Policies To Benefit Workers and Economy 

Policies to Benefit Workers and the Economy

Read the full article in Harvard Business Review here

Across the world, voters have expressed deep discontent with their economic circumstances—shaped not only by recent inflation but also by financial crises, the pandemic-induced slowdown, and widening inequality over the past two decades. In the United States, many commentators are focusing on the economic divide that propelled President Donald Trump to the White House.

While the Council for Inclusive Capitalism has long engaged in conversations on economic equity, this piece reflects the personal perspective of our founder and CEO, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, on how business and government can work together to advance shared prosperity.

In her recent Harvard Business Review op-ed, Lynn shares her perspective on how business and policy leaders must seize this moment to shape an economy that rewards work, strengthens businesses, and creates long-term prosperity.

Why It Matters

More than half of low-income Americans without a college degree voted for Trump, giving him both a mandate and a responsibility to improve the economic status of working-class Americans. Research shows that lower levels of inequality are correlated with higher overall economic growth, and companies that treat workers fairly create sustained long-term value for their shareholders.

Pro-Growth and Pro-Worker Policies

In her piece, Lynn highlights three key policies that business and policy leaders can advocate for:

✅ Expand Employee Ownership – Scaling tax-advantaged programs that enable low-income workers to build wealth while improving company performance.

✅ Eliminate Federal Tax on Those Below the Poverty Line – Allowing low-wage earners to keep more of their income would reduce administrative costs of tax and benefits programs while rewarding work over unemployment.

✅ Raise the Minimum Wage to a Living Wage – Ensuring wages reflect the cost of living would increase worker well-being, improve workplace culture, and reduce government expenditures on public assistance programs—a key priority of the Trump administration.

Go deeper

Explore Lynn Forester de Rothschild’s perspective in her latest Harvard Business Review op-ed: 3 Policies to Guide a Pro-Growth, Pro-Worker Economy Under Trump.