Not many of the world's super-rich are both liked and admired. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates certainly are, and Richard Branson definitely is. Who couldn't like a man who is an enthusiastic adventurer as well as being hugely successful in a variety of business ventures? He's crossed the Pacific ina flimsy balloon, hiked the Arctic Circle with a team of dogs, and attempted to kite-surf across the English Channel.
He also cares about people and he cares about the planet. So he is espousing a new form of capitalism, one in which profit is not the only goal. Profit will always be fundamental to any business, but Branson wants it to be made in a manner which gives back to the community, which treats employees well, and which is good (or at least not harmful) to the planet and the environment. Ambition without greed about sums it up.
Technology, Branson argues, has shifted the power to the people. We now know, in addition to what is happening in our own neighbourhood, what is happening on the other side of the world. He says: "Long-term sustainable change happens if people discover their own power. The key is moving the centre of gravity in the decision-making closer to the people in the community."
Capitalism has created economic growth worldwide, and with it a variety of benefits to many people. What concerns Branson, however, is that it has come at a cost that's not reflected in the balance sheet - polluted seas, depletion of natural resources, a scarred planet, and a degraded environment.
This is a compelling book, and a compassionate one. If its message is adopted by enough people and businesses the world will be a better place - in many ways.
