Our Theory Of Change

Where we’re at

Responsible 100 is organised around the idea that our customs, expectations and norms can and must change, so that stakeholders are empowered to identify and reward the most responsible businesses, at the expense of irresponsible ones, thus creating a system of business in service to life. That, in 46 words, is our theory of change!

With all due respect to a growing number of brilliant voices arguing that societal and economic collapse is nigh, or indeed already here and well advanced, Responsible 100’s position is different.

Yes, we support the telling of the truth, and then acting as if the truth his real, to borrow XR’s brilliant line. Polycrisis is here. Nature is being destroyed and the fabric of society eroded by what we describe as “business as normal”.

We believe this is underpinned by responsible business as normal: a whole industry that has ballooned in recent decades whereby various business endeavours under the aegis of ESG, CSR, ‘impact’ and ‘purpose’ have over–promised, and woefully under–delivered.

Our answer to the question

However, we need food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads. Realism must meet pragmatism. So which are the companies we should buy from, work for and invest in?

Let’s be honest: no business can ever be perfect. We suggest it is in our collective best interests to support those businesses willing and able to explain and justify everything they do. This is, in effect, the test we’ve developed.

Responsible 100’s mission is to give critical power and agency to people – as consumers, employees and investors – to identify and support the businesses the world needs to succeed.

The businesses we serve

Responsible 100 is designed to benefit businesses which seek to:  

  • Demonstrate they stand for honesty, openness, contribution and shared value
  • Eschew the cherry-picking of issues on which they wish to be held accountable, and which they don’t, or any other attempts to define responsibility on self-serving or narrow terms
  • Invite people in, to provide scrutiny and useful, actionable feedback on their policies and practices
  • Demonstrate optimal responsibility — i.e that they are investing in the most relevant issues, improving their overall responsibility performance as rapidly as possible — given their size, sector and particular circumstances
  • Avoid accusations of greenwash, or doing things which amount to pointless, ineffectual, inadequate or irrelevant ‘responsibility’
  • Help raise public expectations on all businesses that they prove they are optimal and sincere in their responsibility practices too
  • Help raise the floor in terms of minimum responsibility and honesty standards across business
  • Help raise the bar — and fire our imaginations — in terms of what businesses could one day achieve as genuine and powerful forces for good in the world
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