Topstuff
by Duncan O'Leary
I see that Topshop is launching an ethical clothing range today (or an experiment with one at least). As Mckinsey pointed out recently, it turns out that surviving in a highly competitive market may be more complicated that we've often thought. The author of the article argues that Milton Friedman's philiosophy that "the business of business is business" is becoming increasingly outmoded, and that the legitimacy and longevity of businesses will depend on their contribution to wider social issues.
The strapline to Tom's pamphlet Everyday Democracy was 'Why we get the politicians we deserve' - but arguably it could also have been 'Why we get the companies we deserve'. So here's hoping we make those ethical experiments last.