Christopher Marquis believes that purposeful company stewardship is required more than ever. He is the Sinyi Professor at the University of Cambridge Judge School of Business. He writes a regular column for Forbes and his work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Fortune, TIME, Foreign Policy, and Harvard Business Review. His previous books, Better Business: How the B Corp is Remaking Capitalism and Mao and Markets, a Financial Times “Best Book of 2022,” were published by Yale University Press. Episode Insight: It’s time for leaders to rethink our current economic system and envision a more equitable and sustainable future, leading with purposeful company stewardship.Background: In this week’s episode of Reflect Forward, I interview Christopher Marquis, a business professor at the University of Cambridge and author of 'The Profiteers.' Chris shares his journey and focus on corporate social responsibility and purposeful company stewardship, discussing the challenges of aligning profit motives with social goals. We highlight the importance of purpose-driven leadership, sustainability, and addressing systemic environmental issues. Chris offers insights into teaching ESG concepts, the role of strategic governance, and innovative companies like Grove Collaborative. We also cover corporate gaslighting in industries like fossil fuels and plastic and the need for upstream thinking to tackle the root causes of systemic problems. How to find Chris:Website: https://chrismarquis.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-marquis/ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Business-Movement-Remaking-Capitalism/dp/030024715X https://www.amazon.com/Profiteers-Business-Privatizes-Profits-Socializes/dp/1541703529Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophermarquis/#6fdf8e2e67dcTimestamp for Episode00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:00 Meet Christopher Marquis01:11 Journey into Academia02:51 Teaching Impactful Business05:02 Challenges in Sustainable Business06:31 Innovative Business Practices09:02 Leadership and Purpose11:30 Elon Musk: A Case Study13:46 Corporate Gaslighting: Shifting Blame to Consumers14:48 Fossil Fuels and Carbon Emissions: The Hidden Truth16:03 Plastic Recycling Myths: The Reality Behind the Ads17:21 Upstream Thinking: Addressing Root Causes19:11 Corporate Social Responsibility: A Deeper Dive25:08 Reflect Forward: Influencing Future Leaders26:20 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsPlease consider ordering my book, The Ownership Mindset, on Amazon or Barnes and NobleFollow me on Instagram or LinkedIn.Subscribe to my podcast Reflect Forward on iTunesOr check out my new YouTube Channel, where you can watch full-length episodes of Advice From a CEO!And if you are looking for a keynote speaker or a podcast guest, click here to book a meeting with me to discuss what you are looking for!