The future of global business is freedom. In the 21st century, global capitalist businesses and business associations that do not understand this future will increasingly find themselves on the outside of markets and rejected by a growing global customer base. In business, every customer matters, and a business cannot have effective customer service if it ignores the necessity of human rights and dignity for all of their customers. Successful businesses will grasp this reality. Successful businesses will also realize as their brands are associated in their home nation with respect and rights for others, their global brand must also demonstrate such commitment to universal human rights and dignity for all. It is simply good business.

Every Customer Matters: When we appeal for consistency on our universal human rights for all people, it is not only a call to individual human conscience. For the global capitalist community, it is also a call for good business practices in respecting all of their customers in humanity.

Those of us working for or involved with capitalist businesses all of have such choices in our lives. We can choose a life which allows us to work and live in a business world, where we continue to urge respect, dignity, and human rights for all. It is a balance that we can and that we must maintain.

Our society is more than numbers, goods, services, and profit. First and foremost, our society is built upon people. Our society is comprised of people with universal human rights – in every identity group and every part of the world – without exception.

To my friends in business, let us never forget that our commitment to such universal human rights is to our ultimate customers in humanity. Without those customers, we will have no business. This is not about politics. This is about customer service. Our businesses must have a consistent commitment to universal human rights and dignity to their customers in humanity as a fundamental aspect ofgood business practices. Every customer matters, every customer deserves the respect and dignity required by our universal human rights.

Global Business Ethics and the UDHR Guideline: When it comes to international capitalist business, we need to be consistent on global business ethics, just like American businesses are committed to such business ethics in their home country. In businesses across America, you will see signs affirmatively stating their unequivocal support for various business ethics, including the American Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which businesses post in multiple languages.

It wasn’t always like that. I grew up seeing signs in Virginia that stated “white clientele only.” But just like America could change, our businesses could also change and today you will see across the country their open support of such human rights for people of different races and genders in this country. American businesses hold classes on diversity and respect for other Americans.

Some may think that we need an Equal Opportunity Act for our international business. But in fact, we have such guidelines today. Adopted in December 1948 by the United Nations, the world has a Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is posted in the languages of people around the world. It is supported by later covenants, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

For American multi-national corporations and companies doing business around the world, a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) must be as much of our global business as a commitment to America’s Constitution and the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Act is a part of American business practices. Just like our customers in America know that our businesses support the EEO Act, our customers around the world must know we support the UDHR. It should be a standard for global capitalist business operations and initiatives around the world. Global businesses and business councils should be proud of their stand on the UDHR, and it should be part of their global corporate identity.

Will such consistent commitment to universal human rights offend some cultures? In our history, we have seen that business commitment to Equal Opportunities and human rights for Americans certainly offended some cultures, including those who that sought racially segregated services and operations. It no doubt offended those who thought that black Americans had to sit in the back of the bus, those who desired segregated schools, restaurants, and other places. Yes, those who seek to deny human rights and dignity to their fellow human beings get offended by those who consistently support such rights and dignity. But as you can see, America and American business survived. Our conscience did not destroy capitalism.

Global capitalism’s commitment to the standards set by the Universal Declaratation of Human Rights won’t destroy capitalism either. Our global customers must know that we respect their human rights and we respect their dignity – without exception. Our business and capitalist organizations must demonstrate that they don’t only support the rights of some, but support the rights of all. Our businesses and capitalist organizations must demonstrate they support the human rights and dignity for all of our fellow human beings. It is good business.

Captains of Industry Chart Their Courses: There is no course in business that is a straight and simple path. Every business requires the ability to recognize new products and services, new markets, and adaptation to market and customer changing needs. This requires businesses to take quick and decisive action.

We have also seen industry leaders take quick and decisive action, when they are engaged with other organizations as well, based on their corporate and individual conscience and in the best interest of society.

So it was in November 2011, that U.S. Steel CEO John Surma had to make difficult and unpopular decisions at the Pennsylvania State University, while he was a member of the Board of Trustees and faced with reports regarding a child sex abuse case at the university. No one will mistake a tough business such as U.S. Steel for being a social activist group, or financial expert Mr. Surma as a street activist for human rights. But industry leaders can make decisions that are challenging and even unpopular, when human rights and dignity are challenged.

A challenge to the human rights of one of your customers is a challenge to the human rights of all of your customers. Because every one of your customers matter, and every one of your customers will remember the values and standards that your business brand represents.

Successful business industry leaders think ahead, because their business growth is not only based on what they do today, but also based on where they plan to go tomorrow. Global capitalist ventures know that for every business success they make today, they must be planning to equal or better such success the next day.

The world will continue to become more free. In the 21st century, the concept of dictatorships and oppression of human identity groups will continue to become old news and bad business.

The future of business is freedom.

For global businesses to be successful with the changing marketplace, they must ensure that their corporate identity is associated with this reality and that their corporate activities and public relations are based in a clearly communicated commitment to our universal human rights.

Our global businesses cannot have effective capitalist growth or customer service – without a consistent commitment to global human rights. The bottom-line is that such capitalism is dependent on people – and people are ultimately dependent of the freedoms of their universal human rights.

Global Capitalism's Customers -- and Where Our Universal Human Rights Apply...