Antonio Costa
Prime Minister of Portugal (2015-2024) Mayor of Lisbon (2007-2015)
Paul Polman
Former CEO, Unilever | Co-founder of IMAGINE | Co-author, Net Positive | Thinkers50 #1, 2025
Paul Polman ran Unilever for a decade and delivered 290% shareholder returns while making it the world's most sustainable company. Co-architect of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Thinkers50's top-ranked thinker in 2025, and author of Net Positive, he makes the business case for purpose with more credibility than almost anyone on the circuit.
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Paul Polman biography
Paul Polman is one of the most credible voices in global business on the relationship between corporate purpose and long-term performance. As CEO of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, he transformed one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies into a widely studied model for responsible capitalism: shareholder returns rose 290% over his tenure, while the company consistently ranked first globally for sustainability and among the best employers in the world. He did this while scrapping quarterly earnings guidance, prioritizing long-term stakeholder value, and launching the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, a strategy that embedded social and environmental targets at the heart of the business model.
Sustainability speaker Paul Polman is equally recognized for his work beyond the private sector. He served on the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel that developed the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and has since been among their most prominent champions in the business world. He co-founded IMAGINE, an organization that mobilizes CEO-led coalitions to accelerate systems change on climate and inequality, and co-chairs the Planetary Guardians alongside other global leaders pushing for binding commitments on environmental limits. In 2024, he appeared as himself in the Netflix documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, bringing his message about consumption and corporate accountability to a broad global audience.
His 2021 book, Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take, co-authored with sustainability expert Andrew Winston, was recognized by the Financial Times and The Economist as one of the best business books of the year, and earned Polman and Winston the top spot in the Thinkers50 ranking in 2025, the most prestigious index of global business thinkers.
A Platform Built on Proof, Not Theory
What sets Polman apart from most voices in the sustainability space is that his arguments are grounded in operational results at real scale. He spent 27 years at Procter & Gamble before leading Nestlé’s Americas operations, then taking the helm at Unilever. He chairs Oxford’s Saïd Business School, One Young World, and The Valuable 500. He sits on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and the European Climate Foundation, and serves on global advisory boards for Temasek, the World Trade Organization, Systemiq, and Allianz. He has been honored with France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
As a speaker, Paul Polman brings a rare combination of boardroom credibility and moral clarity to conversations about the future of business. He challenges audiences to move beyond incremental sustainability commitments toward models that genuinely restore value rather than extract it. Senior executives leave his talks with a sharper understanding of why the business case for purpose is stronger than ever, and what courageous leadership in this era actually requires.
Paul Polman Speaking Videos
Paul Polman at the SDG Business Forum 2019
Paul Polman - Pursue Your Purpose
Paul Polman Keynote Topics
Drawing from his decade leading Unilever and the framework in his bestselling book, Polman makes the case that the most commercially successful companies of the next era will be those that restore more value than they consume. This is not a talk about corporate responsibility as a cost center. It is a blueprint for a fundamentally different business model, one that treats social and environmental performance as the engine of long-term growth, not a constraint on it.
As a co-architect of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, Polman is uniquely positioned to explain why addressing the world's biggest challenges represents the largest commercial opportunity in history. This talk translates global goals into concrete strategic choices for organizations: where to invest, how to build coalitions, and why companies that align their business models with systemic solutions will outperform those that do not.
The defining challenge for leaders today is not complexity or disruption in the traditional sense. It is the courage to act on long-term thinking in a world still organized around short-term metrics. Polman draws on his experience at Unilever, his work with IMAGINE's CEO coalitions, and his role shaping global governance to offer a frank, evidence-based account of what responsible leadership looks like in practice, and why the leaders who embrace it are building the most resilient organizations.
Current economic models were not designed to account for planetary limits or systemic inequality. Polman argues that this is not just an ethical problem but a strategic one: companies that depend on extracting value from workers, communities, and ecosystems are running a model that is running out of road. This talk makes the case for a regenerative approach to business and maps out what the transition requires at the level of strategy, governance, and corporate culture.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Paul Polman
Why Paul Polman?
Paul Polman is one of the few voices on business and sustainability who can speak from genuine results at scale. He did not build his reputation on research or consulting. He ran one of the world's largest companies for a decade, delivered exceptional shareholder returns, and did it by putting purpose and long-term stakeholder thinking at the center of every decision. When Polman makes the case that responsible business models outperform extractive ones, he is drawing on ten years of evidence at Unilever, not a thought experiment. For organizations navigating the transition to sustainable business models, his perspective is both commercially grounded and strategically urgent. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to discuss availability and booking.
What is the Net Positive concept Paul Polman developed?
Net Positive is the idea that a company should improve the wellbeing of everyone it touches through its operations, products, and services, including the planet, and thrive as a result. It goes beyond traditional sustainability or corporate social responsibility, which tend to focus on reducing harm, toward a model where businesses actively restore and regenerate the systems they depend on. Polman developed the framework with sustainability strategist Andrew Winston and set it out in their 2021 book, which was recognized by the Financial Times, The Economist, and Thinkers50 as one of the most important business books of the year.
What did Paul Polman achieve as CEO of Unilever?
During Polman's tenure from 2009 to 2019, Unilever delivered 290% returns to shareholders while consistently ranking first in the world for sustainability and among the best employers globally. He scrapped short-term earnings guidance to focus on long-term value creation, launched the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, and expanded the company's presence in emerging markets. The period is widely studied in business schools as a proof point that a stakeholder-led, purpose-driven model can deliver superior financial performance over the long term.
What topics does sustainability speaker Paul Polman cover in his keynotes?
Paul Polman speaks on sustainable business models and the Net Positive framework, the business case for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, courageous long-term leadership, corporate purpose and stakeholder capitalism, and the transition from extractive to regenerative business. His talks are particularly well-suited to C-suite audiences, boards, investor forums, and events focused on ESG strategy, leadership development, and the future of capitalism. To book Paul Polman for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Paul Polman as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Paul Polman as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Paul Polman's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Paul Polman or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Paul Polman speaking fee?
Paul Polman speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Paul Polman to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Paul Polman.
How can I contact Paul Polman?
We only work with Paul Polman on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Paul Polman and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Paul Polman speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Paul Polman for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Paul Polman for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Paul Polman is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Paul Polman for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
