Paul Polman

Paul Polman focuses on pioneering sustainable business models that drive profitability while advancing social and environmental goals. He believes that humanity can only overcome our greatest shared challenges—such as climate change and inequality—through far-reaching systems change and bold new partnerships to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which he helped develop.

As the former CEO of Unilever (2009-2019), Polman demonstrated that businesses could profit through purpose, marrying a long-term, multi-stakeholder model with excellent financial performance. Under his leadership, Unilever achieved 290% shareholder returns and consistently ranked first globally for sustainability, making it one of the best places to work. He is widely recognized for his role in positioning Unilever at the forefront of corporate sustainability and for his influential thought leadership, as acknowledged by Thinkers50.

Today, Polman works across various organizations and initiatives to accelerate global action needed to regenerate our planet, renew our economies, and unite our societies. He champions systemic changes within industries such as fashion and food and fosters collaboration between the private sector, government, and civil society, including his leadership roles with the UN Global Compact, and as an Ambassador for the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience. He is also committed to developing future leaders through his chairmanship at the Oxford University Saïd Business School and his involvement with INSEAD, IESE, and the Boards of PRME and One Young World.

In 2021, Polman published his critically-acclaimed book with sustainability expert Andrew Winston, "Net Positive," which outlines how companies can be successful by solving the world's problems rather than creating them. He continues to influence through keynote addresses at significant events like the Audi Summit for Progress and the GLF Climate 2021 and remains an active voice in promoting human rights, tackling inequality, and empowering businesses to align profit with purpose effectively.