I remember playing an exciting role-playing game in the PlayStation1 called “Suikoden II”.  It is a game where the hero leads a rebellion army to unite the state called Dunan.

Before the climatic final war, Shu the strategist asks the hero, (paraphrased) “Would you choose the easy path, the path of the ordinary and safe, or the path of thorns, the path of the glorious king?”

The path of thorns is uneasy, is risky, is unsafe.  But at the end of it lies the greater goal, the greater purpose.

There are businesses that have failed and gained massive losses.  What more if CSR, touted as “cost”, is integrated?

Entrepreneurship is a hard road, with only a select few from the many being able to succeed after their initial and jumpstarting years.  What more if the enterprise is a social, eco/green, or sustainable one?

This is the path of thorns that the change makers must traverse.

Awhile ago, we helped conduct the YFC Sports Festival at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament near Mindanao Avenue and Quirino Highway.  The activity started and ended in prayer through song worship.

And boy, it has been a long time since I’ve been part of a song worship.

Then it occurred to me: what if spirituality became an integral part of any organization?  Is it not a wonderful and satisfying feeling to offer activities to a Higher Being through glorifying songs of worship and exultation?

Is it not great, even if one considers himself an atheist, to offer actions and activities in the name and pursuit of Common Good?

I believe that if activities and programs would be seen more than just activities, if they would be seen as offerings for a Higher Purpose, then ethics will follow.  The great thing about spiritual organizations is that all of their functions have an innate greater intent – to celebrate God or whatever ones consider as the Higher Being.

As Peter Drucker mentioned, businesses can learn from nonprofits.  And I’d like to add that businesses can learn from spiritual organizations as well.

Above the profit motive and all the financials, we humans, whatever religions or faith we believe in, have greater purpose.  We are not here just to survive, but rather, fulfill our greater destiny.

It’s amazing how my part-time internship in the foundation, the shared learning in COSORES, and my continuous search for engaging in businesses with higher purpose converges in this one thought: spirituality.

Business gurus such as Philip Kotler has recognized how the market is shifting towards spirit-driven consumption.  Visser has contended how CSR must now focus on sustainability as well.  We are living in times where finally, businesses and organizations touted with brutal efficiency are now being imbued with the needs of the spirit to achieve higher purpose.

Truly, exciting times.

We will be involved in the Youth for Christ (YFC) for our Shared Learning activity in COSORES.  I think this is a great exposure to see how a Christ-centric organization functions, and how we can integrate our business student skills and talents to help their organization achieve their goals or execute projects.

I remember encountering a book, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s by Peter Drucker.  The management guru’s book is about what lessons companies and businesses can learn from nonprofits.

And indeed, this learning experience will show us in its simplest form, how organizations work which are not driven by profit.  Even more interesting?  They are driven by a benevolent of God – Jesus Christ.

If Ms. Pia, our professor, does approve this shared learning experience proposal, then I think we will be uncovering great insights.  Exciting, indeed.

CSR is a continuous growing field. According to Wayne Visser, the old model of CSR is evolving – from Corporate Social Responsibility, it is rephrased to Corporate Sustainability and Responsibity.

From Social to Sustainability.

This addresses the need to address not just the poor and the society, but also the ecological implications of business and corporate processes.

The thing is, as a business student, the field is growing fast and is even being married to development and sustainability issues. The assumptions of pure profit maximization and cost minimization are being challenged by our need to take care of the planet.

It is exciting that we are entering a revolution where established principles are being challenged and are in fact evolving. Philip Kotler (2010) wrote Marketing 3.0, which contents propose that we are shifting to spirit-driven consumption. People consider how the products and services affect the society, and whether the consumers, through patronizing a brand, can contribute to a certain cause. For Visser, he is now establishing the new CSR 2.0 which shifts towards sustainability.

The challenge for me now is to marry my desire to earn a good living while integrating the value of sustainability and responsibility. CSR 2.0 and Marketing 3.0 will be my foundation principles.