What people expect of business is fundamentally changing, as is the definition of what it means to act in the public interest. In a world of uncertainty, business must help address society’s most intractable problems.
Serving the public interest requires going beyond the economic context to include the interplay among business behavior, financial markets, and the long-term health and sustainability of society and the planet.
Today’s business organisations should see themselves as serving ends that go beyond financial success. Deloitte advocates for every company to define its overarching purpose and offer a clear explanation of how it makes a positive impact in society, not only for shareholders, but also for customers, employees, suppliers, communities and the planet.
This reflects Deloitte’s own Purpose-led approach, one that’s shared increasingly throughout the business community and articulated by organisations such as the US trade association of CEOs, the US Business Roundtable’s Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation and The World Economic Forum’s Davos Manifesto 2020: The Universal Purpose of a Company in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
For organisations that provide audit and assurance services, the concept of public interest traditionally focused on providing reliable information for capital markets, specifically around a company’s management, its operating model and internal controls. Deloitte understands that while this remains a critical component, its public interest responsibilities have expanded to include issues such as sustainability and societal impact. Consistent with its commitment to purpose and to act in the public interest, Deloitte aims to be transparent about nonfinancial measures of business performance and provides disclosure of wider environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. Deloitte shares these public interest metrics through the lens of its services, people and operations, as well as its impact on society.
Deloitte’s commitment to responsible business underlies everything we do. It’s more than just doing the right thing; it’s about demonstrating how we live our Purpose and Shared Values through the company we keep. This is articulated in Deloitte’s Commitment to Responsible Business Practices Statement, which outlines our beliefs and the commitments we have made, to inform our decision-making.
Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, and tax and related services around the world—always striving to act in the public interest, exercise the highest ethical standards and deliver the highest-quality services.
Following are some examples of how these services benefit the public interest:
Through the challenges and uncertainties of the past year, Deloitte has strengthened credibility and trust with stakeholders by consistently living our purpose.
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