ImpactBusinessAdvocacyPeace

These Leaders Prove Big Business Can Make The World A Better Place

These Leaders Prove Big Business Can Make The World A Better Place
By 

Associate Editor of Impact, The Huffington Post

|

To some business leaders, having a positive impact on society is just as vital as their companies' bottom lines.

The Business for Peace Award, presented Wednesday in Oslo, Norway, honored global business innovators who are creating value by both monetary and social measures.

Per L. Saxegaard, founder and executive chairman of the Business for Peace Foundation, wrote about about why it's important to recognize achievements by such businesses in a blog posted to The Huffington Post on Monday.

"Good business practice is dependent upon example," he wrote on behalf of the nonprofit, which administers the award. "We emulate what we are taught, and the foundation's mission is to show that a more enlightened approach to doing business can achieve the bottom line goal of profitability, while at the same time add value to society, and in fact contribute to stability and peace."

The contest winners -- selected by Nobel Prize winners in Peace and in Economics -- included Paul Polman, the CEO of Unilever and a sustainability advocate, and Poman Lo, Hong Kong-based group managing director of Regal Hotels International.

In recent years, Polman has led efforts to lessen Unilever's environmental impact, even as its corporate size grows: About 48 percent of the consumer goods company's raw materials were sustainably sourced in 2013, according to the Business for Peace Foundation. Unilever is aiming to make it 100 percent by 2020.

In China, Lo created Century Innovative Technology Limited (CIT) -- an entertainment-meets-education company focused on kids' education. Lo launched a collection of animated stories and a television show that aim to instill moral development in its young viewers, as well as an interactive website that uses educational games and content to empower children through learning.

Scroll below to see the full list of recipients of the Business for Peace Award:

Merrill Joseph Fernando, Sri Lanka
Business for Peace Foundation
Founder of tea brand Dilmah
Poman Lo, Hong Kong, China
Business for Peace Foundation
Group managing director of Regal Hotels International
Paul Polman, Netherlands
Business for Peace Foundation
CEO of Unilever
Juan Andrés Cano, Colombia
Business for Peace Foundation
CEO of Semilla, an ethics consultancy, and Value4Chain, a technological platform dedicated to sustainability management for businesses
Zahi Khouri, Palestine
Business for Peace Foundation
Helped launch the Palestinian National Beverage Company
To take action on pressing poverty issues, check out the Global Citizen's widget below.

Like Us On Facebook
Follow Us On Twitter

This page contains materials from The Huffington Post and/or other third party writers. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PwC") has not selected or reviewed such third party content and it does not necessarily reflect the views of PwC. PwC does not endorse and is not affiliated with any such third party. The materials are provided for general information purposes only, should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors, and PwC shall have no liability or responsibility in connection therewith.

Before You Go

10 Best States For Business
10. Minnesota(01 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 2.8% (13th highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $49,222 (14th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 33.5% (10th highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 4,292 (9th highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 1.7% (9th highest)Based on eight categories, including 47 measures, Minnesota is the 10th best state for business in the country. Informing the state’s high quality of life rank, just 8.2% of Minnesotans did not have health insurance in 2013, the fifth lowest rate nationwide. Also, the state was one of the safest, with a violent crime rate of 223.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people, among the lowest rates in the nation.The state also received one of the highest scores for Infrastructure. Compared with other states, Minnesota businesses can also expect relatively well functioning transportation system. For example, just 11.5% of the state’s bridges were deemed structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, the lowest rate nationwide and less than half the national percentage of 24.3%. Businesses in the state also have the benefit of a relatively well-educated workforce. More than one-third of adults had at least a bachelor’s degree versus less than 30% of Americans. And 92.4% of state adults had completed at least high school as of 2013, the fourth highest rate in the country. (credit:KAREN BLEIER via Getty Images)
9. North Dakota(02 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 9.7% (the highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $46,775 (20th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 27.1% (20th lowest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 111 (2nd lowest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 0.4% (2nd lowest)North Dakota’s oil boom has spurred strong growth throughout the state’s industries, in residents’ personal incomes, and in employment. Less than 3% of the workforce was unemployed in 2013, the lowest in the country. As a consequence of the high levels of investment and spending in the state, North Dakota’s GDP grew nearly 10% in 2013. While this was by far the highest growth rate nationwide and more than five times the national growth rate of 1.8%, growth may slow considerably if oil prices continue to fall.In addition to high wages and job opportunities, residents benefit from a relatively low cost of living. In 2013, the cost of housing required 26% of a typical household income, the second-lowest median annual affordability ratio nationwide. As in other states with a low cost of living, North Dakota also had a healthy infrastructure. Partly as a result, workers in the state benefited from an average commute time of less than 18 minutes, versus the national figure of nearly 26 minutes. It was the third lowest commute time in the country. (credit:Patinatrix/Flickr)
8. Virginia(03 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 0.1% (3rd lowest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $53,267 (10th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 36.1% (6th highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 1,886 (21st highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 7.5% (21st highest)Virginia’s large capacity for innovation, and high quality labor force helped make it the eighth best state for business. The Old Dominion State scored in the top 10 of states for the percentage of STEM jobs — jobs related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. More than 36% of adults in the state had completed at least a bachelor’s degree, which helped strengthen the labor force. The state also fared very well for its business-friendly regulatory environment, its relatively low poverty rate, and its comparatively low energy costs.What held Virginia back from an even higher overall ranking was its weak infrastructure, which was ranked lowest among the states. Residents had one of the longest average commuting times of 27.7 minutes, and the state spent among the least per mile on road repair. Virginia also struggled with weak real GDP growth, 0.1% in 2013, third lowest in the country. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
7. Colorado(04 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 3.8% (6th highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $51,537 (11th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 37.8% (2nd highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 2,793 (14th highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 8.6% (14th highest)Colorado’s business climate is among the best in the country largely due to a strong labor market and an especially strong and innovative technology sector. These features are interwoven as a highly educated workforce is essential for innovation. Nearly 38% of adults in Colorado had at least a bachelor’s degree as of 2013, the second highest rate nationwide. As of that year, 14% of adults had completed a graduate or professional degree, a higher percentage than in all but a handful of states. The state’s population is projected to grow by 13.4% from 2010 through 2020 versus an estimated national growth rate of 7.1%, which also contributes to a strong labor market. Nearly 22% of all jobs in Colorado were STEM positions, the seventh highest proportion in the country. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
6. Texas(05 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 3.7% (8th highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $50,643 (13th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 27.5% (23rd lowest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 9,222 (2nd highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 16.1% (2nd highest)Like a majority of the best states for business, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s rated Texas’ credit among the best in the nation. The Lone Star State also led the states in the value of exported goods, which totalled nearly $1.9 trillion in 2012. There were also 386 public use airports, the most in the nation. Curiously, while Texas had the third most post-secondary schools in the nation at 420 in 2013, it actually had the second lowest percentage of adults who had completed at least high school, at 81.9%. Texas benefits considerably from its abundant natural resources. For example, the mining industry accounted for 11.1% of the state’s GDP in 2013, the sixth highest such contribution in the country. Other kinds of businesses do not do particularly well in Texas. The information, finance-insurance-real-estate, professional and business service industries contributed relatively little to the state’s GDP. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
5. Delaware(06 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 1.6% (20th lowest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $51,093 (12th highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 29.8% (19th highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 453 (15th lowest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 8.9% (15th lowest)Based on several factors, Delaware’s regulatory climate was the most favorable nationwide for business. With high percentages of tech workers and strong independent investments, Delaware is also among the best states for innovation. More than 21% of all jobs in the state were STEM jobs, the eighth highest proportion in the country. The average venture capital investment of nearly $14.2 million per deal in 2013 — the second highest such figure nationwide — also reflects the high level of innovation and easy access to capital in the state.Not so strong was Delaware’s infrastructure, which rated worse than most states. However, the consequence for businesses may be relatively small as businesses are concentrated in industries not especially dependent on transportation. For example, the financial industry, in which goods and services are relatively intangible, accounted for 42.1% of state GDP in 2013, the highest such contribution nationwide. (credit:J. Stephen Conn/Flickr)
4. South Dakota(07 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 3.1% (9th highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $36,818 (the lowest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 26.6% (17th lowest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 129 (6th lowest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 3.7% (6th lowest)No state had a lower cost of doing business than South Dakota. In particular, the cost incurred from wages was the lowest nationwide, with a statewide average wage of just $36,818 in 2013. While residents have relatively low wages, they also have a generally high quality of life and low cost of living. For instance, there were 78.8 art, entertainment and recreation establishments per 100,000 state residents in 2012, the second highest rate and nearly double the comparable national figure. South Dakota also boasts affordable housing and low tax burdens. The annual median cost of owning a home was equal to 28.2% of the median household income in 2013, among the lowest affordability ratios. In fiscal 2011, state residents paid 7.1% of their incomes in state and local taxes on average, nearly the lowest tax burden nationwide. Both businesses and the working age population benefitted from a low unemployment rate. Just 3.8% of the labor force was unemployed in 2013, the second highest rate in the county. (credit:Cigar Jack/Flickr)
3. Wyoming(08 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 7.6% (2nd highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $45,751 (23rd highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 26.6% (17th lowest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 113 (3rd lowest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 8.8% (3rd lowest)With the best tax climate for business in a recent Tax Foundation report, and the lowest cost of living in the nation, Wyoming was especially affordable for businesses. The state had the lowest cost of living of any of the 50 states while at the same time the local per capita personal tax burden as a percentage of per capita income was the lowest in the country. But while Wyoming scored well in most categories, the state fared poorly in several particular metrics. For instance, it had the nation’s worst gender income gap. One anomaly within the state is in education. While Wyoming had the best high school graduation rate in the country of 93.5% — at least partially a result of spending $17,758 per student, the third highest expenditure in the country — it ranked next to last in the country with only 11 post-secondary schools within its borders. (credit:Wyoming_Jackrabbit/Flickr)
2. Massachusetts(09 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 1.6% (23rd lowest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $60,307 (3rd highest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 40.3% (the highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 6,409 (4th highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: -0.6% (4th highest)Massachusetts led the nation in technology and innovation, due in large part to the high volume of research institutions, highly educated workforce, and the abundance of technology and science positions. Nearly 24% of all jobs in the state were STEM jobs, second only to Washington. And Massachusetts was home to 185 post-secondary schools, one of the highest figures. Also, more than 40% of state adults had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2013, the highest proportion in the country. Many college grads likely helped bolster innovation in the state. There were 6,409 patents issued to Massachusetts residents in 2013, the fourth highest figure in the nation.Although the cost of living was very high compared to the other best states for business, this did not lower the high quality of life of many Mass residents. Less than 4% did not have health insurance in 2013, the lowest rate nationwide. Partly as a result, the United Health Foundation ranked the state third in the country for health. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
1. Utah(10 of10)
Open Image Modal
> Real GDP growth, 2012-2013: 3.8% (7th highest)> Average wages and salaries, 2013: $42,693 (16th lowest)> Pct. of adults with bachelor’s degree, 2013: 31.3% (14th highest)> Patents issued to residents, 2013: 1,228 (23rd highest)> Projected working-age population growth, 2010-2020: 20.5% (23rd highest)Utah is the best state in the nation for business, faring among the best in all of the categories reviewed in 24/7 Wall St.’s independent business climate assessment. Over the 10 years from 2010, the state’s working-age population is projected to grow by 20.5%, the second highest among all states and more than four times the estimated national average growth rate. Businesses are also choosing to locate in the state as the number of non-government establishments grew by 2.5% in 2012, the second fastest growth rate and also twice the comparable national growth rate. In addition to an expanding workforce and business community, residents and businesses alike have the benefit of affordable housing and a safe and high quality of life. Owning a typical home cost 27.6% of the median household income, one of the lowest affordability ratios. There were also 209 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents, the eighth lowest violent crime rate in the nation.Utah also had among the most well-functioning transportation infrastructures, ranking among the highest in this category. Zero miles of state roads were in disrepair in 2013. The percent of deficient bridges in the state was also the fifth lowest nationwide. Workers had an average commute time of 21.2 minutes, one of the lowest in the country. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip