustainable Business Council
Aspen Institute
B Team
Business as an Agent of World Benefit/Fowler Center for Sustainable Values
Business for Social Responsibility
Charter for Compassion International
Clinton Foundation
Conscious Capitalism, Inc.
Emerging Changemakers Network
Esalen Institute
Fair Trade USA
Founding Family
Future 500
Great Work Cultures Big Tent Initiatives
Institute for Sustainable Enterprise
Move to Amend
National Association of Women Business Owners
Net Impact
New America Foundation
1% for the Planet
Opportunity Collaboration
Pachamama Alliance
Socially Responsible Investors
Social Venture Network
The Philanthropic Initiative
Transitioning to Green
World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM)
World Business Academy
Young Presidents’ Organization