Quadia was delighted to host the third Quadia Talks on January 21st with Jochen Zeitz, former Ceo of PUMA and founder of the ZEITZ Foundation, Segera and The Long Run, and co-founder of the B Team and the Zeitz MOCAA. In its usual format of interactive dialogue, the talk moderated by Guillaume Taylor, Founder of Quadia, centered on Zeitz’s background and holistic approach managing businesses while providing positive social and environmental impact.
Zeitz shared his experience from managing an almost bankrupt PUMA to conceptualizing an impact approach beyond just one company by using and redefining the role of business in order to solve more problems than it creates in society. With the knowledge that over 60% of environmental degradation is generated by the 1000 top companies, it is no wonder that businesses have a duty in safeguarding the planet’s and people’s resources. However, it is not only about duty and responsibility, but businesses should also investigate the opportunities that the different crises are bringing to the forefront. As Zeitz said: “We need to be realistic about the problems but optimistic about the solutions.”
The introduction of the environmental profit and loss account aimed to provide a standardized tool that could measure and provide management tools of environmental factors while helping companies guide their strategies.
Corporations can play a role in promoting a better economy and in fact, good businesses should drive consumer demands towards more sustainable practices and products. And once adoption is gained from the market’s leaders, the whole sector can be reinvented. Education has a key role to play in changing mindset and integrating sustainability at the core of managers’ concerns. The Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society was cited as an example of the curricula of the future CEO.
Blaming the finance sector has been, for a long time, a way to divert attention away from responsibility. Raising awareness for more transparency regarding investments will also put pressure on the financial industry to look towards more sustainable and regenerative solutions where capital can be driven to.
As always, we were pleased to welcome more a room full of engaged participants and look forward to the next discussion.