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Our favourite purposeful leaders
At The House, we believe that great purpose is the strongest driving force for business, and we’re gradually seeing more and more companies embrace ideas beyond profit as a motivator. Leaders who see the big picture, and are then able to encourage the whole organisation to embrace purpose beyond profit, engineer a change in an organisation’s direction. Here’s a list of five of our favourite leaders in purposeful business.
Name: Carolyn Duran
Business: Intel
Purpose: Conflict-free supply chain
Impact: Influenced Intel’s entire supply chain for the better
Electronics giant Intel is leading the way in sustainable, transparent electronics under the guidance of Carolyn Duran. Microprocessors found in electronics contain gold and so-called 3T minerals (tin, tantalum and tungsten) – key components in consumer electronics such as cell phones and tablets – and these minerals are often illicitly traded by government commanders and rebel militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo, earning them an estimated $185 million annually. This money has funded a brutal ongoing conflict, resulting in the deaths of a huge number of innocent civilians. Duran and her team have been working tirelessly over the last five years, visiting smelting plants and convincing them to comply to a transparent auditing process so that gold and 3T minerals can be tracked to their place of origin.
Now, thanks to the work of Duran and her team, nearly half the world’s 3T and gold smelters have passed these conflict-free audits, meaning that the market for illicitly traded minerals – alongside warmongering profits – has dramatically shrunk. Intel now only uses conflict-free microprocessors and is encouraging other electronics companies to do the same.
Photo credit: Talia Herman
Name: Elon Musk
Business: Musk Foundation
Purpose: Renewable Energy/Space Exploration
Impact: Influential force in renewable energy
After working for Tesla and starting PayPal, Musk turned his wealth and his attention to SpaceX and the Musk Foundation, which are dedicated to the discovery of renewable energy and space exploration respectively. Through his commitment to renewable energy methods and a greener world, alongside the influence he possess through his previous work, Musk has become a leader in renewable energy.
Photo credit: flickr
Name: Yvon Chouinard
Business: Patagonia
Purpose: Environmental Issues
Impact: Pioneering workplace/pesticide-free cotton
Outdoorwear retailer Patagonia is known for its environmental focus and ethical working conditions, and now offers healthy subsidised food, on-site childcare and flexible hours as well as encouraging environmental stewardship amongst its employees. Alongside encouraging its staff to do good, 1% of all of Patagonia’s sales go to 650 environmental organisations. On top of this strong culture and philanthropy, under Couinard Patagonia also pioneered pesticide-free cotton. Couinard claims to have made money every time he has made a planet-conscious decision, demonstrating that passion and profit need not be separate.
Photo credit: Inc.com
Name: Peter Blom
Business: Triodos
Purpose: Ethical Investment
Impact: World’s first specialist ethical bank
Peter Blom is CEO of one of the world’s most ethical banks, Triodos. Triodos connects savers and investors who want to change the world for the better with like-minded entrepreneurs and sustainable companies Triodos is also the only specialist bank that offers integrated lending and investment opportunities a range of sustainable European companies. Under Blom, Triodos continues to thrive and offer great ethical options for savers, investors and businesses.
Photo credit: Triodos.nl
Name: Perry Chen
Business: Kickstarter
Purpose: Encouraging Creativity/Setting New Precedent For Purpose
Impact: Increased donations/setting example as B Corporation
Perry Chen took the bold step of registering crowdfunding platform Kickstarter as a B Corp: meaning that the organisation has to “meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, and aspire to use the power of markets to solve social and environmental problems”. As part of this commitment, Kickstarter invests in creativity in the arts and schools, planting the seeds for the next generation of Kickstarter projects.
Photo credit: Gigaom.com
Name: Blake Mycoskie
Business: TOMS
Purpose: Ethical Consumption/Clothing Those In Need
Impact: Pioneer of unique donating
TOMS is one of the most famous proponents of the ‘buy one, give one’ system of donation: for each footwear, eyewear or lifestyle accessory it sells, TOMS donate a related product to those in need – so for pair of shoes you buy helps someone else who needs them. Mycoskie has grown the organisation to become one of the most recognised names in ethical shopping and is a huge influence on all companies who have followed TOMS’ donation strategy.
Photo credit: flickr