Economics of Mutuality is demonstrating that when a company invests in its communities, people and environmental ecosystem, while measuring and managing performance with non-financial indicators, the value created is superior - including financial performance. This approach promotes a more reciprocal, environmentally-friendly and financially successful economy. On Monday the 9th of March 2020, the new Center for the Economics of Mutuality was officially opened at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity Initiative has become its academic arm in the Netherlands and the Economic Summit constitutes its Business and Economics arm, while Eppo Bruins (Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands) has formed a cross-party group of politicians to form its Governance and Public Policy arm.
Responsible business practices, which benefit individuals, communities and the environment whilst sharing financial capital, are the core to how business must operate in the 21st century. The Economics of Mutuality, a management theory developed by Dr. Bruno Roche and his team at Mars Catalyst, has demonstrated the strong possibility to achieve this. Case studies done with more than 30 multinational corporations in collaboration with the Oxford University Business School and Mars Catalyst have shown that business can be transformed from what has become an outmoded model into a means to deliver optimum performance for people, planet and profit. In this way, we can also help prepare business for the 4th industrial digital revolution and explore the implications of this for society at large.
During the opening Dr. Bruno Roche was installed as a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Erasmus Initiative: Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity as a part of his participation in the Center for the Economics of Mutuality.
The center will aim to do research and develop best practices for SME businesses in the Netherlands and the Benelux region in the coming years. The legislative changes required for businesses to operate in this way will also be investigated.