Humanity: The Root of Diversity and the Engine of Innovation
“Many corporations today emphasize diversity in the workplace and society, recognizing its link to innovation and economic growth. Yet, implementation often falls short because we forget one essential truth: real diversity is rooted in humanity, real innovation serves humanity!” Robin Nguyen
Part 3: Innovation for People vs Innovation for Growth
When people talk about innovation, they usually mean product tweaks, new offerings, or improvements in marketing and operations—changes aimed primarily at business growth. Some ventures begin with a human-centered purpose, but as they scale or take on outside capital, that purpose often shifts toward revenue and targets. Growth is valuable, but when it becomes the sole objective, it can erode core values, harm smaller competitors, and leave communities behind.
In education, for example, some founders start schools or learning centers to develop students’ skills and contribute social value. Once growth pressure or investor expectations enter the picture, priorities can change: mission statements give way to sales targets, and helping people becomes secondary to financial metrics. That cycle—investment, rapid expansion, exit, buy-and-sell—can damage the original mission and, paradoxically, undermine long-term sustainability because financial growth alone rarely preserves purpose.
Innovation for people is disappearing in a capitalist world when purpose becomes growth. Elevating GDP and other numeric targets into the primary measures of success turns metrics into norms and sidelines human and environmental well‑being. When success is defined mainly by material gain, younger generations learn to equate achievement with wealth—a dangerous shift. We should also recognize that unchecked growth fuels burnout and inequality, which can trigger recurring economic crises and, over longer cycles, contribute to large‑scale conflicts and environmental disasters.
I want to share this with all startups and entrepreneurs: prioritize humanity and the environment in every innovation. A meaningful business—no matter how small—is valuable even if it doesn’t make you rich; our lives gain purpose when the work we do serves people and the planet. When you lead with purpose, diversity naturally becomes part of your business, because people are the true source of human‑centered innovation.
Author: Robin Nguyen