Britain has never been short of great business leaders with a sense of social responsibility. From Josiah Salt, who provided medical care for his 19th-century mill workers, through the Lever Brothers and their worker housing at Port Sunlight, to George Cadbury’s sports fields at Bournville, the examples of private company bosses who shone by their ethical practices are legion.

Today’s corporate leaders face a different challenge. Far from being prodigiously rich, most are hired managers.