UniLever CEO, huge industrial resource-processor, makes most important sustainability statement I've read this year http://t.co/NRei20kYir

— Rick Robinson (@dr_rick) October 8, 2013

via

An impressive environmental statement from Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, muses on the limitations of our current capitalist approach and considers how we can sustainably build on this.

Unilever have stopped quarterly reporting of results, the drumbeat the dictates the short-termist march of the modern American corporation. They also claim to have changed from the relentless focus on shareholder value to satisfying “the demands of consumers and customers and to serve the needs of the communities where we operate”.

They close with a call to arms to other businesses to follow their lead. Impressive stuff indeed.

The Guardian also have an interview with Paul Polman exploring these themes.

In these days of the 99%, a growing equality gap, short-term outlooks in business preventing long term strategic thinking and wider sustainability challenges around resources and energy, this is encouraging to see. I hope these words are backed by actions, that the market doesn’t crucify them, and that other companies are brave enough to be the first followers