Our Approach

The model that will enable Responsible 100 to maximise positive net impact in the world is inspired and informed by Marshall Ganz, guru of Leadership, Organizing and Civil Society at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Over a varied and inspiring career, Ganz has learnt that “lasting and meaningful change only happens when people come together for a shared purpose, when they deliberate together, and when they act together, even when the future seems unknowable and the road uncertain.”

After a lifetime spent in both activism and community organising, and then in academia, Ganz concludes that real, lasting change requires that human being connecting through shared values, where deep connections and common purpose create the capacity to turn those values into sources of power.

Responsible 100 is a tool and a collaboration between people and organisations. We’re connected through of shared desire and agency to help businesses to become more responsible, for their own benefit, and for the benefit of society and nature.

Question: If you care about nature, healthy communities, and a fair, liveable future for all, then you’ll want to know which businesses should you buy from, work for or invest in?

Answer: Those businesses that seek to reduce their various negative impacts on people and planet, and increase their positive impacts, systematically, in the course of getting their products and services to market at the right price and quality.

And it is those businesses that Responsible 100 is designed to serve, with the support from our community.

A unique way of working and a unique model

Responsible 100 is building structures to provide collective capacity to empower and enable the individuals and organisations collaborating here.

Participants* pay modest fees and they contribute their stories. To be shared and seen by other businesses and by partner organisations, these stories must be guaranteed as complete, accurate and verifiable. In time, it is anticipated that most participating organisations will make most of their stories available for public scrutiny, comment and rating.

Given the value of participation increases every time a new participant submits a new story, our pricing is designed to incentivise participants to submit as many possible, and in as short a time as possible.

* We mostly refer to Responsible 100 ‘participants’ because the organisations going through our supported steps are not-for-profits, NGOs, government and civil society organisations, as well as businesses. Partners (experts that support the development of the benchmarks) may also be participants (by going through Responsible 100’s steps and submitting their stories and scores) if they so choose.