How to make purpose practical

If you ask CEOs what their company’s purpose is, very few will say to make money. Most will reel off their mission – the thing they aim for that, if satisfied, will produce a financial return.

Money talks

There was a slight drop this year in the number of GX companies that had received venture capital or private equity funding, from 47 to 41.

Do you need a degree to become a high-growth CEO?

There’s a clear correlation between education and career success, which is why the vast majority of FTSE CEOs have a degree. The proportion among GX leaders is notably less, with over three in ten attending the famed university of life.

Which sectors grew during Covid?

Not all of our fastest growing companies were rooted in science and technology. The fastest-growing sector among Growth Index companies was in fact Arts & Media.

Good growth: Business with purpose

Purpose has assumed a central place in business thinking over the past five years. Gone, at least, are the days when CEOs could comfortably defend Milton Friedman’s famous position that their business exists only to make a profit for its shareholders.

Methodology

Companies are ranked by compound annual growth of revenue over two years. To be included, companies must be registered in the UK – however, their ultimate holding company may be offshore.

Why Growth Matters

For most businesses, ‘growth’ is a default part of their strategy. But what do we mean by ‘growth’, and how do we grow sustainably in a model rooted in enlightened self-interest which we can all believe in?

Growth Stories

Learning from the best is the fast-track to accelerated growth in your own business. We speak to the innovators and business leaders listed in Growth Index to hear how they achieved such rapid growth, and what lessons can be learned.

Good Growth

Business is no longer about simply making a profit for shareholders. We examine what the Growth Index reveals about the pursuit of deeper social or environmental missions reverberating across the business world, with people putting money where their mouth is.

Leadership Lessons

What do a veterinary hospital, cybersecurity specialist, brewer and building company have in common? You can find out in the leadership lessons breakdown, in which we highlight some of the best leadership success stories from Growth Index.