Work, as it has traditionally been structured, has aligned itself with values and goals that sit outside of human relationships, reciprocity, development, and care. Instead of centring people and communities, our systems of labour and productivity have been shaped by ideals of efficiency, ownership, control, and competition—ideals that reward the exclusion or elimination of others. This has led to the rise of organisational cultures that mirror and reinforce these values: systems that are structured to pathologise difference, to marginalise the vulnerable, and to measure worth in non-human terms—profit, speed, output, and individual gain.

Over time, these values have been absorbed by society at large. They shape how we see each other, how we treat each other, and what we believe is possible. They erode our capacity to act from a place of shared humanity and interdependence. The African philosophy of Ubuntu teaches us that 'I am because we are'—a profound reminder that our identity, wellbeing, and flourishing are bound up in one another. But in a world where systems actively devalue human connection, this principle is undermined at every turn.

It is time to do things differently. It is time to reimagine work and social organisation in ways that return value to what truly matters: our relationships with each other, with the planet, and with all living beings. This means building systems grounded in mutual care, radical inclusion, and the collective flourishing of people over profit. It means centring values of trust, collaboration, empathy, and repair. Only by doing so can we dismantle the structures that harm us and begin to build futures rooted in connection, equity, and shared humanity.