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Today, we are living deep inside the Consumer Story, a foundational story of humans as inherently self-interested and competitive. This story has shaped not just individual behaviour but organisational design, economic theory, the role of government, morality — all of culture and society. But this is not as inevitable and inescapable as it feels, for stories do change…

JonJoin us as Jon Alexander shares his vision for the Citizen Story, where we see ourselves as the creative, capable, caring creatures we are. We realise that all of us are smarter than any of us. We get involved.

is author of , and co-founder of the New Citizenship Project, a book and company that work to shift the dominant story of the individual in society from Consumer to Citizen. Among other plaudits, CITIZENS was recently listed by McKinsey as one of its Top 5 Recommended Books in its Summer Reading Guide 2022, described as "an underground hit" in the Financial Times, and selected by the World Economic Forum for its CEO Book Club.

Jon began his career with a decade in the advertising industry, winning the prestigious Big Creative Idea of the Year, before making a dramatic change. Driven by a deep need to understand the impact on society of 3,000 commercial messages a day, he gathered three Masters degrees, exploring Consumerism and its alternatives from every angle. In 2014, he co-founded the New Citizenship Project to bring the resulting ideas into contact with reality. In CITIZENS, he is ready to share them with the world.


Who is it for?

This event will have relevance for;

  • Business professionals;
  • Students, faculty and staff in the fields of business, marketing, sustainability or management;
  • Practitioners and academics with an interest in bringing together the marketing and sustainability disciplines to drive positive change;
  • People with a wider interest in sustainable business.

Sustainability Network Speaker Series

The Sustainability Network Speaker Series is the platform for our network of 美姬阁 students, faculty, staff, and alumni, our partners in industry and sustainability enthusiasts to hear from thought leaders across sectors. The series is a chance to delve into sustainability-related hot topics and explore the challenges and opportunities related to embedding sustainability in diverse industry sectors. We typically host panels and lectures with a mix of thought leaders, sustainability and industry professionals, government, NGOs and academe to seed these discussions. Every session has an opportunity for you to ask questions and get involved in the discussion, as well as a chance to connect with other like-minded people.


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