The Value of Values

How business leaders can grow profits and competitive advantage by doing the right thing.

Acting on values—doing good for the benefit of all—can substantially benefit the bottom line, but many business leaders mistakenly believe that doing the right thing lowers profits. This belief is the greatest barrier holding businesses back from being more financially and competitively successful—and delivering more good for the world. Not only can it be a winning business strategy to act on values, as Daniel Aronson suggests in The Value of Values, but it is also a savvy choice, increasing a company’s power, profit, and competitive advantage—in many cases with little additional investment or risk.

It starts with seeing what others miss. Using extensive research and real-world calculations, Aronson demonstrates that the “submerged value” of initiatives such as taking bold action to combat climate change, helping people find jobs, or creating an open, inclusive work environment is normally 4 to 10 times more than initially believed. Calculating and capturing the true business benefit of acting on values provides a much-needed update to the sustainability and responsibility playbook. Even more important, it shows executives how to harness the value of values to improve profitability, acquire customers, and turbocharge their own careers.

Written by a measurement pioneer and one of the world’s foremost experts on making ethical business count, The Value of Values trains leaders to respond smartly and credibly to today’s challenges, transforming how business can and should be done.

Daniel Aronson is the creator of InVEST which quantifies value from sustainability and responsibility, and has helped clients quantify more than $2 billion in sustainability-driven business value. He is also the creator of Impact Science, Customer Science, Stakeholder Science, and True Plastic Impact.