Leading towards a net positive future
As a CEO, I believe my responsibility is to build an organisation that is financially sound, serves a meaningful purpose and takes responsibility for its impact. Every decision about people, resources and investment helps shape the contribution we make to the world.
This is the ambition behind net positive: an organisation should contribute more to society and the environment than it takes from them. The approach combines reducing harmful impacts with actively creating lasting benefits for people, communities and nature. It encompasses working conditions, supply chains, resource use and the wider consequences of an organisation’s activities. Forum for the Future
Paul Polman and Andrew Winston explore this approach in their book Net Positive, connecting responsible business with lasting organisational success. Their work offers a valuable perspective on how creating value for others can strengthen an organisation’s own future. Net Positive
For me, this matters because organisations depend on the people, communities and ecosystems around them. Investing in their wellbeing helps protect the foundations of our own work. Financial discipline remains essential: a viable organisation has the capacity to sustain its mission, improve its practices and invest in the future.
This responsibility also applies to non-profit institutions. A meaningful mission must be reflected in everyday choices: how we treat employees, welcome those we serve, select suppliers, maintain buildings and use energy. As a CEO, I can help translate that ambition into priorities, budgets and shared responsibilities.
Credibility requires clear objectives, measurable progress and honest reporting about the impacts that still need attention. Each significant social and environmental impact must be assessed in its own right; progress in one area cannot compensate for harm in another. Net Positive principles
My ambition is to make this approach part of everyday leadership: listening carefully, making informed choices and steadily improving our contribution. I want the organisations I lead to create lasting value for the people they serve and the world they will leave behind.
Also, great thanks to Ryan Gellert for his answer when I asked him once this " As a Genaral Manager, what are the 3 soft skills I could work to become a better leader ?" The advice below ;)
Serge Thiebautgeores
