The culture of business is, of course, to create more business. Any company that loses sight of the basics ” profitability, competitiveness and so on ” won't be around for long. But the idea of “culture” takes in more than dollars and cents. It's also a reflection of how an organization treats key audiences, such as shareholders, employees, customers and the larger community in which it operates. A couple of columns in this issue address this topic and explain how “doing good” can also be good for the bottom line.

In our “Leadership” column, Stephen Xavier makes the link between taking one's civic responsibilities seriously and growing as a leader. Writing checks to local charities is wonderful, but Xavier notes there are many other ways to get involved in the community. They are more time-consuming, sure, but can provide personal and professional benefits that monetary donations cannot. Among his ideas: Serving on the boards of non-profits, teaching at the local junior college or volunteering at a crisis center or shelter.

Business leaders are uniquely qualified and positioned to influence trends. As Kirsten Srinivasan points out on page 216, this can be demonstrated when they expect their companies to give all job applicants an equal chance. It's an idea few would argue against, but as recent studies have pointed out, young African-American men continue to have a harder time getting hired than their non-black counterparts. What can you do about it? Srinivasan suggests offering internships, scholarships or mentoring programs, among other steps.

“Playing fair doesn't seem like much to ask,” she notes. And, after all, which company wouldn't want to have fair play as part of its own culture?

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