Tikkun Olam: exploring a spiritual path to sustainability

Abstract

ABSTRACT What should be the role of business in society? Broad-ranging initiatives, e.g. Principles for Responsible Management Education and the Sustainable Development Goals, attempt to reshape business as a force for good, yet evidence of scandalous business behavior continues to raise troubling doubts. This literature review introduces a healing perspective grounded in spirituality as applied in the health professions. This perspective aligns with Judaism’s principle of Tikkun Olam, the obligation to repair and perfect the world, proposed as a basis for business transformation. Invoking Tikkun Olam potentially impacts current understandings of Corporate Social Responsibility and reveals a sacred dimension to the adoption of sustainability initiatives. The article contributes to the literature on transformational approaches to exercising responsibility and embedding sustainability in contemporary business.