Compassionate Capitalism: Understanding the Juxtaposition of Personal Gain and Concern for Others

Abstract

This article explores the concept of Compassionate Capitalism, which involves creating sustainable business models benefiting society and employees. Through Compassionate Capitalism, business owners can build trust with their customers and stakeholders, and in turn, enhance their long-term profitability through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) structure. The article also discusses the historical perspectives on Capitalism and articulates how Capitalism can coexist with compassion. It highlights the ESOP as a present-day example of Compassionate Capitalism, where employees are given a financial stake in the company for which they are employed. ESOPs redistribute ownership to the workforce and create a unique form of Capitalism that continues a successful company’s tradition. The ESOP benefits the younger members of a company, enhances retirement security, and creates a sense of ownership among employees. The article explains how employee ownership can align the interests of workers with those of management, creating a more collaborative, equitable workplace, contributing to greater overall economic growth. This article includes a case study examining a defense contractor's decision to become an employee-owned company through an ESOP transaction in 2010. The ESOP consulting firm, Executive Financial Services (EFS), provided a feasibility analysis and implementation for the transaction. Over the next decade, the company grew rapidly and eventually sold for $1.6 billion in 2020, creating hundreds of millionaires among the ESOP participants. This decision exemplifies the Compassionate Capitalism model, where the owners chose to honor and support the employees who helped build the company, creating generational wealth opportunities for myriad families. The decision to become an employee-owned company through an ESOP transaction shows that Capitalism and compassion can be compatible.