Sustainability makes good business sense, and we're all on the same team at the end of the day. That's the truth about the human condition.
Paul PolmanRead
Too many companies are running their business into the ground, I would argue, by being myopically short-term focused on the shareholder.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Focusing solely on immediate shareholder profits can harm a company's long-term success.
In this quote, Paul Polman highlights the detrimental effects of prioritizing short-term shareholder profits over sustainable business practices. He argues that many companies are failing to thrive because they are narrowly concentrated on immediate financial returns, neglecting the broader implications of their strategies that could lead to better outcomes in the future.
Themes
BusinessShareholderLong-TermSustainabilityProfits
In practice
Example use cases
In a business conference discussing sustainable practices, you might quote Paul Polman to emphasize the importance of long-term strategies.
More from Paul Polman
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I discovered a long time ago that if I focus on doing the right thing for the long term to improve the lives of consumers and customers all over the world, the business results will come.
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Permissible growth in the future has to be based on sustainable and equitable models.
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The young give us hope because young people are certain their best days still lie ahead - which explains why they're absolutely convinced they can change the world for the better.
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