Imagine you’re in the paper towel section at the grocery store. There are many options to choose from. Many express environmental or other Beloved Community values on their packaging. You’d prefer to purchase products from companies that have good records of corporate citizenship, but how do you even know what companies own what product brands much less, what companies are good citizens? You pull out your smartphone and go to the Beloved Community Action APP, and scan the barcode on the product. A display comes up that gives you a rating based on the socially responsible investor ratings for the parent company. These ratings measure Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores for all publicly traded companies.
Doing the right thing, the Beloved Community thing, is a lot easier if the information is easily attainable when you’re making the purchase decision. The idea here is to provide tools that facilitate consumers ability to bring meaningful Beloved Community supportive actions into their daily lives. The ability to select a product from a good corporate citizen is an example. This is not just a feel-good thing. Companies are very risk averse, and we have seen them take actions to maintain good Environmental, Social, and Governance ratings in-order to maintain their stock value.
I see two ways this kind of thing could help bring about Beloved Community. First it gives us a tool to use to help us vote with our money for the values we care about.
And second, it could give us a tool to reach-out with and connect with other communities whether other religions or groups. That is the essense of Beloved Community.