Global Profit and Global Justice
By Deb Abbey; 240 pages; published by New Society Publishers
"If your think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with
a mosquito in the room." This is the basic principle behind Global Profit
and Global Justice. In it, Abbey and contributing authors Perry Abbey,
Tim Draimin, Adine Mees, and Coro Strandberg, present their arguments for
why and how ordinary people should be using their money to change the world.
Their reasons are not only interesting and well researched; they are also
highly compelling. Deb Abbey, an investment manager and leader in shareholder
activism, argues that investors and consumers can use their "money power"
to shape the economy and build a more just society.
This highly readable offering is filled with concrete examples of companies
and initiatives that are making a difference, and those that are simply making
things worse. It clearly explains buzzwords such as globalization, community
investment, and triple bottom line, and also offers plenty of advice, tools,
and tips so that readers can make informed decisions about their own money
and where they spend it. There are chapters on investing, leveraging shareholder
power, boycotts, influencing pension plans, and the ins and outs of strategic
philanthropy.
Although Abbey is writing from the Canadian perspective, she includes information and statistics from around the world. Investors, CSR managers, venture philanthropists, nonprofits, and basically anyone who is concerned about this planet, will want to read Global Profit and Global Justice. While some of the facts and figures can be overwhelming, even depressing, Abbey and her fellow contributors offer hope. And more than that, they offer concrete ways to make a real difference. As she says in the closing of the book, "We can create the kind of world that we want to live in, but only if we're prepared to be more engaged...We can have an impact on globalization. We must have an impact!"
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$19.16
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$11.87
