Profit For Purpose

Today Julian Richer, founder of home entertainment retailer Richer Sounds and an active political campaigner talks about his three of his projects: Zero hours Justice, Good Business Charter and Tax Watch as well as the principles from his book The Ethical Capitalist. This is the first episode in a new series of Profit for Purpose podcast on being a better business from The Real Agenda Network of podcasts for progressive change.

As part of our Profit for Purpose series, this is the second episode in our three part interview with Julian Richer, founder of the home entertainment retailer Richer Sounds. Today we talk about Tax, Trust and Transparency. As both Julian and The Real Agenda believes, to establish a compassionate and more economically viable society wealth should be taxed, after all, we all help to create the wealth but our current system means it is only accumulated by a few. The taxation of wealth impacts insignificantly on the few but yet could fund the infrastructure and public services for the many. It would enable the lower paid to have a decent standard of living, at the same time giving a measurably invaluable big boost to our economy.  As Julian has proved with his business model for Richer Sounds, fair reward to employees results in higher productivity and longevity of staff. There is a very strong business case for more equality, and for the taxation of wealth.  www.realagenda.org    

“As a businessman I have a big debt to society – I rely on society’s infrastructure for my business”  In the latest episode of the Profit for Purpose series, we talk to Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds, the home entertainment retailer, now owned by its staff. We covered many topics in our chat, so much, that we have split this into three episodes & have ideas for more! In episode 1: Julian outlines the story so far & his ideas & plans for an economy that works for all. In the next two episodes, he talks about making the tax system fairer & more effective, plus his ideas on how to be a better business.

In our continuing quest to make business a force for good, today I talk about the metrics of success to Paul Lindley, the founder of Ella’s Kitchen, now the biggest baby food brand by value in the UK. Since leaving the company Paul has devoted his time to bringing change and in todays episode he explains his motivation, what he thinks is wrong with the capitalist system, what could be done to improve it so it works for all of us and what we, the people can do to bring about positive change.

Today I talk to Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK about how certified B Corps could help reduce inequality, lower levels of poverty, create a healthier environment, build stronger communities, and generate more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose. To achieve certification, businesses have to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, to balance profit and purpose. This is the first episode in our new series: Profit for Purpose which is about how we can redefine success in business & build a more inclusive and sustainable economy & at the same time make a positive impact on reducing inequality.