This Playbook is for founders, funders, and teams building businesses that seek to operate not only ethically but even redemptively—with deep interest in their cultural impact, generous care for their teams and partners, and leadership marked by uncommonly humble ambition.
Based on our work with hundreds of business founders and funders, we have identified six core commitment areas of the redemptive business, each with several actionable organizational practices. These can (and regularly are) implemented in organizations without a particular public faith commitment, but they are rooted in a distinctly Christian view of human beings and our shared purpose in the world, which are summed up in the term “redemptive.”
Despite the complex tradeoffs and pressures involved in building a business, we know from experience that redemptive business is not only possible but real, sustainable, and applicable to any industry—not only to “social enterprise.” We have walked with so many organizations using the power of business and markets to contribute to genuine human flourishing, while working against the exploitation of all stakeholders—teams, investors, partners, customers, and even competitors.