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Announcing the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award Recipients

 Wednesday, 20 March 2019 10:22

The 2019 Business for Peace Honourees who are delivering opportunities for women, minorities and diverse and disadvantaged groups

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given to inspiring business leaders around the globe who have accomplished extraordinary things. The award honours ambassadors of businessworthy values, who are shaping society for the better.

The 2019 recipients are: Dr Agbor  Ashumanyi  Ako, co-founder of GiftedMom, Alice Laugher, the CEO of CTG (Committed  to Good) and Hamdi  Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of  Chobani.

These three leaders are at the helm of companies which have a broader view than just the bottom line and see business as a tool for change. As individuals, they look at the world around them and work to improve it.

“The 2019 Honourees have managed to create enterprises with a significant social impact, exemplifying outstanding business contributions to society. In a world of imbalance, they have taken the initiative to establish and grow businesses that offer opportunities to women, minorities, diverse and disadvantaged groups”, comments Business for Peace Founder, Per L. Saxegaard. “These three celebrated individuals have worked tirelessly to counteract inequalities, encouraging inclusion and democratising access to health, aid, and work. Through their businesses, they promote human rights, contribute to sustaining peace and help build environments in which human potential can flourish.”

Dr  Agbor Ashumanyi  Ako

Agbor  Ashumanyi  Ako is one of the co-founders of  GiftedMom, a digital health platform based in Cameroon that gives pregnant women and mothers across Africa access to vital health information and care.

As a digital-first platform, GiftedMom is able to expand faster than traditional health care systems and the start-up aims to reach 10 million women in the next 10 years. Started by Alain Nteff and Doctor Tankou Conrad in 2012, the platform now has over 170,000 users. 

The award-winning app has significantly improved both pregnancy check-up attendance and vaccination turnouts, with an ultimate goal to see a world free of preventable maternal and infant deaths.

Dr Agbor enthuses, “This recognition is a symbol to show that there is progress in the right direction for the company GiftedMom. It comes as a reminder of the mission ahead. Being nominated by experts from the United Nations Development Programme Business Call to Action community and selected by former Nobel Peace Prize laureates is an indication of how the work GiftedMom is doing provides a global solution to help solve today’s challenges.”

Alice Laugher

Alice Laugher is the CEO of CTG,  Committed  to Good, which provides employment and logistics services to development and relief programmes in fragile and conflict-affected countries. From running Ebola treatment clinics in Liberia, to food distribution in Afghanistan and South Sudan, monitoring and assisting refugees in Libya, and rebuilding government constitution in Somalia, the work of CTG is as diverse as our world’s issues.

 

British-born Laugher is a vocal   advocate for the Sustainable Development Agenda, with a particular focus on gender equality. She is passionate about CTG being a force for good and creating economic opportunities for women in war-torn regions through CTG’s initiative Female First, which pledges that 30% of project-related roles are represented by women by 2030. She explains: “At CTG, we’ve made empowering women through humanitarian employment in conflict-affected regions our focus. This award, this incredible recognition for our commitment, strengthens our determinations that we are moving in the right direction. I hope it will inspire business leaders, both women and men, to believe that their commitments to change and peace – no matter how small or large in scale – are the only way forward.”

Hamdi Ulukaya

Hamdi  Ulukaya  is the founder and CEO of  Chobani, the company behind the number one Greek yoghurt in America. Today,  Chobani  has over 2,000 employees in the United States, 30 percent of which are legally resettled immigrants and refugees.  Ulukaya has created a corporate culture in which everyone is welcome and has an opportunity to thrive with innovative profit-sharing and parental leave programmes.  Ulukaya  has also taken a leadership role in the global business community to encourage action from the private sector to tackle the global refugee crisis.

Turkish-born Ulukaya comments: “I’m very humbled by this honor, and I’m proud to accept it on behalf of the women and men of team Chobani. This new way of business–where companies focus on people and not just profits, try to make the world a little bit better–should be at the heart of every modern company. As CEOs we don’t need to have more, we need to do more. When we see an injustice, we need to speak out. When we have tools and resources to solve problems, we have to use them.”

About the Award

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given out annually to exemplary business leaders who apply their business energy ethically and responsibly, creating economic and societal value. Winners are selected by an independent committee of Nobel Prize winners in Peace and in Economics after a global nomination process through the International Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Global Compact, United Nations Development Programme, and Principles for Responsible Investment. The Award Committee consists of Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Finn Kydland (Norway), and Eric Maskin (USA). The committee evaluated the nominees on the criteria of being a role model to society and their peers, having earned trust by stakeholders, and standing out as an advocate.

Award Ceremony

The three winners received the Award in a ceremony at Oslo City Hall on 15 May 2019 as part of the annual Business for Peace Summit.

Tune in to the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award Announcement

 Thursday, 14 March 2019 20:01

On March 20, we will announce who will receive the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award. Following a global nomination process through our partners, the International Chamber of Commerce, Principles for Responsible Investment, UN Development Programme, and UN Global Compact, our Award Committee of Nobel Laureates has made its selection.

Hear from Raymond Johansen, Governing Mayor of Oslo, Per Saxegaard, Board Chair of Business for Peace, and Fiona Reynolds, CEO of Principles for Responsible Investment, as they share the news.

Tune into our livestream on 20 March at 9:00 CET for the announcement. 

Save the Date! First look at the 2019 Summit

Thursday, 14 March 2019 20:01

Business for Peace is pleased to announce the theme of the 2019 Summit: Navigating in a World of Imbalance.

Save the date 14-15 May 2019 and join us at the leading meeting place for purpose-driven business leaders. Registration opens in February 2019. 

The Summit will explore global challenges caused by inequality and what steps business leaders can take to address imbalances within their organisations, local societies, and beyond. Experts in technology, trade, inclusion, and more will share their insights through interactive sessions.

Who Will Be There

The Summit brings together business leaders, investors, leaders of NGOs, politicians, academics, and civil society from all over the world. Here is an advance look at who will be joining the Summit in Oslo next May. More announcements will be made in early 2019.

Anders Dahlvig
Chairman, Inter IKEA Group
Non-Executive Director, H&M
2009 Oslo Business for Peace Award Honouree
The former CEO who placed sustainability at the heart of IKEA

Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad
Director of Digital Policy and Energy, Norwegian Consumer Council
A leader in the development of better, more ethical digital policies and standards

Brian Iselin
Founder, slavefreetrade

A former Australian federal agent on a mission to stop human trafficking and slavery

Carlos Creus Moreira
Chairman, CEO and Founder of WISeKey
A digital pioneer and diplomacy expert who’s improving the safety of internet use

Eduardo Eurnekian
President, Corporación América

2012 Oslo Business for Peace Award Honouree
A global entrepreneur whose success is built on the goal of doing business for good

Fiona Reynolds
CEO, Principles for Responsible Investment
One of Australia’s top 100 Women of Influence and a key player in the investment industry

Mary Meaney
Senior Partner, Paris, McKinsey & Company
One of the leading experts in transformational change

Tim O’Reilly
Founder and CEO, O’Reilly Media
The Silicon Valley entrepreneur who is convening conversations that reshape the tech sector’s impact on society

Sharan Burrow
General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
A warrior for workers’ rights and equal opportunities 

Steve Killelea
Founder and Executive Chair, Institute for Economics and Peace
A global leader in philanthropy focused on sustainable development and peace

Check back for more updates!

Nominations for the 10th Anniversary Oslo Business for Peace Award now open

Tuesday, 21 August 2018 12:20

Nominations for the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award have now closed.

Business for Peace is seeking candidates for the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award. Candidates can be nominated through the Foundation’s global partners: International Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Global Compact and, new this year, Principles for Responsible Investment.

The Award, first conferred in 2009, is the highest distinction given to a business leader who exemplifies outstanding businessworthy accomplishments: ethically and responsibly creating value both for business and society.

How to nominate a candidate

Help us celebrate businessworthy leaders and nominate a candidate for the 2019 Award by using our partner nomination tool via the links below.

Candidates can come from a wide variety of business backgrounds and industries. Previous Award recipients range from a United Kingdom product designer who has created sustainable refrigeration, to a Nigerian entrepreneur who has increased the overall returns to rice farmers through improved quality, enhanced productivity, and guaranteed crop buy-back.

Evaluation Criteria

There are three evaluation criteria:

  1. being a role model to society and their peers
  2. having earned trust by stakeholders
  3. standing out as an advocate

Following the nomination process, Honourees will be selected by an independent committee consisting of Nobel Laureates in peace and economics. The current Award Committee consists of Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Finn Kydland (Norway), and Eric Maskin (USA).

Winners of the 2019 Oslo Business for Peace Award will be announced March 20, 2019 and will be presented with the award at Oslo City Hall May 15, 2019 in a public ceremony. Previous winners include Elon Musk (Tesla and SolarCity), Paul Polman (Unilever), Marilyn Carlson Nelson (Carlson Companies), Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Sarah Beydoun (Sarah’s Bag), Edgar Montenegro (Corpocampo), Martin Naughton (Glen Dimplex Group), and Durreen Shahnaz (Impact Investment Exchange).

Nomination Links

Insights from the 2018 Summit

 Monday, 09 July 2018 17:32

The 2018 Business for Peace Summit brought together business leaders, investors, politicians, academics, and civil society to discuss businesses’ role in accelerating climate leadership and how trust is central to the way forward.

The Summit report, prepared in collaboration with McKinsey, covers how businesses can thrive by embracing sustainability, the role of the finance sector in funding a sustainable future, what’s ahead for the energy sector, and more.

See key insights from Summit speakers such as Christiana Figueres, Convenor of Mission 2020, Matthew Harrington, Global COO of Edelman, Leymah Gbowee, Liberian peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2011, and other thought leaders. Case studies from companies across the world add further insight.

Leymah Gbowee to be Keynote Speaker at 2018 Award Ceremony

Sunday, 17 May 2018 20:53

We’re pleased to announce that Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate and activist, will give the annual State of the Union keynote address on the relationship between business and society at our Award Ceremony on May 16.

Currently, Ms. Gbowee is the Executive Director of the Women Peace and Security Network Africa and a founding member and former Coordinator of the Women in Peacebuilding Program/West African Network for Peacebuilding. Commended for her efforts as a peace activist in Liberia, she led a women’s movement that was pivotal in ending the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Having won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, Ms. Gbowee continues her inspiring work, including her efforts to speak on behalf of women and girls around the world.

Learn more about Ms. Gbowee’s story and her activism from this short documentary, produced by The New York Times.

The 2018 Award Ceremony is the highlight of the Business for Peace Summit. Join us as we hear from Ms. Gbowee and celebrate this year’s HonoureesLori Blaker, CEO of TTi Global, Edgar Montenegro, Founder and CEO of Corpocampo, and Martin Naughton, Founder of Glen Dimplex Group.

The Award will be presented by Award Committee members Ms. Gbowee and Shirin Ebadi, Human Rights Advocate and winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

Look back on the 2018 Summit

 Sunday, 13 May 2018 21:46

Were you unable to join us in Oslo for this year’s Business for Peace Summit? You can  still be #businessworthy and catch up on events from the Summit below. Watch the recordings from the landmarks events of the 2018 Summit below:

 

Launch of the Oslo Climate Leadership Declaration 

May 15, 08:00-10:00  CET

Rococo Banquet Room at Grand Hotel

Business for Peace Lecture with Jamie Oliver and Dr Sandro Demaio

May 15, 14:00-15:00 CET

University Aula, University of Oslo

The Business for Peace Roundtable

Building Trust: Accelerating Climate Leadership

May 16, 11:00-15:00 CET

Sentralen

2018 Award Ceremony

Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony

May 16, 17:00-18:30 CET

Oslo City Hall

Also, look back through the live coverage of events provided across our Social Media platforms. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Summit.

H.E. Ms. Amina J Mohammed of United Nations to give address at 2018 Award Ceremony

 Sunday, 13 May 2018 20:53

We are pleased to share that our 2018 Award Ceremony will now feature an address from the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Ms. Amina J Mohammed.

In addition to her esteemed presence, the award ceremony will feature other special guests, a curated programme of live musical performances, an interactive installation prior to the ceremony, and the annual State of the Union address, given this year by Nobel Peace Laureate, Ms. Leymah Gbowee. Join us as we recognise this year’s Business for Peace Award Honourees at Oslo City Hall, Wednesday May 16.

Were you unable to join us in Oslo? Watch the recording of the Award Ceremony here.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon to attend this year’s Award Ceremony

Friday, 20 April 2018 12:42

Photo: Jørgen Gomnæs / The Royal Court

Business for Peace is proud to announce that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon will attend this year’s Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony on May 16 at Oslo City Hall. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon has previously attended Business for Peace events and we are honoured to welcome him back again this year.

The Award Ceremony is the highlight of the annual Business for Peace Summit, celebrating the Oslo Business for Peace Award Honourees. This year’s Oslo Business for Peace Award Honourees are: Lori Blaker, CEO of TTi Global, Edgar Montenegro, Founder and CEO of Corpocampo, and Martin Naughton, Founder of Glen Dimplex Group.

Leymah Gbowee, Peace Activist and winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, will give the annual State of the Union Address on the relationship between business and society. Shirin Ebadi, Human Rights Advocate and winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, will join Ms Gbowee to hand out the prize. Both are members of the Oslo Business for Peace Award Committee that selects the Honourees for the annual Award.

The Award Ceremony will take place on May 16 at 17:00 in Oslo City Hall. The public is invited to attend but advance registration is required as space is limited.

Dr. Alessandro Demaio in conversation with Jamie Oliver

Wednesday, 11 April 2018 18:09

Join us!

Last month we announced that chef and business leader Jamie Oliver would be giving the annual Business for Peace lecture this May. Now, we’re pleased to share that Alessandro Demaio, the new CEO of EAT Foundation, will be joining him on stage.

It’s sure to be an engaging conversation about nutrition, trust, and how businesses can take the lead.

Business for Peace Lecture with Jamie Oliver & Dr. Alessandro Demaio
May 15, 14:00
Aula at the University of Oslo