We are all born free and equal in dignity and rights. To increase global awareness of the first two articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Office has teamed up with LA-based The Krim Group and renowned photographer Justin Wu to relaunch the “World is in Our Hands” initiative in […]
Wearing a dress she made of eight giant plastic inflatable roses over a wire structure and a headpiece crowned by a globe, Chinese performance artist Kong Ning is using fashion to draw attention to environmental protection. “Roses represent love,” she said on Wednesday, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. “I think I have responsibility to […]
Dancers, designers and students are creating protective masks to donate to the frontline during shortages. Artists are selling their work to help feed nurses. Entrepreneurs are launching relief funds and distributing free meals to those who are most vulnerable. Here are 6 companies that have stepped up to the fight. Creating Personal Protective Equipment In […]
It’s no longer, “How much can I get for how little I give?” It’s now, “How much can we give for all we get?” The next century must be the ecological century. We should begin by asking design questions that inspire our creativity and generate tremendous value. In 2018, I established Reboot the Future, a small foundation […]
Jared Kleinert shares tell-all stories from 75 top-performing Millennials who have built companies collectively worth billions of dollars, have millions of social media followers, and are achieving exponential success in record time. Matt Mullenweg (above), co-founder of open-source blogging platform, WordPress, the most popular publishing platform on the web, shared with Kleinert his journey to an open-source way […]
Forget five-year business plans that focus entirely on financial metrics — sustainability action plans are the next big thing. The world of high fashion is usually associated with frivolous, high-end excess, but Copenhagen Fashion Week has set out to change all that. Led by CEO Cecilie Thorsmark and a host of strategic partners, the landmark, annual Scandinavian fashion event has launched […]
If you’ve already purchased the latest edition of Real Leaders magazine, may have noticed that the paper for our Real Leaders Impact Awards section feels different from the rest of the magazine. That’s because it contains 10 percent straw. In a world-first, Real Leaders teamed up with Willamette Falls Paper Company in Portland, Oregon, to […]
Much of the Davos 2020 community this week will be focused on the looming global climate crisis. Delegates will be frustrated about our seeming tendency to neglect a catastrophic problem that confronts us while making “much ado about nothing” in relative terms. But this is connected to a still larger issue that is illustrated by […]
“If everyone were a B Corporation, the planet would be in a much better situation.” Jennifer Cantero, Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Sensiba San Filippo, California’s first and only certified B Corp accounting firm stated on the Real Leaders Podcast. In the video below, Jennifer shares her passion for becoming a certified B Corporation, […]
What China can teach us about artificial intelligence and how humans can get a grip. Artificial intelligence is poised to fundamentally change how we live and work. Whether it will be salvation or curse will depend on the extent to which we get to grips with it now. It is the dawn of a new […]
The 2nd Angel Tank social enterprise pitch competition was an inspiring kick-off to the 2019 SEED Conference in San Francisco, CA on May 20, 2019. An impact twist on ABC’s Shark Tank, this year’s Angel Tank featured five leading Bay Area impact investors as judges and a select group of six social entrepreneurs. Each entrepreneur had […]
Still psychologically scarred, few were keen last month to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Dow’s rock bottom close in March 2009. Even so, all month long, calls to heed lessons from the last great recession echoed across the media as ominous signs pointing to another pending financial crisis loom. In late March, the US […]
According to a recently released report by the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company, India will become the world’s youngest major economy, with 77 percent of Indians falling under the age of 44 by 2030. India will overtake China as the most populous country in the world, the report forecasts, and 80 percent of […]
A group of former Presidents of the General Assembly have met for an interactive dialogue at the invitation of the current PGA, María Fernanda Espinosa. The theme for the meeting is “Revitalisation of the United Nations in favor of a strengthened multilateral rules-based system”. This is the first event of this kind. President Espinosa said; […]
Deathly air pollution and slums are two of many challenges cities struggle with globally. Danish sustainable research company Sustainia has compiled a list of nine cities with the biggest risks, and shows that beneath these risks lie a number of market opportunities. Indonesia’s capital Jakarta is sinking. Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, urgently lacks 17 […]
Eric Jacobsen, the serial entrepreneur and co-founder of private equity firm Dolphin Capital and impact investment platform Gratitude Railroad, spends his workdays at what he calls “the intersection of compassion and capitalism.” “We work to create financial returns by solving the world’s problems,” Jacobsen says of his two companies. “Capitalism is an organism that changes […]
World-renowned fashion photographer, Nigel Barker, has shot a series of iconic portraits of 16 world-class athletes to help raise money and awareness for nonprofit Laureus Sport for Good USA. The “Spirit of Champions Collection” captures the joy, beauty and power of sport as embodied by these amazing athletes. What can aspiring leaders learn from their […]
Nasdaq Iceland has welcomed the City of Reykjavik as its first green bond issuer on the Exchange’s sustainable bond market. The bond was issued on 17 December and is sized at ISK 4.1 billion with a maturity of 30 years. Reykjavik intends to issue further bonds in the bond class in the coming years and […]
Why have over 13,000 businesses (including Real Leaders) already joined the U.N. Global Compact in support of the new 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030? The answer is not what you might expect. Real Leaders founder Mark Van Ness sat down with U.N. Global Compact Executive Director Lise Kingo in New York to discuss how […]
The International NGO founded by Dr. Jane Goodall has launched a campaign to raise awareness around the urgency to protect species from trafficking. With the imminent publication of Horizon Scan, a ground-breaking report that, for the first time, identifies and prioritizes the most urgent issues fueling wildlife trafficking, and as delegates gather for the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference […]
A new film narrated by George Clooney, in conjunction with HP, tells the story of Syrian refugee girls rediscovering their dreams. If you like this, subscribe here for more stories that Inspire The Future. The new film brought together HP, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, UNICEF and Google.org in a creative partnership to improve the lives […]
By sharing its Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as a model, Thailand is helping other developing nations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the final goal – revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development – may be the most compelling of all. Because the only way we can […]
We are in the midst of a seismic change in the way we organize our societies, run our businesses and live our lives. Whether we all stand to benefit from this change is up to you. You are the one who can turn the myriad of interconnected risks we face into opportunities. Along with the Sustainable Development Goals launched by the […]
Alexandra Britton of positive impact consultancy Palladium says firms should focus on creating value in their core business if they want to make a meaningful contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s inevitable. A few times a week, I come across new statistics supporting the fact that for companies to remain competitive, they must pay […]
As part of a two-year deal with the Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has released a new short film, titled “Competing and Comparing Looks,” offering a confidence-boosting message to young people. In the film, Smoky Quartz and Sardonyx chat about their totally different, but equally amazing, bodies – reminding us that we’re all beautiful […]
Frasers Property Australia teams up with eco-warrior Joost Bakker to unveil rooftop plans for an ultra-green development in Burwood, Victoria. The future of retail and hospitality will touch down in Burwood, Victoria from late 2019 when Frasers Property Australia opens what is destined to be the most sustainable shopping centre in the world. With the […]
Briton, Kiko Matthews, 36, arrived in Port St.Charles, Barbados on 22 March, smashing the World Record as the fastest woman to complete a solo trans-Atlantic row. This, despite have had two brain tumours removed – the last, just 8 months ago. Kiko, finished the 3,000-mile journey, from Gran Canaria, single-handed and un-supported in 50 days, breaking the previous record […]
When last did you fund a new venture over a bowl of soup? Well now you can. Detroit Soup invites community members to pay $5 at the door and then listen to presenters vying for votes on a project that will make a positive difference in their communities. Projects range from art, urban agriculture, social […]
MaryBeth Cichocki doesn’t want her son to be forgotten – especially by the president of the United States. Like many moms nationwide, she fears that the focus of the opioid epidemic has shifted from treating addiction like a disease to an indictment of drug dealers and sellers. But those most at fault, Cichocki said, are the large […]
A global platform to discuss prevalence and effects of sexual harassment and assault in the fashion industry, and connect those who have experienced it with support. Fashion model Kristina Romanova and singer-songwriter/lawyer, Antoniette Costa, have cofounded a NGO that works to create a global platform that informs and connects those in the fashion industry who have […]
Nineteen-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer will play his first-ever match in the Bay Area on March 5. Federer will take on American tennis star Jack Sock at the SAP Center in San Jose in an exhibition match to support children’s education in Africa. Celebrity guests Bill Gates and Savannah Guthrie will also take to the court in a celebrity-pro doubles match with net proceeds […]
Stella Artois and Water.org have announced a call to action for all beer lovers who plan to watch this year’s Super Bowl, the most highly watched event of the year. By stocking up on Stella Artois beer for the big game and beyond, people across the country can help provide access to clean water for […]
ofo, the world’s leading station-free bike-sharing company, and the JJ Barea Foundation, Dallas Mavericks player JJ Barea’s organization that offers economic assistance to non-profit entities in Puerto Rico, has announced a partnership in support of Hurricane Maria recovery efforts on the island. As part of this collaboration, ofo donated 600 bikes to be distributed throughout Puerto Rico, […]
Equinox, the high-performance lifestyle leader, has unveiled an unprecedented new take on its acclaimed “Commit To Something” campaign with “Commitment, A Collection by Equinox,” featuring seven one-of-a-kind luxury goods inspired by the passion and persistence of some of the most committed people and organizations on earth. In an on-demand world where everything is a swipe […]
I lived in South Africa in the 1990’s at a time where the divide between the haves and have nots was more marked than you can imagine. It was also a time in which sport played a central role in the lives of everyone, irrespective of which side of the divide they found themselves. Building […]
Earlier this year Jeff Koons’s Seated Ballerina, a large-scale public art installation, rose into the air outside the Rockefeller Center in New York. The inflatable nylon sculpture stood 45 feet high and aimed to raise funds and awareness around missing children. Often referencing historical imagery and found objects, Koons based Seated Ballerina on a small porcelain figurine. The sculpture acts as […]
On the fifth anniversary of the record jump from the edge of space, we asked Felix Baumgartner and other key Red Bull Stratos team members for their memories of the incredible day. On October 14, 2012, the world was spellbound as the Red Bull Stratos project launched a helium balloon to near space, where Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped […]
Real Leaders held an event at Barnes & Noble in Tribeca, Manhattan to kick of their new global newsstand expansion during the week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. The publication is the world’s first sustainable business & leadership magazine, which aims to inspire better leaders for a better world. The magazine is […]
The United Nations Global Compact has recognized 10 SDG Pioneers – individuals from around the world who are championing sustainability through their own companies and mobilizing the broader business community to take action in pursuit of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Six SDG Pioneers were recognized on stage during the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit at the […]
Nearly 800 business leaders from over 70 countries joined leaders from civil society, Government and the United Nations at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2017. Convened during the 72nd Regular Session of UN General Assembly, the Summit focused on driving responsible business action and partnerships to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement. UN Deputy […]
Business reporting on the impacts and contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is set to become less complex following the launch of a new report – Business Reporting on the SDGs: An Analysis of the Goals and Targets. Developed by GRI and the United Nations Global Compact, with the support of PwC, as part of a […]
Ex Slovakian politician, diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák has opened the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in his new role as President. His fluency in English, German, Russian, Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian, has also bestowed him with unique insights into the inter-cultural dynamics of business. In his opening speech he expressed […]
Real Leaders, the world’s first sustainable business & leadership magazine, and Sustainable Brands, the premier global community of business innovators, have joined forces to produce a special edition of Real Leaders – highlighting stories that inspire the future. You can view the magazine and read some of the highlights here: How KoAnn Skryzniarz, Founder of […]
Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, is updating its business model to a changing world and believes the car industry as a whole needs do to the same, its president and chief executive Håkan Samuelsson has announced. The announcement was made at the bi-annual meeting of the UN Global Compact Nordic Network in Gothenburg and […]
Coffee farmers in Colombia faced challenges maintaining their crops during the country’s 50-year civil war. An alliance between Starbucks and the U.S. Embassy, through its Agency for International Development (USAID) is now helping farmers refocus on their crops with an emphasis on coffee quality. “At times, coffee farmers were unable to travel in certain areas […]
Today is International Day of Happiness. In the lead up to this day of potential elation and glee, the United Nations held a special ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York on March 18 with the cast from the movie Smurfs: The Lost Village to lend their support towards the human pursuit of happiness and […]
While Red Bull may not be a brand people immediately associate with social impact, the Red Bull Amaphiko project has started to change all that. And Baltimore’s emergence as a leading social impact city in the U.S. is a big part of the story. Red Bull Amaphiko, a global program that supports social entrepreneurs, is coming […]
Nick O’Donohoe moved from big finance to a big society bank when he realized that investment meant more than just money in the bank. If you have a U.K. bank account that has been lying dormant for longer than 15 years, there’s a good chance Big Society Capital (BSC) now has your money. O’Donohoe is […]
The meeting in Lima, Peru, of the United Nations Framework Convention on Global Warming, which concluded on Sunday without a pathbreaking agreement, sent a strong message about how seriously we should be treating the global climate crisis. But, really, it is only the actions of a select few nations that will have any lasting impact […]
