This positive intent is now validated by consumers

Can we still write, today in the West and in the rest of the world, tomorrow that "only social responsibility of business is to increase its profit"

Taking the opposite of the title of an article of Milton Friedman, published September 13, 1970 in the "New York Times Magazine", this question in fact echo the historical situation that lead to the bankruptcy of an economic world in financial capitalism and the opportunity seized by consumers to evolve towards a system where the goal of global sustainability is at the heart of the action of the company.

In the lineage of the thought of Friedman, the interest of the shareholder has, since 40 years, constituted the paramount objective of the company. But this "shareholder value" is constructed despite the interest of the other parties to the activity of the company. Employees, environment, customers and suppliers - the "stakeholders" - were the losers of this radicalization.

Thus, with respect to wages: between 1980 and 2006, their share in the added value of the companies fell from 67 to 57 on average in the 15 richest countries of the OECD, either, only for the France, approximately 190 billion euros per year. At the same time, depletion of non-renewable resources, climate change, biodiversity loss and water shortages are powerful signals to the risks that this economic model is on the environment. In addition, the company itself is located today exposed to systemic risk to which led us this liberalism little or poorly regulated, leading for short-term profit.

The liberal model assumed successor virtuously to the failure of the collectivist utopia therefore marked boundaries. It is now clearly established that "the invisible hand of the market", which was to lead us to the general interest by the sum of individual interests in maximized, has not reached this goal, and instead resulted in a high overall risk level. And symmetrically, in social democracy, the State, weakened by the weight of deficits is more perceived as having the means to resolve social and ecological problems. We are thus forced to recognize today that the traditional solutions mentioned historically State - command or welfare - and market are therefore not sufficient to ensure the general interest at the heart of our collective life.

That being said, what recourse 80 of public opinion believe that companies must work to the resolution of social and ecological problems. A responsibility that we thought vested in the State. Or only 30 of the polled believe today that such responsibility rests with Governments.

Thus, if consumers learn for themselves more responsible approaches (47 say have opted for a more ethical consumption in 2009), they expect that a third party, the company, to become agent for the common good, with a kind of global micro-responsabilité.

This change in the identification of best actor to bring the general interest echoes another important development: political awareness that, in a democratic environment, the choice of consumption is a real Act. In fact, this choice determines the oxygen of a business: its turnover. By its allocation of wealth, provides consumers the means to decide what company, and therefore what philosophy develops. However, when that 78 of the French themselves prepared to promote a company incorporates behaviour in terms of sustainable development, and more than 80 to punish the bad practices of corporations, is fast enough that this happy prospect of global sustainability has the means to crystallize.

Some companies have incorporated this double evolution and engage in effective dynamics of societal progress, ceasing to oppose responsibility and profitability.

And certain investment funds seeking, in addition to financial performance, to enhance the interest of the planet and the dignity of the human person. This model is based in these precursors on a personal approach of their leaders, practices and ethical entries. This positive intent is now validated by consumers. Capacity to build stronger brands, these committed companies win, in the long term, more strategic value. And these funds will add value to a double point of view societal and financial position pioneer.