Leadership encompasses the set of human capabilities that enable individuals to influence the attitudes or behaviours of other people or teams. It is a complex phenomenon, as individuals may be influenced by various leaders in different contexts -at work, ideologically or socially - and may themselves influence others in different circumstances.
In the business world, leadership exists in both formal and informal or influence-based forms. In complex organisations, leadership is exercised by many. While one individual may officially hold the role of “leader of leaders,” people at different organisational levels lead their respective teams. Even top leaders are influenced by other forces such as shareholders, clients, suppliers or executive teams.

A humanistic enterprise is characterised by a governance framework that respects human rights and the biosphere. It is defined by its commitment to engagement with stakeholders (those third parties directly or indirectly affected by the company’s operations) and its alignment with the organisation’s core mission.
The alignment between corporate objectives and relevant stakeholders becomes the backbone of the company’s activity. These two components—objectives and stakeholders—are fundamentally interdependent and should be the foundation of all governance efforts.

To manage is to unite intentions in the pursuit of shared objectives. Corporate governance serves as the means through which these objectives are achieved. It is a manner of governing which aspires to the attainment of enduring economic, social and institutional development. At the heart of humanistic corporate governance lies the civic commitment to actively contributing to the advancement of humanity, through principles and guidelines inherent in business humanism.
Humanistic governance is the way in which companies assume and manage their civic responsibility. It encompasses the planning, organisation, implementation, co-ordination and evaluation of decisions in line with the core purpose of the organisation. Its objective is the attainment of sustainable institutional progress.

Society is increasingly calling for civic-minded behaviour. Today’s reality reveals a growing social activism demanding higher standards of aptitude and conduct from enterprises, which are now scrutinised by traditional media and digital platforms alike. This scrutiny means every detail of their operations, philosophy, policies, strategies, use of resources, structures and leadership style becomes more transparent.

In the pursuit of a humanistic framework for co-existence (one that seeks to promote society’s well-being1), economics plays a central role. As a social science, economics is concerned with the study of the economic activities of humans, their institutions and behavioural patterns. It examines how societies manage scarce resources, studies the choices made by individuals, businesses and governments for addressing scarcity and analyses the relationships formed in the production of goods and services aimed at meeting human needs.

Civilization and human society are deeply linked to each other and to the idea of progress. In this inclusive vision, aligned with the values common to a universal civilization that defends responsible progress, humanism emphasizes the individual and collective value of human beings, and prefers critical thinking over the acceptance of dogmas. Thus, in general, humanism refers to a behavior or attitude that exalts the human race from a perspective that affirms freedom and responsible progress.