By Wan Eizzul Islam Wan Zulkifli
GOMBAK 4 September 2014: The Global Executive Director of Caux Round Table, Stephen Bonsal Young shared his views on various issues regarding sustainable development and world economy in an interview with IIUM.fm recently.
Expressing concerns on the planet being stripped of its resources, he spoke on his ideas to improve the world economy without having to endanger the planet. He said he had presented his suggestions on the methods and techniques to overcome the problems faced by many developing countries, especially relating to poverty and recession.
Young had called on the youth to make a difference by focussing on the issues of sustainability of environment and economy and urged graduates in the fields of economic, science and engineering to look into the possible depletion of resources and revenue.
Young challenged the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to produce graduates who would help benefit others and do good to the world.
He said: “There is nothing wrong with finding a nice paying job once you’ve graduated, but I challenge the students to do better. Find a job that can also help with the sustainability of not only the nation’s economy but the world’s.”
Stephen Young became the Global Executive Director of the Caux Round Table in 2000. He wrote the book Moral Capitalism to analyse the economic and moral approach of the Caux Round Table to free market capitalism. Moral Capitalism integrated the moral sense theory of Adam Smith with other theories of moral philosophy and economics. In 2008, Young was named one of the 23 persons who developed the corporate social responsibility movement.
A Harvard Law School graduate, Young has achieved many accolades and authored many books, but his most unique trait is his dedication to do better. He continued to work hard in order to do better not only for himself but others as well, through developing lifestyle changes in the state of economy in foreign countries.