Reinventing Capitalism for a Sustainable Future

On September 17, 2025, the PSEII's Social Impact Lab hosted Judy Samuelson, SOM MPPM ’83, Founder and Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Program, for a conversation about the changing role of corporations in society. Samuelson, author of Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World, drew on decades of experience to challenge how companies define purpose and measure success.

Samuelson argued that profits are necessary for survival, but they cannot be a company’s ultimate purpose. “Money is like oxygen,” she said—essential, but not the reason we get up in the morning. Instead, businesses must ground themselves in a deeper animating purpose, whether advancing health, addressing climate change, or fostering trust.

Samuelson described the importance employees and the board. “Employees are the company,” Samuelson noted, pointing out that they are often the strongest allies for long-term success, as their livelihoods and sense of meaning are directly tied to the enterprise. Samuelson emphasized the role of directors as stewards of the enterprise, with fiduciary responsibility to the company itself rather than only to shareholders. By design, boards have the ability—and the obligation—to prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains.

The discussion highlighted Samuelson’s conviction that transforming capitalism is an ongoing relay race, requiring alignment of purpose, workforce, and governance to build a more sustainable and humane economy.

Following the event, Emily Nagler ’25 reflected, “Judy Samuelson’s career is the embodiment of business & society – a phrase that inspires so many of us at SOM. I was particularly interested to hear how her thinking on these topics has evolved throughout her career, and how she continues to evaluate the most effective levers that we can pull to make businesses more responsible towards their workers, the environment, and other aspects of society. I think everyone in the room will try to take those lessons forward into our own internships and careers.”