Unilever

Unilever was one of the first multinationals worldwide to start using the concept of purpose. It emerged during the leadership of previous CEO Paul Polman. In the process, the company’s purpose was split into two parts: more sales and less CO2 emissions. That’s a first step, but still a purpose that tries to combine the More-mindset of the industrial 20th century with the Better-mindset of the artisanal 21st century. The very thing virtually all businesses are doing right now.

This puts a company in a split between money drive and charity. This is a schizophrenia that ultimately never works. Extensive scientific research shows that it only works when human beings in an enterprise work from a common sense of meaningful purpose. And money is never a meaningful purpose.

What is really needed is the complete transformation from 20th century thinking and acting to 21st century thinking and acting. Or the transformation from the binary dualistic More-mindset to the singular holistic Better-mindset. In the More-mindset, the mindset we all grew up with, you always think and/and or and/or. So make a lot of money and be good for the environment. In the Better-mindset you have reached a mental state that fits human beings in the self-actualization phase: delivering value to the world from natural artisanship which naturally and automatically means doing good for the world on all levels. Unilever started that journey to the Better-mindset by doing an extensive Become Program® in the Benelux with 75 employees from all levels of the company. Then they expanded that process to the major brands.