Paul Polman

Paul Polman served as CEO of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, where he implemented the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan — a commitment to halving the company's environmental footprint while growing the business. On his first day, he abolished quarterly earnings guidance and removed short-term financial incentives for executives, arguing these encouraged short-termism. Unilever's performance during his tenure — it outperformed the FTSE 100 over the period — became a reference case for sustainable business. Polman now runs Imagine, an advocacy organization for business action on climate and inequality. His book "Net Positive," co-authored with Andrew Winston, laid out a comprehensive framework for how corporations could create positive outcomes for society and the environment while generating superior financial returns — a thesis that influenced many corporate sustainability strategies globally.