Working Title
HELD IN TRUST The Life of Godric Bader and the Scott Bader Commonwealth
by Fiona Joseph (Author of the biography, BEATRICE The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune)
Synopsis
HELD IN TRUST is about the lifelong struggle of a socially-responsible CEO to defeat harmful capitalist practices and transform the business world into a fairer, peaceful and more just environment.
Photo: David Travis Photography
For me, there are no heroes in business – other than Scott Bader.
Anita Roddick, late founder of The Body Shop
Godric Bader has clung with barnacle tenacity to the notion that one can be fair, moral, widely informed and behave with propriety – and still be successful – in the frequently ruthless groves of big business.
John Swinfield, Former Business Columnist Evening Standard
More info
Until 1951, Scott Bader Ltd was a traditional family-owned chemical company, specialising in polymers for plastics and paints, and competing ruthlessly against its rivals like Bakelite. But Godric Bader’s father Ernest decided the capitalist model of industry promoted greed and selfishness and set about transferring the ownership of Scott Bader to the workforce so the company could be run collectively as a Commonwealth (wealth-in-common). Shortly afterwards Godric Bader was appointed as MD and Chairman of this new experiment in industrial democracy. Thus began his struggle to transform Scott Bader into a viable, profitable company, whilst trying to defeat the forces of capitalism that threatened to undermine the values and vision of the Scott Bader Commonwealth. Keeping the flame alive for future generations was never easy but Godric Bader has somehow managed it – just about.
HELD IN TRUST is the frank and compelling account of this lifelong battle.
Key features of the book
1. Explains why the formation of the Scott Bader Commonwealth would not have happened without the Second World War.
2. Highs and lows from a turbulent life spanning 92 years including:
– an unusual childhood brought up by convention-defying parents
– how being a WW2 Conscientious Objector (conchie) in the Quaker Friends Ambulance Unit (FAU) led to the first of two nervous breakdowns
– surviving cancer and two near-death experiences
3. The inside story on how Scott Bader was almost brought to its knees by a company strike, management defection, and two serious financial recessions.
4. How Godric Bader’s peace activism and commitment to the principles of Quakerism and Gandhian non-violence put him at odds with the corporate world, but led ultimately to recognition with the Gandhi Foundation Peace Award in 2014.
Genre
Biography: Business and Industry (Politics, Religion, Economics)
Part social history, part business primer, HELD IN TRUST is also a manifesto for the ‘Common Trusteeship’ model, a bold alternative to unethical business practices which, all too often, place shareholder values over true social responsibility to the people and the planet.
Why now?
Godric Bader, 95, was presented with the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award in 2014 in recognition of the alternative business model of Common Trusteeship which the Scott Bader Commonwealth strives to live by.
More about the background of the Scott Bader Commonwealth are in these features: Stability and Commitment and From Capitalism to Commonwealth.
Who should read this book?
Business and Economics editors, MBA and Business students, all CEOs and employees, Quakers, game-changers and activists, people of faith or no faith, and anybody who believes that business and social responsibility can never be separated.
Feature editors (newspaper, radio, TV, online) and documentary producers …
Please get in touch via fiona@fionajoseph.com if you’d like to contact me or Godric Bader about a feature or to make a programme.
