Saintly CEO: What Does Solidarity ACTUALLY Mean, and How to Implement It
Integrating the Catholic Social Teaching Principle of Solidarity Into How Your Run Your Business.
Hey Folks! Welcome back. We’re gonna keep this one as short as I can because I just got back from a long weekend in NYC, where we hosted a discussion on Magnifica Humanitas (we’re hosting another this Thursday in Nashville. Register if you’re around).
Welcome back to Saintly CEO. Every Monday, while you sip your coffee, get some tactical advice to run your business fully in union with your Catholic faith.
IN TODAY’S ISSUE
News/Events: Discussion on Magnifica Humanitas, this week in Nashville!
Feature Content: Implementing Solidarity into your Business (Part 4 of 4)
Heavenly Hustlers: 6 People Building for the Kingdom
[read time: ~7 min | word count 1,472]
News / Updates
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Implementing Catholic Social Teaching: Part 4, Solidarity
Today, we are concluding our series on integrating Catholic Social Teaching with the fourth pillar: Solidarity. This is where our commitment to our neighbor becomes a firm and persevering determination.
Solidarity: The Teaching
Let’s start with a quote from The Church on Solidarity.
“The principle of solidarity, also articulated in terms of “friendship” or “social charity,” is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood.” CCC 1939
What it is, in simpler terms, is… the truth that we all have a responsibility towards our fellow man. Regardless of our differences, we are all brothers in the sense that we are all created children of God.
As a business owner, this means having a heart for your employees and customers. Especially if you end up generating wealth and become an outlier in society, you cannot forget your connection to help your brother.
Solidarity relates to many aspects of what it means to be someone’s brother, but principally, it refers to spiritual (the most important part) and economic/financial.
We are called to ‘share’ our faith and our goods with others so that they may have eternal life and that their needs on earth may be met. Here are two more quotes from the Catechism.
“Solidarity is manifested in the first place by the distribution of goods and remuneration for work.” — CCC 1940
“Solidarity is an eminently Christian virtue. It practices the sharing of spiritual goods even more than material ones.” — CCC 1948
The Why
The why of this is pretty simple; it just requires a bit of contemplation.
Each of our fellow humans is a brother to us because we are all created by Him in His image and likeness. If God created us, how could we hate any of our fellow man without also hating God?
Of course, you may not hate anyone actively, but do your actions show that you’re doing your part to share your faith and goods in order to help your fellow man? For those who are substantially less fortunate, do we help them out through offering employment and friendship? For those who do not know the faith, are we coming to know them so we can walk with them as they come closer and closer to God?
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Now, let’s talk about the subtopics under Solidarity and how to implement them.
1. Human solidarity
This is the lived experience of being responsible for the people in your supply chain, your office, and your neighborhood. It shows up in the just distribution of goods and fair treatment.
How to implement: Respect your employees as humans — as neighbors. Do not overburden people with work. Allow ample time for rest. Do not see them as ‘costs to cut.’
2. Preferential option for the poor
This is the measure of whether justice is real in your business. It asks if your company is removing obstacles for the vulnerable to ensure they have access, stability, and opportunity. ie, Not only serving the rich because they can pay.
How to implement: You can do product discovery with poor communities. Or craft a particular offering that allows the poor to access your services. Dr. Daniel Tataje has his dentists and hygienists do a day for the poor each month, where people who cannot afford dentistry services get them for a heavily discounted rate.
3. Fair wage
A fair wage is a concrete way solidarity is made real. Pay and benefits should be evaluated against human dignity and family needs so that workers can live with stability and respect.
How to implement: This one is pretty straightforward. But it doesn’t mean paying ‘market rate’ wages. Because market rate wages may be insufficient for a family to meet their basic living needs. Consider adding other benefits, such as strong healthcare options or continued education funding.
4. Right of labor to organize
Workers should be able to form associations to protect their rights and mutual interests. Solidarity supports the idea that workers should not be left isolated or powerless. Yes, it allows for the organization of labor unions. However, if we are doing our job well and have proper channels for them to open up to us and discuss their challenges with us, they may never need to unionize.
How to implement: Do not do things that prevent people from organizing a union. But in order to avoid the combative nature that unions bring, listen to your workers and treat them with respect so that they never have an interest in this.
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Thanks for reading this series! If you have not read parts 1, 2, or 3 yet, please check them out and circulate with your networks. My hope is that this series will help demystify what Catholic Social Teaching actually is and help business owners start implementing it.
God Bless & Happy Building
~Silas Mähner
Heavenly Hustlers
These are other Catholic business owners. Nominate one (including yourself).
📣 Brandon Benson is the co-founder of Leo Ads, now Percuity AI. They ensure your business campaigns and ads are optimized.
🤖 Nick Stokman is the founder and CEO of Third Loop. What he’s building helps companies and teams use AI effectively.
💪🏻 Betsy Hoyt is from Charlotte Metro, a certified professional trainer and the Founder IntegratedCatholicWoman.com. She coaches women on how to lead a sustainable, healthy, and rewarding life.
📲 David Spaedy is the president of DS1 Phone Systems serving the Charlotte, NC Metro area. Before cloud phones were trendy, David was already connecting businesses.
🫂 Elza Spaedy is the executive director of Healed and Restored. Healed and Restored is helping women and girls who have experienced abuse, violence, trafficking, and trauma find healing, restoration, and the strength to reclaim their lives.
🏞️ Lance Johnson is building Groundwork Ventures. Through Groundwork, he is tearing down the million-dollar wall of traditional real estate, rewriting the rules of land development so accredited investors can fractionally back high-upside entitlement deals.
🙋♂️ Nominate a Heavenly Hustler (including yourself) - It takes 1 min.
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