A little bit of faith is good for business
by Zaki Cooper, City AM:
Alastair Campbell may have once famously said “we don’t do God” but for the chief executive of a modern company, this is no longer an option.
Last week, the world of faith and finance came together when the Lord Mayor hosted the annual dinner for archbishops and bishops at Mansion House.
Business likes to deal in numbers and the demographics pointing to the rise of faith are overwhelming. Worldwide surveys show that 84 per cent of the world’s population are religious.
In today’s world, faith is important to people’s identity. Modern businesses need to take this into account when dealing with clients and customers. Companies also need to be sensitive to the religious needs of staff, such as dietary requirements, prayer, and festivals, can reinforce loyalty.
The landmark case of the BA air stewardess who wasn’t able to wear a cross at work is one example of where this went wrong.
But increasingly large businesses have employee faith networks, as part of larger diversity efforts, and are trying to be faith-friendly rather than faith-neutral.
Religion, therefore, is not merely a constraint on business. On the contrary, I think there are some valuable lessons that companies can take from the heritage of the great faiths.
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