Paul Polman

Paul Polman – Life, Career & Vision for Sustainable Business


Paul Polman (born July 11, 1956) is a Dutch business leader, former Unilever CEO, and advocate for sustainable capitalism. Learn about his early life, corporate leadership, sustainability philosophy, famous quotes, and lessons for modern business.

Introduction

Paulus Gerardus Josephus Maria “Paul” Polman (born July 11, 1956) is a Dutch businessman, author, and global advocate for corporate responsibility and sustainability.

He is best known for serving as CEO of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, during which he sought to transform the company into a purpose-driven, long-term sustainable enterprise.

After his tenure at Unilever, Polman has continued to lead and invest in ventures aimed at addressing climate change, inequality, and systems-level change in business and society.

This article explores his background, leadership at Unilever, philosophy, influence, notable quotes, and lessons drawn from his work.

Early Life and Education

Polman was born in Enschede, Netherlands on July 11, 1956.

His father worked in a tyre company, and his mother was a schoolteacher.

Initially, Polman hoped to become a doctor. However, admissions to medical school in the Netherlands involved a lottery system, and he did not get in.

Instead, he studied business and economics. He earned a BBA/BA from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (1977), then went on to obtain an MA in Economics and an MBA in Finance and International Marketing from the University of Cincinnati, finishing in 1979.

Polman later received honorary doctorates from the University of Groningen (in 2014) and George Mason University (2018).

Career and Achievements

Early Career: P&G and Nestlé

Polman began his business career in 1979 at Procter & Gamble (P&G), where he worked for 27 years.

In 2006, Polman moved to Nestlé, where he became Chief Financial Officer and then Vice President, heading operations in the Americas.

Leadership at Unilever (2009–2019)

In 2009, Polman became CEO of Unilever, succeeding Patrick Cescau.

From early in his tenure, he initiated bold sustainability goals, most notably the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), which aimed to decouple the company’s growth from its environmental footprint and to increase its positive social impact.

Under Polman’s leadership, Unilever delivered strong financial performance: shareholder returns increased significantly (some reports cite +290%) over the decade.

Polman also shifted the company away from quarterly targets and focused on long-term value rather than short-term gains.

In 2018, Polman announced he would step down, and officially left the CEO role in 2019, handing over to Alan Jope.

Post-Unilever: Imagine, Systemiq & Impact Investing

After leaving Unilever, Polman co-founded IMAGINE (also referred to as Imagine World) along with Jeff Seabright, aiming to mobilize business leaders to tackle inequality, climate change, and poverty.

In 2022, IMAGINE was acquired by Systemiq, an environmental consultancy and systems change firm; Polman became a board member and major shareholder of Systemiq.

Polman is also involved with TPG Rise, a large social-impact investment fund, and EQT Future, a long-term impact fund.

He holds various leadership and advocacy roles: he has chaired The B Team, served as Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and been vice-chair of the UN Global Compact.

Polman is also active in governance and advisory roles in universities (e.g. Saïd Business School at Oxford) and global initiatives linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Philosophy & Vision

Paul Polman’s business philosophy centers on purpose, multi-stakeholder value, and aligning profit with planetary and social constraints.

He argues that businesses must transcend shareholder-centric models and integrate environmental and social concerns into core strategy.

He popularized the idea of Net Positive business—companies that give more than they take (in social and environmental terms).

Polman believes that sustainability is not just a constraint but a driver of innovation, resilience, and long-term growth.

He also frequently emphasizes that short-term decisions must not compromise the long term and that business must be accountable to communities, workers, and the planet, not only investors.

In recent years, Polman has been vocal about corporate leadership in defending democracy, climate policy, and resisting populism.

Legacy and Influence

Paul Polman is widely seen as one of the pioneers who helped bring sustainability and corporate purpose into mainstream business discourse.

Under his leadership, Unilever became a test case for combining financial success with environmental and social commitment.

His work after Unilever—especially with IMAGINE and in impact investing—shows a shift from corporate leader to ecosystem builder.

Polman is also influential in policy and multilateral spheres: his roles in the UN Global Compact, ICC, The B Team, and SDG advocacy help bridge business and global governance.

Many business schools, leaders, and corporations cite his approach in evolving business models, leadership training, and corporate responsibility programs.

Famous Quotes

Here are several notable quotes attributed to Paul Polman, reflecting his values and worldview:

“Anyone who things that you can have infinite growth in a finite environment is either a madman or an economist.” “People with purpose thrive, brands with purpose grow, and companies with purpose last.” “We can no longer pretend that business is immune from the rising tide of environmental or social challenges or that companies can create value in isolation from the communities of which they are a part.” “If the short-term decisions you make damage the long term, you should resist those.” “Leadership is not about giving energy. It’s unleashing other people’s energy.” “We cannot choose between growth and sustainability – we must have both.” “Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being about changes in the weather. In reality it is about changes in our very way of life.”

These statements underscore recurring themes: purpose, long-term thinking, integration of business and society, and sustainability.

Lessons from Paul Polman’s Journey

From Polman’s path and impact, several lessons emerge:

  1. Purpose can drive performance
    He showed it’s possible to lead a major company while emphasizing sustainability, not just profit alone.

  2. Think systemically, not in silos
    He moved beyond corporate boundaries to ecosystem approaches (IMAGINE, Systemiq), advocating systems change.

  3. Courage to shift norms
    Polman challenged traditional metrics, removed quarterly targets, and reframed business priorities.

  4. Leadership means speaking up
    Especially in recent years, he argues CEOs must engage on issues like democracy and climate—not remain silent.

  5. Long-term orientation over short-termism
    He insisted that short-term gains should not undermine future viability—he restructured Unilever accordingly.

  6. Collaboration & multistakeholder engagement
    He frequently pushed for partnerships with governments, NGOs, communities, rather than businesses acting alone.

Recent article about Polman
Articles by the author

Large-scale deforestation can be prevented while increasing food production through better, smarter agriculture.

Paul Polman

Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being about changes in the weather. In reality it is about changes in our very way of life.

Paul Polman

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 Polman

Looking at the world through a sustainability lens not only helps us 'future proof' our supply chain, it also fuels innovation and drives brand growth.

Paul Polman

Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.

Paul Polman

We can no longer pretend that business is immune from the rising tide of environmental or social challenges or that companies can create value in isolation from the communities of which they are a part.

Paul Polman

The great challenge of the 21st century is to provide good standards of living for 7 billion people without depleting the earth's resources or running up massive levels of public debt. To achieve this, government and business alike will need to find new models of growth that are in both environmental and economic balance.

Paul Polman

Land is a great example of how we can manage and invest in sustainable infrastructure for economic, social, and environmental gains. Its use - and misuse - is at the heart of the challenge for food, fuel, and fibre.

Paul Polman

The world faces enormous human development and environmental challenges, from poverty and disease to food security and climate change.

Paul Polman

The moral case for gender equality is obvious. It should not need any explanation.

Paul Polman

It cannot be right in a world of increasing human progress - whether in medicine, space exploration or renewable energy - that so many people are denied the most basic human rights.

Paul Polman

Why would you invest in a company which is out of synch with the needs of society, that does not take its social compliance in its supply chain seriously, that does not think about the costs of externalities or of its negative impacts on society?

Paul Polman