Giving value to both workers and work

The concept of 'social business' seems to be selling fairly well. Some credit for it must be given to the vigour with which Bangladesh's only Nobel Laureate has been advocating the idea around the world. In the aftermath of the global financial mess, enlightened wealth-creators today seem keen to be seen as socially responsible investors and sharing a part of their profits for the common good. With the global 'Occupy' movement exposing the abysmal gap between the greedy few and the needy billions, this might serve as a little salve. But nothing less than a sea-change is called for, if the world is to be rid of the worst inequities and injustices that have brought it to such a pass. Most analysts seem to agree that the root cause of the financial turmoil was, and still is, the huge deficit in the moral and human spirit which does not let sound ethics rule economic behaviour. The real purpose of the market is to create wealth, but what the social business advocates insist is that it should also fulfill a duty towards the wider community rather than act with complete disregard for people at large. According to critics, the moral spirit of capitalism, which is to serve humanity in all its complexity and spiritual dimensions, has instead been riding roughshod over the 'working classes' -- devaluing both the workers and the work -- while feeding the unlimited greed of a handful at the top. The solution lies in sharing the proceeds equitably with all other partners who make business possible, most importantly those at the bottom. In addition, business must address problems like environmental degradation and poverty, and thus 're-attach capitalism to its original moral moorings.' Corporate prosperity in the world has unfortunately been at the cost --- sometimes irreparably ---- of the natural habitat and its resources and people, over the last few hundred years of ruthless and indiscriminate exploitation. Countries like Bangladesh that are struggling to raise their standard of life, must avoid the gross mistakes and build on the positive experiences all around. Bangladesh cannot afford ignoring the urgent need to distribute work, wages, and amenities as fairly and equitably as required in order to upgrade itself as a humane middle-income country if entrepreneurship continues to grow at the current rate. Much is heard about the need to develop the available human resource to fit the market, but requisite skill development facilities are yet to be at par with the demand for properly trained labour at home or abroad. Most of Bangladesh's hard-working hands could have earned far more, and could have been placed in better workplaces, if their full potential had been tapped through quality training to ensure higher working and living standards abroad. Most deaths in the Middle East are said to be due to poor food intake, dehydration and heat stroke. All such tragedies could have been avoided if the workers had been given the basics of self-care knowledge prior to taking up their jobs. High time both the workers and the work they do are valued properly.