Saturday Nov 09, 2024
FT
Saturday Nov 09, 2024
Thursday, 19 May 2022 00:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The fourth uprising started on 9 April by the new generation of youth born after the 1990s now famously known as ‘Aragalaya’ has already achieved many unprecedented changes within the hearts of the
people that are taking place now and would have never been possible even in the distant future.
While the uprising youth, and newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and somewhat believed to be unity government using the present parliamentarians continue to press on the demanding systemic change and government to bring back normalcy by providing immediate relief to people for medicine, cooking gas, fuel for transport and then trigger constitutional changes that are needed to create a conducive environment to have an election in the very near future, elect new generation parliamentarians to represent will, desires, and demands of the people of the country.
I would like a place before the corporate business leaders, a concept, ‘Systemic change by the people, through the people for the people’.
First is to refrain from seeking assistance and political favours to expand your businesses and your profits and adhere to existing rules, regulations and laws of the country. Push your case through your respective industry chambers/forums.
Secondly, refrain from funding and financing politicians for their election campaigns from the disclosed or undisclosed profits of your business. E.g. when you give Rs. 5 million to a politician you will have earned that from your customers, creating a cycle of corrupt practices.
Thirdly, do not cook your books to avoid or reduce taxes your business has to pay; make sure responsible value is transferred to all your stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, society and the environment, treating them as equal partners not sacrificing one for another.
Fourthly, please refrain from spending money on unethical media that will create spending on misleading media image building to hoodwink the customers and the society.
Fifthly, please implement austerity measures within your business organisation on prioritising the most essential expenditure for the next six months to one year.
The current challenge in the country for all the stakeholders including the business leaders of the country is to face them with pragmatic approaches in surviving this difficult uphill journey, and most importantly begin to see the big picture in the near and the distantly near future and begin to see eye to eye with progressive likeminded stakeholders.
We must soon realise that no matter how big or small and strong or weak, we cannot operate in isolation; we are an essential inbuilt part of the fabric of society; therefore, if the society becomes weak, there is no way any business can survive. Therefore, first and foremost, all have to make society or the people and the planet before profit for progress of all stakeholders.
(The writer is an impact investor and a social
entrepreneur.)
