Conscience Incorporated - by Michael H Posner (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Category Winner, 2025 PROSE Awards: Business, Finance, and Management Category

A guide for business leaders working to create socially conscious, sustainable companies--while pursuing profits

Amid growing international concerns about income inequality, labor abuses, racial injustice, and disinformation online, Conscience Incorporated examines the gaps in current corporate social responsibility measures and what more needs be done to address these challenges. The rise of new technologies such as smartphones and social media have made it easier than ever to document and spread awareness of corporate actions. Despite these developments, large corporations often fail to meaningfully address the human rights abuses linked to their business models and practices. In Conscience Incorporated, Michael Posner addresses what lies at the root of these challenges, drawing on his extensive personal experience as a human rights lawyer, State Department official under President Obama, chair of the Fair Labor Association and Director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern School of Business.

Drawing from research into the history of business ethics and anchoring his argument with examples of companies publicly accused of human rights abuses--Nike, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Meta, and more--Posner provides a blueprint for global business leaders to navigate human rights challenges and adopt sustainable corporate practices. Conscience Incorporated highlights the need for increased protections for outsourced workers in faraway nations, greater attention to harmful online content, and prioritization of human rights by investors. He argues that growing public awareness has not been enough to enforce ethical practices for global businesses. As a result, governments, especially in Europe, are becoming more involved in regulating global business practices in various industries.

Posner proposes a series of concrete reforms and argues compellingly for why businesses need to devote greater time and resources to protecting basic human rights. Conscience Incorporated is a powerful challenge to the status quo and advocates for a fundamental shift in the principles that govern global businesses.

Review Quotes

"Conscience Incorporated provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to today's business and human rights issues. Drawing on decades of experience, it identifies practical steps forward for the business community to meaningfully engage with human rights issues."-- "LSE Review of Books"

"[A] bracing debut... Posner is forthright about the difficulties corporate reformers face, but the damning reports on the atrocious foreign labor conditions that power American companies demonstrate the urgent need to do so. This will galvanize readers."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"A book that every CEO, every sustainability advocate, every MBA student, and every person who wants to advance human rights in a global economy should be reading."--Hillary Rodham Clinton, from the book's Preface

"A great read for leaders committed to advancing their businesses and protecting the rights of the most vulnerable. Drawing on his extensive experience as a human rights lawyer, State Department official, and chair of the Fair Labor Association, Posner offers compelling case studies and a pragmatic framework on how today's global companies can focus on the bottom line while advancing fundamental human rights globally."--Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft

"A powerful case for why companies must prioritize human rights, not only for ethical reasons but also for their long-term sustainability...Through engaging narratives and practical recommendations, Posner empowers activists, consumers, and decision-makers alike to hold corporations accountable and drive meaningful progress towards a more just and equitable world."--Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

"Academic, advocate, and alliance builder Mike Posner has been deeply engaged in advancing human rights for decades. In Conscience Incorporated, he makes the compelling case why businesses must--and can--incorporate human rights into their work. In this age where human rights are at stake both nearby and on distant shores, his book is a wakeup call for business leaders."--Peter Tufano, Harvard Business School

"Combining a passion for human rights with deep on-the-ground knowledge and decades of experience in activism and policy making, Posner makes a strong case that corporations must embrace a human rights agenda if we are ever to achieve a sustainable global order in terms of levels of economic justice, environmental health, democracy and integrity of media."--William Milberg, Professor of Economics and Former Dean, The New School for Social Research

"Densely packed yet lively and intriguing, Posner's Conscience Incorporated is a handbook for anyone who cares about democracy, economics, human rights, journalism, fair pay, history, technology, communication, and so on."--Paul Steiger, Former Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal

"Mike Posner has brought all his expertise and integrity together in writing this timely and important book. At a time when European governments are developing regulatory models that will help define the responsibilities of global companies with respect to human rights, Conscience Incorporated provides an insightful historical perspective as well as a valuable, practical roadmap for the future."--Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland (1990-1997) and Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002)