The New Business of Business: Innovating for a Better World

Businesses today face three interlocking challenges: shareholder demands for growth, employee desire for meaning from work, and rising public expectations that they address social, economic, and environmental challenges. This Giving Thoughts article describes how leading firms are tackling these three challenges simultaneously by turning to corporate social innovation (CSI). By investing in new innovation sources and methods, including partnerships with social entrepreneurs and employee “intrapreneurs,” they are generating new products, unlocking markets, and engaging in creative philanthropy—all of which address social challenges while supporting business reputation and growth.