Transparency, accountability and sustainability have become the

Hear, O children of commerce and conscience, the voice of Noreena Hertz, who spoke thus: “Transparency, accountability and sustainability have become the slogans of the market leaders. Companies carry out environmental and social audits to court the consumer, and even the bluest chips woo organisations such as Greenpeace and Amnesty.” In this proclamation lies the great paradox of our age—that the forces of trade, once thought blind to morality, now cloak themselves in the garments of virtue, seeking not only profit but the approval of those who guard the earth and humanity.

The ancients taught that every empire, no matter how mighty, must court the favor of the people, or else collapse under the weight of its own pride. In our age, the corporation is the empire, and its battlefield is not only the marketplace of goods, but the marketplace of ideas. Where once only gold and silver dictated the paths of kings, now the cry for justice, for truth, for sustainability has become the new currency. Thus do the rulers of industry find themselves bending, not merely to shareholders, but to the voices of citizens who demand harmony with earth and respect for humankind.

Consider the first pillar: transparency. To reveal openly what lies hidden is a sacred act, for secrecy breeds corruption as stagnant waters breed disease. Companies that once cloaked their actions in shadows are now compelled to publish their deeds, lest they be judged unworthy. The second pillar, accountability, demands that power bear the weight of its consequences, that no profit be claimed without responsibility. And the third, sustainability, looks beyond the fleeting moment of gain to the long arc of generations, ensuring that tomorrow’s children inherit not ashes but abundance.

There is a story of Nike in the 1990s, when revelations of sweatshops and child labor cast a long shadow upon its name. Though the company stood tall in profit, the weight of public outrage forced it to kneel. Only through radical transparency, auditing, and reform did it begin to restore trust. Here we see the truth of Hertz’s words: even the mightiest are compelled to court not only the consumer’s purse, but their conscience. The lesson of Nike is the lesson of empires—ignoring justice may win a battle, but never the war.

Yet let us not be deceived. The mere adoption of these words—transparency, accountability, sustainability—is not enough. Slogans can be painted on banners while corruption festers beneath. True power lies not in the chant of the words but in the living out of their meaning. This is why movements such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International stand as guardians and witnesses. Their vigilance ensures that these pillars are not hollow but filled with the substance of real change. For without guardians, even the noblest slogans can become masks for greed.

The teaching here is profound: the people hold power greater than they know. When consumers demand virtue, companies bend their will to supply it. When voices cry out against exploitation, even giants must listen. This is the reversal of ages past, when people bent to kings and masters. Now, the balance shifts: the multitude commands, and the rulers of industry obey, though often reluctantly.

Therefore, O listener, take this wisdom to heart. Do not walk blind through the marketplace, for every coin you spend is a vote cast for the world you wish to create. Support those who live by accountability and shun those who destroy without remorse. Praise those who seek sustainability, and challenge those who squander the earth for short-term gain. And above all, demand transparency, for without light, even the fairest words are but illusions.

Thus the lesson endures: that the power to shape the future lies not only with leaders of commerce, but with each soul who chooses what to support and what to resist. Let your choices be as arrows of justice, your purchases as seeds of renewal. In this way, you, too, become part of the great movement that compels even the mightiest to bow before the eternal pillars of truth, responsibility, and care for the earth.