The Meaning of Making Business Mutual: The Big Picture

Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and Bruno Roche, Chief Economist Mars, Incorporated and Catalyst MD.

Evaluations of the prosperity of a company should not be restricted to financial metrics alone, but should also encompass other forms of capital: notably, human, social, natural and shared financial capital – ultimately, the way in which value is distributed. Can mutuality – putting the interest of others ahead of profit maximisation – generate more value for stakeholders and the company? What is mutuality and how can businesses integrate this concept into their current system?