Manifesto For An Economy That Works For All - Interview with Shawn Berry
Channel: Our Highest Work
Date: 2014-09-26

"Humans have always unknowingly affected all Universe by every act and thought they articulate or even consider. . . . Realistic, comprehensively responsible, omni-system-considerate, unselfish thinking on the part of humans does absolutely affect human destiny." 

"All of humanity is in peril of extinction if each one of us does not dare, now and henceforth, always to tell only the truth, and all the truth, and to do so promptly — right now."

Both quotes by Buckminster Fuller: 
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller

What types of businesses do we need -- for a sustainable, thrivable economy -- one based on values that serves *all* life?

Comment below the first thoughts that come to mind… looking forward to your ideas!

Then check out this inspiring mindmap/manifesto: 

http://www.mindmeister.com/457967326

In this video, I interview the author of this manifesto.

Some of my favorite parts:

"[A sustainable product/service is a] regionally-appropriate approach to meeting a core human need."

Core human needs:
Water
Food
Shelter
Energy
Health Care
Goods & Manufacturing
Transportation
Education & Media
Culture
Finance
Technology

(The mindmap itself has inspirational examples of how to meet these needs in a sustainable way.)

"[A sustainable business aims to be] of the greatest beneficial impact, not to achieve individual outsized return and wealth hoarding."

"...open source its technology and processes for use in other regions by other enterprises intending to meet the same needs and demands."

"[On the value of sharing] ...the way a nuclear family shares resources and care for each other with no one left out."

"Because the good or service is needed, embed education into the product or service so that the consumer of the good or service might be able to provide the good or service for themselves."

*****

Principles:

a.    Equitable/democratic culture/workplace
b.    Transparent - clear about supply chain, practices, finances, benefits, cost (e.g., true cost accounting)
c.    Surplus reinvestment - profits are shared or redistributed
d.    Support of local alternative economy ecosystem (local supply chain)
e.    Zero waste
f.     Ecosystem integration  - whole systems thinking (e.g., stormwater investment, habitat for owls, etc.)
g.    Whole system finances
h.    Accessible  - affordable, or available to as many as possible
i.      Living wage, wage cap, culture of simplicity (balance, benefits)
j.      Education embedded into product service
k.    Self sustaining business model, designed to take little to no capitalization
l.     Scale by replication
m.   Open source
n.    Innovation - technology  or processes that already exist that has not been applied in a particular way or particular combination

*****

Examples of Types of Businesses:

Worker Owned Coop Mercantile
Worker Owned Coop Integrated Health Clinic
Worker Owned Coop Small Scale Manufacturing
Decentralized Micro Grid Coop
Worker Owned Coop Pasture Cropping Farm
Worker Owned Affordable Healthy Local Food Cafe
Worker Owned Refurbishing/Repair - electronics/appliances/furniture?
Appropriate technologies to reduce/reuse/monitor water/energy/consumption
Sustainable materials innovation

*****

Inspiring!  I'm going to let this manifesto influence the direction of my business/career and activism...

For more, visit: http://www.OurHighestWork.com