Paul Polman has been Chief Executive Officer of Unilever since 2009. Under his leadership Unilever has set out an ambitious vision to decouple its growth from overall environmental footprint and increase its positive social impact.
Paul actively seeks cooperation with other companies to implement sustainable business strategies and drive systemic change. He is Chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, the B Team and sits on the Board of the UN Global Compact.
Paul has been closely involved in global discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and action to tackle climate change. In 2016, Paul was asked by the UN Secretary-General to be a member of the SDG Advocacy Group, tasked with promoting action on the 2030 Agenda. Prior to this, Paul served on the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, presenting recommendations on behalf of the private sector. Paul is a member of the Global Commission on Business and Sustainable Development. He also served on the International Council of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, under former Mexican President, Felipe Calderon.
In recognition of his contribution to responsible business, Paul has received numerous awards including UN Foundation’s Champion for Global Change Award (2014), the Oslo Business for Peace Award (2015) and the UN Environment Programme’s Champion of the Earth Award (2015).
