A Better World, Inc

Have you ever wondered whether companies—those vast, money-making machines—could actually help solve the world’s biggest problems? In A Better World, Inc., Alice Korngold makes a bold claim: multinational corporations are not just capable of creating a better world; they are indispensable to it. Governments are bound by national interests, NGOs often struggle with limited resources, but global corporations have the reach, resources, and incentives to tackle climate change, inequality, and human rights abuses while remaining profitable.

Korngold contends that corporate governance—specifically, the decisions made by boards of directors—can either obstruct or accelerate progress toward an inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future. In her view, inclusion and sustainability are not moral extras or public relations slogans; they are business imperatives. Without inclusion of marginalized talent and sustainable use of resources, companies will simply fail in a world of climate disruption and social instability.

The Central Argument: Inclusion and Sustainability Drive Profit

According to Korngold, inclusion and sustainability must sit at the heart of any serious corporate strategy. Inclusion means tapping the potential of those excluded from economic systems—women, BIPOC individuals, migrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and formerly incarcerated citizens. Sustainability requires halving emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2050. Together, these two priorities define a company’s pathway not only to moral legitimacy but also to profitability. When companies waste human potential or damage the environment, they sabotage their own futures.

As boards adapt, their composition and priorities must evolve. Corporate boards are learning that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) correlate directly with better decisions and improved financial performance. Regulators such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are beginning to require disclosure of board diversity, cybersecurity measures, and environmental risks—a testament to how governance has become inseparable from global progress.

The Shift from Philanthropy to Systemic Business Solutions

Korngold traces the evolution of corporate responsibility. While businesses once expressed their goodwill through philanthropy or charitable donations, today’s leading companies pursue solutions to social and environmental challenges as core business activities. HP’s work to bring digital literacy to underserved communities, UPS’s innovations in drone delivery for healthcare, and Trane Technologies’ commitment to decarbonizing buildings are examples of how social impact and innovation converge.

“Defeating poverty and mitigating climate change are ambitious goals. Only multinational corporations have the global footprint to solve such challenges.”

–Alice Korngold

In the same spirit as visionary leaders like Paul Polman (author of Net Positive), Korngold believes that businesses must give more than they take. The ESG framework—environmental, social, and governance—has become a guiding model. Investors now prefer to back companies that proactively address climate and social issues because these initiatives lower risk and foster long-term value.

Why This Book Matters

Korngold’s book is part analysis, part manifesto, and part playbook. It arrives during an era of global fragmentation and heightened awareness of climate urgency. She argues that corporate boards must lead systemic change, not wait for governments to legislate it. This means setting science-based sustainability targets, promoting equity at every level, and engaging employees, customers, and communities in building shared prosperity.

Drawing from decades of experience consulting for boards and NGOs, Korngold urges cross-sector collaboration. Businesses can’t solve global challenges alone. They must partner with nonprofits, governments, and civil society in iterative dialogue—each sector bringing unique strengths. This collaborative approach reflects what former Unilever CEO Paul Polman calls “net positive”—companies should thrive by improving the world, not exploiting it.

The Promise of Governance for an Inclusive Planet

Ultimately, the book imagines corporate governance as a global citizenship mechanism. Boards determine capital flows, employment policies, and environmental footprints. When they prioritize human dignity and ecological care, their decisions ripple across supply chains and nations. To do so effectively, boards must represent diverse voices—gender, race, culture, age, and professional expertise—to foresee risks and opportunities from every angle.

For you as a reader—leader, investor, or citizen—the book asks a provocative question: will corporations remain extractive machines of exploitation, or will they redefine themselves as engines of inclusion and sustainability? Korngold offers not just hope but a pragmatic blueprint: diversity in governance, collaboration with civil society, and a relentless commitment to measurable ESG goals. The choice will shape not just the future of business but the survival of humanity itself.

Korngold positions corporate boards as the architects of transformation. It’s not CEOs or shareholders alone who define a company’s path—it’s the boardroom, where vision meets accountability. These directors possess both authority and duty to align corporate missions with the global agenda for sustainability and inclusion.

Why Boards Matter

Boards control vast wealth and set strategic direction. They determine where companies invest, which countries they engage with, and how they treat their employees and suppliers. This makes them central actors in shaping global economic justice. Korngold cites data from the Spencer Stuart Board Index showing that in recent years, board diversity has improved: among new directors added in 2022, 46% were women and 46% identified with racial or ethnic diversity.

April Miller Boise of Intel underscores the evolving qualifications expected of directors. Beyond typical CEO experience, boards now actively recruit members with expertise in ESG, technology, cybersecurity, and human rights because these areas drive strategic resilience. For companies facing exponential technological disruption—from blockchain to AI—directors who grasp digital ethics are crucial.

The Diversity Imperative

Korngold emphasizes that diverse boards make smarter decisions. Harvard’s research confirms that board diversity correlates with stronger financial performance and adaptability. Moreover, inclusion drives innovation. For instance, McKinsey estimates that U.S. businesses could capture an additional $300 billion by better serving Black consumers whose preferences are value-driven and socially aware. Equally, women are projected to control 75% of discretionary spending globally by 2028, representing the largest consumer segment in history.

Despite improvements, representation remains limited. In 2022, only 34 women served as CEOs of S&P 500 companies. Korngold cautions that diversity cannot merely be symbolic—it must extend to leadership positions and decision-making influence. Investors such as Nasdaq and proxy advisors like ISS and Glass Lewis now apply pressure, requiring transparent diversity data in SEC filings.

Global Perspectives in the Boardroom

Another crucial insight: boards concentrated in the Global North risk ignorance of global opportunities. Only 15% of S&P directors are of non-U.S. origin—mostly from Europe. Yet growth is happening in Asia and Africa, where emerging middle classes are reshaping consumption. By 2050, Africa’s consumer and business spending will reach $16.1 trillion, with over one-third of the world’s population. In Asia, spending already exceeds that of Europe and North America combined.

“The boards that lead successfully into the future are those that reflect the global marketplace they serve.”

–Alice Korngold

For you, this means reconsidering leadership composition in your organization. When decision-makers understand both risks and opportunities across continents, they can anticipate geopolitical conflicts, climate threats, and demographic trends. The future of board governance isn’t about compliance—it’s about imagination and courage to build a global, inclusive enterprise that measures success in profit and purpose alike.

Korngold dedicates much of her book to explaining the modern framework of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). This isn’t a trend for ethical investors—it’s a seismic shift in how companies are expected to do business. ESG integrates profit with accountability, acknowledging that long-term corporate success depends on solving, not worsening, global challenges.

Investors as Drivers of Change

Investors now regard ESG performance as integral to valuation. By 2025, ESG assets may reach $53 trillion—a full third of global assets under management. Regulators, notably the SEC, demand disclosure of climate risks, diversity metrics, and cybersecurity practices. Korngold reveals how boards increasingly treat ESG strategy as a company-wide imperative rather than a separate committee function.

Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO and co-author of Net Positive, advises boards to consider “double materiality”—their responsibility not only to financial shareholders but also to environmental and social stakeholders. Under such governance, sustainability becomes embedded in corporate culture, transforming risk management into value creation.

Business Examples that Illuminate ESG

Korngold spotlights companies demonstrating that profit and purpose can coexist. Trane Technologies drives decarbonization by designing efficient climate systems. HP commits to digital equity for 150 million people by 2030, partnering with NGOs to reach remote students. UPS collaborates with VillageReach to deliver vaccines to African communities using drone logistics. Each venture aligns with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, bridging commerce and humanitarian progress.

Measurement and Materiality

The challenge, Korngold admits, lies in measurement. Over a hundred ESG ratings agencies exist, often producing inconsistent scores. Still, accurate metrics are vital for investors and regulators. Companies now perform double materiality assessments—evaluating both financial impacts and societal effects. These assessments rely on stakeholder engagement across employees, communities, and investors, building transparency and accountability. As enterprise risk and reputation intertwine, ESG education for boards becomes essential.

“ESG is not charity; it’s strategy. The companies that innovate for people and planet will dominate tomorrow’s markets.”

–Paul Polman (quoted by Korngold)

For any leader today, Korngold’s message is clear: align transparency with ambition. ESG isn’t a compliance checklist—it’s a profit model that reconciles capitalism’s power with planetary stewardship. Doing well by doing good is becoming the defining metric of twenty-first-century enterprise.

Korngold insists that collaboration—not competition—is the secret to solving systemic crises. She draws on examples from the global NGO BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), which has formed over fifty partnerships connecting corporations, nonprofits, and governments. These collaborative models tackle everything from human trafficking to palm oil sustainability, proving that systemic change requires collective investment and shared intelligence.

The Power of Partnerships

BSR’s initiatives include Action for Sustainable Derivatives—a coalition addressing palm oil and coconut derivatives to combat deforestation and exploitation. Members pool funds through a collective social impact platform, using them to restore forests and support local smallholders in Indonesia. This joint action model combines technical expertise, transparency, and ethical oversight, making sustainability scalable.

Korngold highlights professional partnerships like UPS working with the UN Global Logistics Cluster to solve last-mile vaccine delivery across Africa. These initiatives not only save lives but also yield innovation advantages for companies. UPS’s humanitarian drone project became the prototype for its commercial delivery system—a tangible example of synergy between humanitarian goals and commercial evolution.

Cross-Sector Learning

For executives, Korngold recommends serving on nonprofit boards to cultivate empathy and governance acumen. Leaders like Luciana Aquino-Hagedorn and Venkata Kishore demonstrate how NGO board service sharpens policy insight and decision-making. Kishore, who works at Bayer Crop Science, credits his nonprofit experience for shaping collaborative strategies on food security and sustainability.

“The decisive decade demands solutions. Only through collaboration can innovation reach scale.”

–Aron Cramer, CEO of BSR

You can think of collaboration as a new economic paradigm—co-opetition for survival. In a world fragmented by politics and ideology, Korngold suggests that joint alliances anchor businesses in shared credibility and practical results. If companies embrace this model, global progress becomes not just possible but inevitable.

Education, Korngold argues, is both a social right and a business requirement. A poorly educated population erodes the talent base companies need to innovate. She shows how businesses like HP, Girls Who Code, and Technovation are redefining education as a mutual investment: when corporations empower learners—especially girls and marginalized groups—they secure their own future workforces.

The Corporate Role in Learning Equity

In the aftermath of COVID-19, 147 million children missed more than half their schooling, risking $17 trillion in lifetime earnings losses. Korngold calls on companies to partner with governments and NGOs to reverse this trend. HP’s Digital Equity Accelerator works with Aspen Digital and Girl Rising to deliver technology and mentorship in underserved regions. By 2030, HP aims to close the digital divide for 150 million people—a scale achievable only through corporate involvement.

Similarly, Girls Who Code cultivates future engineers and tech leaders, supported by over 70% corporate funding and partnerships with Synchrony and Salesforce. The organization has reached over half a million students worldwide, helping women move into computing roles at seven times the national average. This is more than philanthropy—it’s pipeline building. CEO Reshma Saujani calls it “a practical business solution for diversity in tech.”

Local Innovation and Hybrid Models

Korngold applauds entrepreneurs like Kennedy Odede of SHOFCO in Kenya, whose grassroots school initiatives demonstrate hybrid development—a blend of local insight and corporate partnership. This model replaces the outdated “colonial overhang” of importing Northern solutions to Southern problems. By elevating local leaders’ agency, companies like Safaricom and Bayer help embed innovation in communities where growth will define the future economy.

“A world cannot be prosperous until everyone has access to learning that unlocks their potential.”

–Alice Korngold

For you, this reframes education from charity to strategy. Investing in learning equity builds skilled employees, engaged citizens, and future consumers. When inclusion becomes a design principle for learning, prosperity stops being a zero-sum game.

In conclusion, Korngold envisions a transformative era in which business, civil society, and government co-create an inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world. She reminds us that this future is achievable only when companies see themselves as global citizens willing to rewrite capitalism’s rulebook.

The Moral and Economic Mandate

We can no longer separate profit from planet, or business from people. As Korngold shows, racial justice, gender equity, and climate stewardship are essential for peace and prosperity. Boards must ensure independence, transparency, and diversity to reflect a global society. When corporate governance amplifies inclusion, it catalyzes creativity and shared wealth.

Paul Farmer’s words echo throughout the book: “Building a broader sense of the commons—beyond nationality—guarantees our species a share of the fruits of progress.” Korngold applies this to corporate life. Companies transcend borders; their choices ripple worldwide. By embracing governance as stewardship, not control, they can repair broken systems—economic, environmental, and social—and ensure stability for generations ahead.

“Promoting inclusion and sustainability isn’t charity—it’s survival.”

–Alice Korngold

At its core, A Better World, Inc. invites you—whether you sit on a board, manage a team, or invest in a company—to join the movement of conscious enterprise. The tools are there: ESG metrics, diverse leadership, and cross-sector alliances. What remains is the will to act. When governance becomes global compassion in practice, business becomes not part of the problem but the most powerful engine of solutions the world has ever known.