Companies that do not contribute to a better world do not have the right to exist. They need to focus on becoming a force for good. If focussed on making the world a better place profitability will follow. In February 2017, Kraft Heinz’s tried to buy Unilever for 135 billion euros. Unilever CEO Paul Polman frustrates the bid, he refuses to work for the benefit of a few billionaires. Companies must be a force for good and work for the billions of people who have nothing.
Polman is popular with governments and charitable organizations, but confidence among financial analysts and investors is thin. They are more interested in short-term sales projections; there is no place in their calculations for good deeds. But how sustainable is that in the long run?
His attempt to steer Unilever into a safe Dutch haven in order to escape Brexit and seek refuge from shareholders focused on short-term profits ultimately hits the rocks. Walking the line between making money and doing the right thing, Polman, more ‘priest’ than CEO, is too far ahead of his time.
The world is crying out for big businesses to address the major issues of our time, such as climate change. The Great Battle The Lonely Quest of Unilever's CEO Paul Polman is a compelling call to action for us all to rethink our behavior. This is the only way to save capitalism’s soul.
