Paul Polman, an internationally recognized businessman, philanthropist and author, will deliver the Wege Lecture on Sustainability on March 26.
Polman served as chief executive officer of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, where he focused on purpose-driven leadership. During his tenure, Unilever was consistently rated as the world’s most sustainable business and celebrated as one of the world’s best places to work, all while its shareholder returns increased by 290%.
He will present “Becoming Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take,” which is also the title of his 2021 bestselling book. It was recognized by the Financial Times and Thinkers50 as one of the year’s top business books.
The talk begins at 5:30 p.m. at Robertson Auditorium in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The event also will be livestreamed.
Following his talk, Polman will participate in a Q&A session moderated by Andrew Hoffman, the Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise and professor of management and organizations in the Ross School, and professor of environment and sustainability in the School for Environment and Sustainability.
A co-architect of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, Polman was one of 27 members responsible for shaping the SDGs and played a critical role in advocating for the role of the private sector in achieving them.
IF YOU GO
- What: 24th annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on Sustainability
- When: 5:30 p.m. March 26
- Where: Robertson Auditorium, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, and livestreamed
- Register to attend in person
- More event information
Following his departure from Unilever, Polman became active in sustainable finance and impact investing. He works with several major impact funds that collectively steward billions of dollars in assets to advance the SDGs through high-impact sustainable investments.
Through his roles as chair of the Oxford Saïd Business School and co-founder and chair emeritus of IMAGINE, Polman mentors emerging leaders dedicated to sustainability and inclusion.
In recognition of his contributions to business and sustainability, he has received numerous honors, including being named an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was also awarded France’s Légion d’honneur, Singapore’s Public Service Star, and the Oslo Business for Peace Award. He has also received over 15 honorary degrees.
Now in its 24th year, the Wege Lecture is U-M’s signature sustainability talk and is hosted by SEAS and its Center for Sustainable Systems. Additional sponsorship for the Polman event is from the Erb Institute.
The Wege Lecture Series honors Peter M. Wege, former chairman of Steelcase, for his outstanding contributions to the Center for Sustainable Systems and to the environmental field.
Each Wege Lecture has addressed a critical sustainability challenge facing society in the 21st century, from energy security and declining fossil resources to global climate change, freshwater scarcity, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss, and sustainable development strategies.
