How Paul Polman Wants to Change the World

Paul Polman is the former CEO of Unilever. And Leadership Next host Alan Murray says he was the first CEO of a major company to truly embrace and promote stakeholder capitalism. Early in his tenure he pointed out that capitalism, as we practice it today, isn’t working – and he demanded that business take responsibility for its impact on society. Today’s episode explores how Polman did that at his own company, the pushback he faced, and how he’s tackling the issue with his new company, Imagine.  Also joining Leadership Next is Dov Seidman, founder of LRN and the HOW Institute for Society. Alan calls him “one of the most thoughtful people I know in thinking about how business is changing, and needs to change, the way it operates.” 

Om Podcasten

Something big is happening in the world of business. CEOs increasingly say their jobs have become less about giving orders, more about inspiring, motivating, setting a north star. They are taking the lead on big issues like climate change, worker retraining, and diversity and inclusion. They are under pressure from employees, customers and investors not just to turn a profit, but to prove they are doing good in the world. And in the process, they are fundamentally redefining the relationship between business and society. Join Fortune CEO Alan Murray and Editor-at-Large Michal Lev-Ram as they probe the best of these leaders for insight into what they're doing, why they're doing it, and what impact it is having.