THEAFRICABAZAAR
July 12, 2016
Arif Naqvi, founder and Chief executive officer of The Abraaj Group, an emerging markets-focused private equity firm, has joined Sir. Richard Branson, and Jochen Zeitz, co-founders of B Team, along with 20 other global leaders from the business and the civil society in a collective effort to redefine the role of business as a force for social, environmental and economic benefit.
Photo: courtesy of The Abraaj Group. Arif Naqvi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Abraaj Group.
Mr. Naqvi will be joined by two other new members: Oliver Bäte of the Allianz Group, Andrew Liveris of The Dow Chemical Company, which will help drive The B Team’s work.
“The addition of these purpose-driven and accomplished leaders adds invaluable depth of knowledge and fresh perspectives to our team,” Zeitz said. “We’re excited to work alongside them as we push toward a Plan B for business in which sustainable, resilient business models are the new global norm.”
All three leaders will join the Net Zero by 2050 initiative, which seeks to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to preserve land and ocean resources by measuring business impacts and dependencies on natural capital.
Mr. Naqvi will work on initiatives which address The B Team Challenges of ‘Fostering Collaboration’ and ‘Creating thriving communities,’ which seek to create dialogue and build open and engaged communities through a multi-stakeholder process. He will also work with Mr. Bäte on the 100 percent Human at Work initiative, which seeks to inspire a movement of business leaders who will lead their businesses through the principles of equality, respect, growth, belonging and purpose.
“Business cannot succeed in societies that fail. Being part of The B Team enables us to amplify our collective efforts in building sustainable businesses and communities that ensure dignity, respect and fair values,” said Arif Naqvi. “I look forward to collaborating with like-minded leaders at The B Team to demonstrate how long-term business success can be aligned with the interests of the communities and stakeholders we serve.”
Bäte and Liveris were among 79 prominent CEOs who signed an open letter released before last year’s Paris climate conference that called for world leaders to pursue “a low-carbon, sustainable future while keeping the rise in global temperature to under 2 degrees Celsius.”
Mr. Liveris will also work on the team’s Governance & Transparency initiative, which focuses on fighting corruption by ending anonymous companies, and seeks to create and maintain environments in which governments and companies are responsive and accountable to informed, empowered citizens.
“Both Allianz and I personally have long been committed to managing the risks of climate change and advancing equality and social inclusion, and I am delighted to be able to contribute our expertise to The B Team’s initiatives,” said Oliver Bäte. “Business has an important role to play alongside other actors in devising innovative solutions to urgent problems, and I’m happy to join The B Team in its efforts to bring these topics to the forefront of the business agenda.”
“The multi-stakeholder world is here to stay. Business, civil society and government must collaborate for better policies and smarter solutions to the challenges we face, and to build a more prosperous, inclusive society,” said Andrew Liveris. “The B Team is leading with this approach, so I am pleased to join them and create a more sustainable model for business.”
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