Matt Renner, Executive Director, World Business Academy
“Business is the most agile and important force on earth and also the most politically and socially impactful.” Vision: To inspire business to assume responsibility for the whole of society. Action: The academy is a nonprofit think tank and action incubator that assists those in business who share their values. They explore the roles and responsibilities […]
Rosa Parks (1913-2005), Civil Rights Activist
“I don’t remember feeling anger, but I did feel determined to take this as an opportunity to let it be known that I did not want to be treated in that manner.” Vision: A society free of prejudice. Action: Parks refused to give up her seat to a white commuter on a bus in 1955. She became an icon of […]
Jim Berk, CEO, Participant
“Changing the world is a team sport.” Vision: To use entertainment to inform, inspire, spark and accelerate positive social change. Action: Uses film, television and digital entertainment to tell high quality, socially relevant and commercially viable stories. Invests in content distribution platforms that allow them to expand their reach. Creates social action campaigns to move content […]
Tetiana Chornovol, Journalist, civic activist
“We need to break up the corruption schemes and prevent them from being created.” Vision: A corruption-free Ukraine. Action: Appointed head of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Committee in 2014, she resigned after five months saying there was no political will in Ukraine to carry out a large- scale war against corruption. Her investigative journalism resulted in […]
KoAnn Skrzyniarz, CEO, Sustainable Brands
“Cynicism is the enemy of the good. Focus on the positive and never forget that any action, big or small, in support of a better world helps tip the future in the right direction.” Vision: Imagine a world in which our economy works for all people – this generation and the next. Action: Reframing the […]
Elon Musk, Founder, Tesla
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” Vision: We must expand life beyond this green and blue ball or go extinct. Action: Musk says his ideas can change history. At his car company, employees believe they are saving the planet, and at the rocket company, […]
Eduardo Balarezo, Founder, Lonesome George
“The world is not ruined by the wickedness of the wicked, but by the weakness of the good.” – Napoleon Bonaparte Vision: A world where every individual has the courage and compassion to act and make a difference in their community. Action: Created an apparel brand to fund his vision, then established the Academy of Agents […]
Bill Drayton, Founder, Ashoka
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.” Vision: Change everywhere requires everyone to be a changemaker. Action: The role of the social entrepreneur is to advance change for the common good and to conceive new patterns […]
Bill and Melinda Gates, Founders, Gates Foundation
“Don’t just go for safe projects, take on the really tough problems.” Vision: Be an optimist. Focus on a few big goals that can help every person have a healthy, productive life. Action: Some of the projects the foundation funds will fail. Bill and Melinda Gates not only accept that, they expect it—because they think their […]
Julie Copeland, CEO, Arbill
“It’s not simply about the impact an accident has on an individual, but on families too.” Vision: An accident-free workplace. Action: Dedicated to protecting your most valuable asset – your employees – Copeland collaborates, brainstorms and actively provides safety advice to more than 300,000 workers. She knows that legislation alone is not adequate to provide safety in […]
