In fact, in 2018, our definition of “good people” guided us to Peter Finn and Finn Partners, a New York-headquartered independent marketing communications agency — when we decided to be acquired by a global network, we chose Finn Partners not because of the valuation they offered, but because they were committed to using its collective professional abilities to help make the world a better place.

We believed in the values that they stood for, and, in Peter Finn, we found a bold leader who had the vision to create a global agency with a heart and a conscience. His worldwide team of over a thousand people are driven by a set of common values rooted in the idea of “doing well by doing good by working together.” Long before the stakeholder pledge was made, and before the concepts of social impact, DEI, ESG and CSR became business imperatives, Finn Partners had already built these principles into their very foundation.

Today, as an independent firm, we value our ability to say “no” to clients that are not aligned with our values. So in January this year, when 450 scientists signed a petition asking PR and advertising agencies to not work for oil and gas companies, Finn Partners was already ahead of the curve—it had already vowed to never work for the fossil fuel industry when it was founded in 2011. That no-go list has grown to include clients who are in the gun manufacturing and tobacco industries. We also do not work with clients who engage in weakening regulations related to climate change or undermining the legitimacy of climate change science, or in work that is antithetical to equal treatment for all.

With such a long list, it prompts one to wonder: Do purpose and values make for good business?

We think so. In a time of consumer activism, where critical issues of our day demand a moral reckoning and collective resolve, business ethics are an equally important catalyst to a company’s success. Moreover, research and case studies have proven that standing for more than just profits or performance actually enhances profits and performance.  Companies driven by a strong core of values tend to be more resilient, with defined workplace cultures and operational discipline. They’re also an important draw for recruitment.

For me, it comes down to a simple fact: I’d like to know that the work I do is contributing to a greater good. In my 30-plus years in this business, this has never been more urgent or necessary.

Cathy Feliciano-Chon is a marketing communications expert who is the managing director of CatchOn, a Finn Partners Company, which she founded in 1997. With offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, CatchOn is known for its holistic approach to brand communications and PR, with a particular expertise in design and property.

This essay is part of an op-ed series written by Asia's Most Influential 2021 honourees. 

NOW READ: Relevance, Resonance, and Meaning: What It Means to Be Influential in the New Asia