I often find myself in conversations with entrepreneurs about the future of money — decentralized systems, cryptocurrencies, and the exciting possibilities of blockchain. These are important topics. But there’s a question that’s almost always missing from the conversation:
Are we even using today’s money consciously?
We talk about what money might become, but rarely about how money works now — and how it can be strategically deployed today, not just stored, exchanged, or speculated on.
Conscious leadership calls us to a deeper responsibility. It’s not just about generating wealth. It’s about how we direct that wealth — intentionally, ethically, and in alignment with a shared purpose. In this blog, I’ve often referred to this shift as “Coronalism” or Capitalism 2.0. At its core, it’s a new way of thinking about value.
We are witnessing a redefinition of money’s role. Beyond being a store of value or a unit of account, money is becoming a policy tool, a signal, and an amplifier of intent. In the hands of conscious entrepreneurs and leaders, money becomes an instrument of positive change — a force for global progress, not just private gain.
From ESG to Conscious Capital
Discussions about climate change and sustainability are now fixtures in the corporate world. We see this in the momentum behind the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the widespread participation in the UN Global Compact — with over 12,000 companies committed to aligning their strategies with global sustainability objectives. Even before that, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) began setting the tone for responsible business.
This isn’t a passing trend. It’s part of a long arc — a deep transformation that has its roots over a century ago. The seeds of modern ESG thinking were sown in the early 1900s, when forward-looking leaders first imagined how the market could solve social problems. Back then, money was beginning to be seen not only as a transaction tool, but as a lever for impact.
The earliest form of ethical investment came through exclusion. Religious investors would avoid industries like tobacco or alcohol. This “negative screening” approach was a moral stance — the first quiet signal that money could reflect values.
But the road wasn’t linear.
By the 1970s and 1980s, a different mindset took hold. Milton Friedman — one of the most influential economists of the time — famously argued that the sole responsibility of business was to increase shareholder value. The idea of using corporate money for anything other than short-term profit was dismissed, even ridiculed.
It was the golden age of “make money now.”
For many, it still is.
Enter Conscious Money
Today, we know better. Or at least, we should.
Our economy is too interconnected, our social challenges too urgent, and our environmental limits too clear to keep playing by the old rules. Conscious money rejects the narrow Friedman doctrine. It’s a call to align financial power with long-term value, shared prosperity, and ethical stewardship.
And yet, many young entrepreneurs are still stuck in the 1980s mindset — unaware of the enormous shift in how value is being defined, regulated, and rewarded. When I meet them, I often find myself walking them through the frameworks and tools that now shape the world of business and investment.
Here are some of the most important:
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
Launched by the United Nations in 2006, PRI is a global movement that encourages institutional investors to integrate ESG factors into their decision-making. Over 4,000 signatories now manage more than $100 trillion in assets — a clear sign that conscious capital is not niche; it’s becoming the norm.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
These 17 goals provide a shared blueprint for peace, prosperity, and planetary health. They’re not just for governments — they’re a framework for businesses to align their strategies with global challenges, from inequality to climate change.
Sustainable Development Frameworks and Reporting (SDFR)
These tools help companies measure and communicate their contributions to the SDGs. They’re about accountability, transparency, and coherence. In short, they give leaders the structure to act on purpose — and prove it.
EU Taxonomy Regulation
This regulation defines what qualifies as an environmentally sustainable economic activity. It’s designed to fight greenwashing and direct capital toward genuine sustainability. It matters, because what gets measured gets managed — and what gets classified gets funded.
This is how money works now.
Not just as currency.
But as conscious money — money that carries intent, that reflects values, that’s aligned with purpose.
And that’s something every leader needs to understand.
Conscious Leadership Tip #14
Don’t just talk about the future of money. Master its present.
Before speculating on where money is going, understand how it flows today. Learn the systems — ESG, SDGs, SDFR, PRI, EU Taxonomy — that define the new playing field. Then use your capital as a tool for impact, not just income. Conscious leaders don’t just generate money. They guide it.