Read the full Aftenposten article on Business for Peace
Tuesday, 08 August 2017 14:15
Author: Lorena
Missed 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony? Watch it here!
Thursday, 01 June 2017 14:47
The 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony took place at Oslo City Hall on May 16th. This year we welcomed Durreen Shahnaz, Harley Seyedin, Murad Al-Katib and Elon Musk to the Business for Peace Honourees family.
Raymond Johansen, Governing Mayor of Oslo, opened the Award Ceremony followed by welcome speech by Per L. Saxegaard, Founder and Board Chair of Business for Peace Foundation. A keynote speech “2017 State of the Union between Business and Society” was given by Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland who is a former Prime Minister of Norway and Chair of the Brundtland Commission (´Our Common Future´). As a part of the Award Ceremony the dialogue with Aurore Belfrage (Entrepreneur, startup advisor and part of EQT Ventures) and Vaibhav Lodha (Co-Founder of ftcash) was facilitated by the moderator, Henrik Syse (Philosopher and researcher at PRIO).
The arrangement was accompanied by the music performances curated by Artistic Director, Maren Selvaag. Artists that performed at the Award Ceremony included Aliya Cycon (oud, vocals), Maren Selvaag (piano), Hans Kjorstad (Violin), Rasmus Kjorstad (Harding Fiddle), Jonas Barsten (drums, electronics), Kristian B. Jacobsen (bass), Bygdøy School Choir Stella Vitae.
We would like to thank everyone who made this event happen and share a full footage of the Award Ceremony with you here.
Business leaders mobilize for sustainability
Thursday, 18 May 2017 13:55
40 executives from the Norwegian business sector, recently in China, have given promise to work to meet the UN’s sustainability goals in recent days.
Last year, the Oslo-based foundation, Business for Peace went on to ensure that business leaders across the world promised to lead their companies so that sustainability goals could be met.
During the roundtable conference at Business for Peace on May 16th, Prime Minister Erna Solberg emphasized that business is the “muscle” in the cooperation to achieve the UN’s sustainability goals.
Prime Minister Erna Solberg leads the UN’s Advocates group to promote sustainability goals. The targets will be redeemed by 2030.
Famous names
The Virgin boss Richard Branson and the top manager of Unilever Paul Polman declared their promise in 2016 and in the past year several hundred new leaders, both international and Norwegian, have followed up. Among them are Statoil Eldar Sætre, Egil Hogna in Sapa and Svein Tore Holsether in Yara.
The business leaders who have signed up to now represent companies that have a total turnover of over NOK 5700 billion, with more than 2 201 000 employees.
China Support
Following Erna Solberg’s visit to China, along with a large business delegation, last week, alongside with Head of Innovation Norway, Anita Krohn-Traaseth, took an initiative to gather support for the sustainability promise from the around 300 leaders who participated on the trip. So far, 40 leaders have given the promise.
Gro speak
In her speech at the opening of the Business for Peace Round Table Conference, Erna Solberg highlighted the Brundtland Commission’s report “Our Common Future”, which celebrates 30 years in 2017. The theme of this year’s conference is the Brundtland report. Gro Harlem Brundtland helds the speech “State of the Union between Business and Society” at Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony in Oslo City Hall. This year’s prize winners are Elon Musk, Durreen Shahnaz, Harley Seyedin and Murad Al-Katib. The award winners are selected by an independent committee of Nobel winners in both peace and economics.
How are Norwegian companies affected internationally by increasing geopolitical tensions ?
Friday, 28 April 2017 17:24
Thursday April 27th, Business for Peace Foundation hosted a panel debate together with the Nobel Peace Center as a run-up to the 2017 Business for Peace Summit.
An increasing number of Norwegian business leaders are, together with the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, emphasising the importance of setting requirements for companies in which they choose to deal with or invest in, said moderator Elisabeth Skarsbø Moen when introducing the topic.
The panel, consisting of Kiran Aziz, Anniken Huitfeldt, Johan H. Andresen and Matts Johansen offered interesting perspectives on the effects of setting such requirements, in a world experiencing growing unrest.
n his capacity as chairman of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, Andresen emphasised that the fund’s impact is significant and increasingly so. This process is reinforced by international companies becoming more and more interested in following the council’s ethical guidelines in order not to be excluded from the fund’s portfolio.
Huitfeldt, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence at the Norwegian Parliament, could confirm that the awareness of the ethical guidelines is increasing also among state leaders and government authorities across the globe.
When being asked whether companies can exert significant influence in an area like human rights, Kiran Aziz, Lecturer at the Norwegian Business School’s Department of Law and Governance, shared the following reflections:
– Human rights are a responsibility of the state and so other state authorities should be the ones following up. However, not all states succeed in their work on this, thus the presence, by for instance foreign companies, becomes an alternative way to exercise this influence, said Aziz.
State leaders no longer ask for aid, they ask for partnerships and business cooperation, something which will be an important part of the Norwegian development model moving forward.
-Anniken Huitfeldt, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence
One of the greater challenges experienced by Norwegian companies during the last years, was the stalemate in Norway’s official relations with China in 2010, a situation which ended late last year.
CEO of Aker Biomarine, Matts Johansen, confirmed that the situation challenged the trade relations and also the ability for Norwegian companies to exercise influence.
– One of the most important contributions we can do is to be present, with our values and culture, said Johansen. During this period, there has been a full stop to these processes.
Moving back to the topic of governmental involvement, the panel was asked whether they believe it is typically a Norwegian thing to push ethical standards when doing trade.
– This is not a ‘Norwegian thing to do’, there is a large group of Western countries pulling in the same direction, thus the pressure on those countries with poor conditions comes from multiple actors, said Andresen.
Aziz added that the OECD guidelines is an international instrument to exert such influence, signed by 34 of the OECD member countries and 12 countries outside the organisation.
In a changing geopolitical environment, additional challenges follow, such as an antiglobalisation rhetoric and antidemocratic tendencies. The panellists were also asked whether this, in any way, puts greater demands on those trying to influence for improved standards?
– In these situations, we are absolutely dependent on the political and societal sphere pulling in the same direction. As with the example of China, the business relations came to a standstill as well, and the re-ignition was always at the mercy of Chinese authorities, said Johansen.
A returning topic of the discussion was the sustainability agenda and its position and potential in Norway. All four agreed that a change in mind-set is taking place.
– There is a strong trend among new generations to look for jobs that do not only generate income, but through which they can make a difference. We receive a high number of applications from this group, creating a large advantage for the company as it provides a work force with values which match that of the company. This, in turn, adds further to the company’s value creation, said Johansen.
Guest lecture by Adam Grant on May 15th
Wednesday, 26 April 2017 16:23
As a part of the 2017 Summit, the Business for Peace Foundation offers a truly exciting guest lecture by Adam Grant, professor at Wharton Business School. The lecture will be held at the University Aula at 14:00 on May 15th, and is open to the public.
Drawing on his #1 New York Times bestselling book Originals, Adam Grant will discuss how we can all get better at recognizing and championing new ideas, how to overcome fear and doubt and how to build cultures that welcome diverse perspectives and honest feedback. Grant’s insights on unleashing originality have been praised by J.J. Abrams, Richard Branson, Malcolm Gladwell, and Sheryl Sandberg, and this talk brings them to life in ways that are both surprising and entertaining.
Click here to register for a free ticket.
Save a seat at Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony already today!
Monday, 24 April 2017 14:48
We are delighted to invite you to the 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony! The celebration of the 2017 Honourees will take place at the Oslo City Hall on the 16th of May from 16:00 to 17:30. We welcome you to reserve your seat today, by filling out this form. Find out more about the ceremony on our Facebook page.
Press release: Winners of the Oslo Business for Peace Award 2017 Announced
Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:35
Durreen Shahnaz, Dr Harley Seyedin, Elon Musk and Murad Al-Katib win the Oslo Business for Peace Award 2017.
Durreen Shahnaz receives the award for her work in spearheading the transformation of the way financial and capital markets work, focusing on purpose and maximising impact. Her work in Impact Investment Exchange Asia (IIX), the world’s first stock exchange dedicated to social enterprises – which she founded in 2009, has positively impacted 10 million lives to date.
Dr Harley Seyedin is an Iranian immigrant to USA, who has spent his life building a multi-national electricity and low carbon infrastructure development business with great success in China and the Philippines. He has lived more than 20 years in China and for the past nine years he has held the position as president of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China.
Murad Al-Katib, son of Turkish immigrants to Canada, receives the Award for his entrepreneurship in leading the way in sustainable agriculture and contributing to feeding millions of refugee families in the Syrian crisis.
Elon Musk receives the Award for his leadership of the way forward in the automotive industry, and for his showcasing of business’ ability to help confront and solve the world’s most demanding and complex problems. The battery technology of Tesla has recently been successfully combined with solar energy in his company SolarCity, USA’s second largest provider of solar systems.
The full justification from the Award Committee can be read here.
The announcement of the 2017 Honourees was made by Secretary General John Danilovich of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) at an event in Oslo City Hall on the 28th of March, hosted by the governing mayor of Oslo, Raymond Johansen.
Committee of Nobel Laureates
An independent committee of five Nobel Laureates in peace and economics selects the Honourees from a pool of nominees put forward by the UN Development Program, UN Global Compact and the International Chamber of Commerce. The Award Committee members are Nobel laureates Ouided Bouchamaoui, Dr Shirin Ebadi, Leymah Gbowee, Finn Kydland and Michael Spence.
The four Honourees will receive the award in a ceremony in Oslo City Hall on the 16th of May, as part of the annual Business for Peace Summit. The theme for this year’s Summit is “Brundtland + 30 – Breakthrough Ideas for Futureproofing the Global Economy.” Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland herself will give the key note speech.
About the Business for Peace Foundation
The Oslo Business for Peace Award is granted by the Business for Peace Foundation. The Oslo based Foundation honour individual leaders who in an ethical and responsible way create value for business and society, and thereby help to build a peaceful and prosperous environment where all can thrive. The Foundation’s vision is that all business leaders have as their purpose to improve society — to be businessworthy.
Dr Brundtland key note speaker at the 2017 Summit
Tuesday, 28 March 2017 11:28
The theme for this year’s Summit is: Brundtland +30: Breakthrough Ideas for Futureproofing the Global Economy, marking the 30th anniversary of the 1987 Brundtland Commission report: “Our Common Future”.
Dr. Gro Brundtland
We are proud to have Dr Brundtland participate at the 2017 Business for Peace Summit, giving the keynote “The State of the Union between Business and Society” at the Award Ceremony on May 16th. Since future-proofing is our aim, we have put great effort in making this year’s Summit intergenerational. This perspective will also shape the programme, meaning the 2017 Summit will serve as a platform for intergenerational dialogue between CEOs and board members, investors and representatives from civil society, politics and academia.
Erna Solberg
We are also proud to confirm that Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg will attend our Roundtable conference for the third consecutive year. Solberg is also the co-chair of the UN Advocacy Group for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Adam Grant
Among other exiting speakers are Professor Adam Grant from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, who will give a speech at the University of Oslo on the 15th of May. He is a leading expert on how we can find motivation and meaning, and live more generous and creative lives. He has been recognised as one of the world’s 25 most influential management thinkers and Fortune’s 40 under 40. Grant is the author of two New York Times bestselling books (“Originals”& “Give and Take”), translated into 35 languages. His third book, “Option B” with Sheryl Sandberg, is on resilience.
Nisa Leung
Nisa Leung, Managing Partner of China’s Qiming Venture Partners, will be speaking at the roundtable conference. Qiming Venture Partners is a leading investment firm in China which currently manages five USD funds and four RMB funds with over USD 2.7 billion in assets and investments in more than 160 companies. Leung is leading the company’s healthcare investments.
About the Summit
The Business for Peace Summit is a two-day event that has rapidly gained recognition as one of the world’s prime meeting places for leaders who have as their purpose to improve society by being ”businessworthy” – in an ethical and responsible way creating value both for business and society.
The complete program for the Business for Peace Foundations Summit, will be released within few weeks.
The highlight of every Summit is the Award Ceremony, where the winners of the Oslo Business for Peace Award are celebrated at the Oslo City Hall. This year the celebration will take place on the 16th of May from 16:00 to 17:30. We welcome you to reserve your seat today, by filling out this form.
We also invite you to follow us on social media for updates on this event and more, and hope to welcome you at the Summit!
Winners of the Oslo Business for Peace Award 2017
Friday, 24 March 2017 16:24
We are delighted to announce the winners of The Oslo Business for Peace Award 2017 on March 28th. John Danilovich, Secretary General of our international partner, International Chamber of Commerce, will be announcing the winners at an event at the Oslo City Hall, hosted by Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen.
You are welcome to join the event via the streaming system on our website and facebook page. Find out more about the previous honourees here.
The Award Ceremony and celebration of the 2017 Honourees will take place in Oslo City Hall on May 16th from 16:00 to 17:30. Secure your place today by registering via this link.
Follow us on social media for more updates!
Business for Peace on the agenda for Nobel laureates
Monday, 13 February 2017 17:30
On February 9th, Nobel laureates Ouided Bouchamaoui, Dr Shirin Ebadi and Finn Kydland gathered at the Norwegian Embassy in London, and were soon joined on telephone by Michael Spence. The laureates constitute the Award Committee for the Oslo Business for Peace Award. The annual prize is awarded to international business leaders who in a responsible and ethical way create value for business as well as society.
It is a Norwegian tradition to support and initiate projects promoting peace and trust building in international relations. Business for Peace makes a bridge to the business communities, by awarding leaders who are role models in supporting the sustainable development goals, she said.
The committee met in London to select the Business for Peace Honourees for 2017. The prize is established by Business for Peace, an Oslo based foundation dedicated to support, inspire and recognise global business leaders who are positively changing the face of business. The foundation is supported by several private and public institutions, one of the key partners being the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Norwegian Ambassador to London, Mona Juul, welcomed the committee members and the Business for Peace representatives at Belgrave Square, and highlighted the important role business leaders have in contributing to solve important societal challenges. She also underlined the significance that the distinguished Award Committee give to the prize.
The members of the Award Committee are Nobel Prize winners in Peace or Economics, with an independent mandate to identify Honourees, based on nominations from the foundation’s international partners, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Global Compact (UNGC). The fifth member of the Award Committee is Peace prize laureate Leymah Gbowee, who was unable to attend this year’s meeting.
When being asked about the significance of the Oslo Business for Peace Award, committee member Ouided Bouchamaoui states:
-The spreading of businessworthy values is important work, with the potential of creating great change as to how the world thinks about business. We do, however need to ask ourselves: “How do we communicate our work? How can we spread this message also among younger generations and make people listen?”
Per Saxegaard, founder and chairperson at Business for Peace, shared his reflections on the Business for Peace Award, and the role of the prize in an increasingly complex world.
– Technology, globalisation and climate change are accelerating, impacting the rules of international business. These changes make it necessary for business leaders to adjust the map to the new terrain. They need to become businessworthy, said Saxegaard.
The Business for Peace Award ceremony will take place at Oslo City Hall the 16th of May, where Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland will give the state of the union speech. The winners will be announced in March.
About Business for Peace
The mission of Business for Peace is to support, inspire, and recognise the global business leaders who are positively changing the face of business. At the centre of the foundation’s activities is the annual Oslo Business for Peace Award, conferred to exceptional individuals who exemplify the Foundation’s concept of being businessworthy: creating economic value in a responsible way, while also contributing to solving important challenges in society.