Paul Polman, Business for Good

Leadership 2050

In episode 4, Andrew talks to Paul Polman, one of the world’s leading proponents of sustainable capitalism, about using business to drive positive global transformation.

Paul has been called one of the standout business leaders of his generation. For ten years as the CEO at Unilever, he helped revolutionise corporate thinking. He proved that putting purpose and sustainability first was the right way to run a business – Unilever’s profits went up while simultaneously ranking number 1 for sustainability.

Paul was also a member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel, which developed the Sustainable Development Goals, and as an active SDG Advocate he continues to work with global organisations and across industry to push the 2030 development agenda. He is Chair of the B Team and Saïd Business School, Vice-Chair of the UN Global Compact and honorary Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce, which he led for two years.

In 2019 Paul co-founded IMAGINE, whose mission is to support business leaders in a “courageous collective” to build a sustainable future.

In conversation with Andrew he reveals everything he’s learned about moral leadership, and talks about his new book – Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take.

Says Paul: I’ve always felt that business should profit from solving the world’s problems not creating the world’s problems.

Featuring:

Dr Andrew White, Senior Fellow of Management Practice, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Paul Polman (@PaulPolman), Co-Founder and Chair, IMAGINE.

Resources:

Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take

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