Change the World

In times of economic anxiety, the idea of a company choosing to make business decisions based on a sense of social responsibility can seem quaint, or even softheaded. Facing a wildly volatile trade climate, fears of inflation, and the unpredictable and unstoppable AI revolution, many companies have reverted to a back-to-basics mindset—focusing on the bottom line and putting “stakeholder capitalism” on the back burner. 

But this calculus is different for companies that have baked social problem-solving into their business models. Their leaders recognize that there’s profit to be made from having a positive impact on people and the planet—whether directly, through sales of their products and services, or indirectly, as their actions build a stronger talent pool, attract more customers, and strengthen the economic resiliency of their communities. And in uncertain times, that value proposition only gets stronger.

Our Change the World list, now in its 11th year, features 50 companies that put these principles into practice, selected by our editors from a short list of about 250. They fall into four buckets: protecting the environment; improving health and safety; serving the underserved; and empowering people economically—including training them to use AI.