Pope to business leaders: Philanthropy is not enough

By Joseph Tulloch

On Saturday morning, Pope Francis met with a group of chief executives and employees of major companies and banks at the Vatican.

His guests were all members of the Sustainable Markets Initiativea private sector environmental network.

The pope told MPs that their decisions are of crucial importance because they “impact thousands and thousands of workers” and “affect the fate of governments.”

It is for this reason that the Pope wanted to reflect briefly with them on three subjects: the environment, the poor and young people.

The environment

The Pope urged his guests to place the environment “at the center” of their attention.

Faced with the climate crisis, he stressed, “it is no longer enough to simply respect state laws, which are moving too slowly.”

We must in fact “innovate by anticipating the future”, with “courageous and forward-looking choices” that others can imitate.

“The innovation of today’s entrepreneur,” the Pope emphasized, “must above all be innovation in the care of our common home.”

Poor people

But it is just as important, the Pope said, “not to forget the poorest and the excluded.”

Pope Francis warned against “a certain ‘meritocracy’,” which, he said, “is used to legitimize the exclusion of the poor, deemed unworthy.”

He also attacks the idea that “a little philanthropy” could be considered enough.

“The challenge is to include the poor in businesses,” the Pope said, “to make them resources that benefit everyone… I dream of a world in which the excluded can become the protagonists of change.”

The young

Finally, the Pope urged his guests to pay attention to the struggles of young people, who are often “poor in resources, in opportunities and in the future.”

He encouraged them to hire young people even when they do not have the required experience and skills, saying that “every profession is only learned by doing it”.

“Be generous,” the Pope urged, giving young people “a glimpse of the future so that an entire generation does not lose hope.”

Conclusion

Pope Francis concluded his speech by praying that God would help his guests to exercise their responsibilities well and “make courageous choices.”

“I thank you for what you are doing,” he said: “You are pioneers – do not be discouraged, but continue to be pioneers. »