Our Programme

Our programme of work explores how to place the common good at the heart of the emerging new era; in the economy; in the body politic; and internationally.

Common Good Economics

There are strong pressures to resurrect the two failed models of the past half century, financial globalisation or a protectionist state-directed economy. Our programme of Common Good Economics seeks to offer a plausible and constructive alternative to both, and build the relationships to put it into action.

In partnership with Andy Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of England, we have been running a series of seminars on Common Good Economics. Participants have included representatives from the trade unions, the main political parties, faith leaders, business and academia.

We are currently developing an economic policy that aims to retrieve the common good as we recover from the economic depression coronavirus is inflicting.

Common Good Internationalism

We define internationalism as a form of global engagement distinct from globalisation, in which people, places and nations can freely express their own characteristics and traditions.

Water is held to be sacred by many different traditions and is a necessity of life and we are bringing together the central Shia institution of the Howza in Najaf, with the Church of England, the Catholic Church and the Chief Rabbinate of the United Kingdom to convene a joint statement on the necessity of sharing the water, that it is neither a private asset nor an instrument of state power but a gift of creation to all humanity. This will challenge market and state domination and further interfaith solidarity. We will be releasing a film about the world’s largest pilgrimage, the Arbaeen, in the next few months.

As coronavirus shatters the illusions of globalisation, we are also developing the framework for new sets of international alliances that promote the common good at home and abroad.

Common Good in the Body Politic

The Common Good requires the active leadership of different interests committed to a community of shared purpose. We are seeking to develop that leadership through training and engagement with leaders across business, politics and civic society.

Building on the work of community organising pioneered in the United States, we run leadership training programmes for civic and community leaders. In doing so, we strengthen the leadership of the poor and build the power of society to negotiate and build a common life with business, finance and state interests.

Over the past four years we have trained more than 1,000 people including church, mosque, trade union and local leaders across the UK. We are the UK partner of the fundamental organising body in the US, the Industrial Areas Foundation. And we have established a Social Carers Guild in Sheffield, which brings together workers, funders, managers and clients into a common institution in order to address issues of neglect, misunderstanding and anger.

We are currently working full-time in Grimsby to establish a community organisation there which can lead civic renewal in the town.