News Stories · Leadership

How can your organization become more purpose-driven?

Understanding the power of purpose – can doing good generate good business?
June 2019
 - IMD Business School

Afdhel Aziz is the author of Good is the New Cool : Market Like You Give a Damn, and has started a movement towards building the purpose of businesses, and increasing how people can feel good about their work in the 21st century.

For the closing session of OWP, he shares his thoughts on how you and your organization can become more purpose-driven and have greater social impact, without ignoring the bottom-line.

Gen Z and millennials are inheriting a diminished world damaged by previous generations’ mistakes. Today, 95% of millennials would switch to brands that have a stronger social purpose and are leading the movement against any form of social injustice. “This engaged generation needs our help,” says Aziz. “It’s not only up to them to save the world.”

Today’s consumer is engaged. Particularly the younger generation, but not only. We are increasingly seeing in the world today that people want purpose. Consumers want the brands in their lives to do good. Employees want to work for companies that do good, and now even investors want to invest in companies that do good.

It’s been proven time and time again that businesses can do even better when they do good.

Society, business and purpose – The trend for better work and life today is very much within our grasp. Big corporations like adidas, Tesla and Microsoft are doing it every day. Afdhel reminds us how all this is very much something we can take back to our lives and jobs as we leave OWP today!

“Choose courage when you go back to the companies you lead and help the people in them find their own purpose and meaning,” closes the final keynote of this year’s OWP.

Watch the full closing session and final keynote of OWP Lausanne 2019.

Latest
News Stories Leadership
Innovation at the bottom of the pyramid through pioneering female leadership
Janet Bett’s journey from being a homeless mother on the streets of Nairobi to a senior manager at a ground-breaking microfinance organization is a remarkable story of triumph against the odds.
Innovation at the bottom of the pyramid through pioneering female leadership
Alumni Stories Innovation Purpose
Making an impact through giving back
As part of the MBA Class of 1993’s commitment to making a difference in the world, alumni and their next generation visited Alma Clinics in South Africa.
Making an impact through giving back
Alumni Stories Leadership
Embracing the leader you are
Yuko Adachi (SL 2019) overcame gender bias and embraced her femininity to come into her own as an authentic leader.
Embracing the leader you are