The findings, which reveal how leading companies are transforming with a purpose to drive innovation and growth, were discussed by distinguished panelists that included: Arianna Huffington, President & Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post Media; Antony Jenkins, Group CEO, Barclays; Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever; Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman & CEO, Mondelez International; and Mark Weinberger, Global Chairman and CEO, EY. The event was held in collaboration with The B Team.
The research findings include an initial review of relevant literature and assembled case studies from global firms, as well as interviews with senior executives across industries and geographies worldwide. Some of the findings include:
Cheryl Grise, EY’s Global Advisory Strategy Leader, says: “Purpose and meaning have an important role as a strategic, transformational element in business today. We are proud to reveal phase 1 of our research with the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, at the World Economic Forum among such distinguished business leaders. We find in our work with clients and in our thought leadership that purpose-led transformation enhances organizational agility and does so in a way that increases innovation and drives sustainable growth for businesses.”
Andrew White, Associate Dean of Executive Education at Saïd Business School, says: “We have noticed from a number of conversations with CEOs and senior leaders that defining and implementing ‘purpose’ is becoming increasingly important to them. As companies acknowledge a broader set of stakeholders to whom they are accountable – ignoring this is not just an ethical issue – but one that has a deep impact on innovation and growth.”
The event also featured the official launch of the EY Beacon Institute, which will be dedicated to transforming business through the science of purpose. Leading the co-development of the institute with members will be Valerie Keller, EY’s Strategy Executive Director. Additionally, there was a private unveiling of EY global research with Harvard Business Review (HBR) Analytic Services. The research features a survey of 474 business executives and was conducted among the readers of HBR and EY clients. It will be fully available in later in 2015. Four top-line insights shared at the meeting included:
To access phase 1 of the Oxford research and top-line findings of the HBR Analytic Services research – and learn more about the EY Beacon Institute – please visit:
or
https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/ideas-
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