I recently enjoyed reading a book written by Virgin’s Richard Branson. The book was titled Business Stripped Bare and walked through some of the practical lessons that Branson has learnt throughout his 40 years in business.

Branson attributed the success of the Virgin group to many factors, however one that really stood out for me was his ethics and care for others. It is common knowledge that Virgin have a strong environmental focus as shown in their trial flight earlier this year when one of it’s aeroplane engines was fuelled entirely by coconut oil.

He also has a real care for his staff. Throughout the book, he continually pushed the point that it is the staff at the coalface of his business that result in the success of the business. He emphasises that staff need to enjoy the work they do and have a fun and uplifting workplace. He also prioritises the health of his staff, and not just through standard means. This is highlighted in African communities where he has put a large amount of funding to assist with health care not only of staff but also for their communities.

This caring approach has obviously paid off on, with the Virgin group now being one of the world’s most successful organisations and also an organisation which attracts talented staff.