Net Positive

“Is the world better off with your business in it?” That is the question that Paul Polman, the former head of Unilever, and Andrew Winston, a pioneer of sustainable economic models, pose to readers. Their creed: companies should strive to reduce the negative impacts of their activities and maximize their positive effects, to the point of posting a clearly “net positive” balance sheet. This “net positive” organization increases the well-being of its stakeholders: employees, suppliers, shareholders, local communities, etc., and derives legitimacy and resilience in the process. These are not just theoretical considerations, as the third part of the book describes in detail the transformation led by Paul Polman at Unilever in order to position the group within this new model. It notably includes advice on creating a mobilizing dynamic around this transformation, informed by the executive’s personal experience.