10-03.

Economy of Communion in Freedom

Pattern description

The Economy of Communion (EOC) project is an initiative of the international ecclesial and ecumenical Focolare Movement, and is a concrete attempt to address acute social problems by creating businesses that are integral parts of their communities. The project requires member businesses to commit, after an appropriate investment in the sustainability of the business, a part of their profits to direct aid for those in need and another part toward nurturing a “culture of giving”(http://www.edc-online.org). The EOC presents examples of companies that are both successful global competitors as well as clear and intentional manifestations of “lived” faith in the business world. It was started by Chiara Lubich in May 1991, in São Paulo, Brazil, with the aim of building a human society where, following the example of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, "no one among them was in need" .

Inventive problems

The company should meet the product needs of society, so that society benefits from the product.

The company should meet the needs of stakeholders (employees, managers, business owners) so that stakeholders could meet their living needs (work, income, social needs).

The company should be large and have a complex structure to perform a large number of diverse operations for the development, production, and delivery of a complex product to the customers.

The company should be small and have a simple structure in order to:

  • reduce the variety and complexity of the company activities;
  • focus on a small number of core operations;
  • have a small stuff;
  • minimize the cost of development, production, sale, and delivery of products to customers.