Listen to this article
* – This article has been archived and is no longer updated by our editorial team –
A video shared on September 25th by Competent Boards has had close to 30,000 views. And it’s not your traditional rockstars that are featured… they are some very influential Board members, CEOs and Investors – and they are arguing that doing good for society is good for business – they are Business Rockstars.
So, who are Competent Boards and how are they able to engage so many people so fast with an agenda that some might call soft or non-financial. We asked the Founder and CEO of Competent Boards, Helle Bank Jorgensen, a veteran in facilitating discussions with C-suites and boards focused on ESG (Environment, Social and Governance), sustainability, climate resiliency and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Q: Helle, (pronounced Hella for non-Danes) Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to Competent Boards?
A: Sure – I actually think that Paul Polman, the CEO of Unilever said it well: Competent Boards is a company that shares knowledge, experience and insight to help train board members (and others) on how to capitalize on the opportunities the Sustainability agenda and the SDGs present.
Businesses all over the world are realizing that they need to understand how the changing natural and business climate – with water scarcity, droughts and a workforce that cares about more than just money – will impact the resiliency of their businesses and frankly their own legacy. They are realizing that doing good can and often will be good for business – if you do it the right way. However, many business leaders need to learn the new language of sustainability and understand global market demands and conditions.
Until now there has never been a platform where business leaders could learn about sustainability, climate change and the global Sustainable Development Goals in a systematic and accessible way.
And that’s where we step in. We have designed an online platform for current and future business leaders and boards of directors to connect with others from all over the world. We offer online education and training allowing people to gain insights and learn about best practices from other leaders in addition to more tailored consulting offerings to help companies and boards reach sustainable success.
Recommended: Microlearning App Gnowbe Provides A Mobile-First eLearning Solution For The Modern Workforce
Q: How did you come up to the idea for Competent Boards? What was your inspiration?
A: Well, I’ve been working in sustainability for over 25 years and I’ve had the opportunity to help many companies make valuable sustainable decisions and innovations that turned their sustainability efforts into strong financial results. During this time I became very aware that in order for sustainability strategies to really stick and create long-term opportunities for businesses, sustainability needs to have support from all facets of the company and most importantly from the people at the top.
So, I started talking to board members about where they got their inspiration – and there were many places – but most of them were 1) not global 2) not overly accessible and most important to me 3) did not cover some of the most pressing topics of doing business in the 21st century – sustainability!
With this in mind, I set out to build an online global platform where current and future business leaders could learn about some of the biggest issues facing boards in a convenient, collaborative and cutting-edge way.
Q: Can you give us insights into your services?
A: The first thing I did was interview some of the most experienced Board Members, Chairs, CEOs, and executives that I know from around the world to get their insight on issues including sustainability, ESG, climate change and the SDGs.
These expert business leaders include:
Jim Hagemann Snabe – Chair, A.P Moller – Maersk, Chair, Siemens, Vice-Chair, Allianz & Member of the Board of Trustee, World Economic Forum
Paul Polman – CEO, Unilever, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce, Chair, The B-Team & Vice-Chair, United Nations Global Compact
Anette Verschuren, O.C – CEO and Chair, NRStor Inc., Board Member, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Board Member, Air Canada, Board Member, Saputo Inc., Board Member, Canadian Natural Resources Limited & Chair, MaRS Discovery District
Peter Damgaard Jensen – CEO, PKA & Chair, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC)
Claus Stig Pedersen – Head of Global Sustainability & Public Affairs, EMEA, Novozymes & UN SDG Pioneer
Torben Möger Pedersen – CEO, PensionDanmark, Global Agenda Council on Investments, World Economic Forum, Advisory Board, OECD’s Centre on Green Finance and Investment & Advisory Board, UN Global Compact’s Financial Innovation Action Platform
Michael Treschow – Chair, Wallenberg Foundations Investment Committee, Former Chair, Unilever, Former Chair, Ericsson & Former Chair, Electrolux
Kevin Coon – Managing Partner, Baker McKenzie Toronto, Chair Policy Committee, Baker McKenzie International & Member of the United Nations Global Compact Advisory Group on Supply Chain
Bjarne Graven Larsen – Former CIO, Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan & Former CIO, ATP
Erika Karp – Founder and CEO, Corrnerstone Capital Inc.
From there, we’ve created a very insightful series of video modules that are available on the website to help people understand what others are doing about these complex issues and why they are seeing them as not only risks but mainly as opportunities. We are in the process of scheduling webinars and online training programs based on many of these complex issues I referred to, in addition to other issues we are seeing as disruptors and challenges in the boardroom. Regardless of the topic, we will discuss it through the lens of sustainability – because frankly, the whole world is moving in that direction and it presents infinite opportunities for businesses.
Q: What are the benefits of becoming part of the Competent Boards Movement?
A: Like I mentioned, Competent Boards is attempting to fill the gaps that currently exist in corporate and board knowledge-sharing and educational platforms. In filling these gaps, we will create greater meaning and benefits for our clients – making us a must for companies to look into and we are doing it in an easily accessible way. We’ll do this by sticking to what we refer to as the 3 Cs – Cutting-Edge * Collaborative * Convenient. By gaining relevant and timely insight from well-respected and successful business leaders we will remain cutting-edge. By ensuring we are globally collaborative and working with global leaders and clients we will provide a diverse perspective – something we see as vital in today’s global economy. Our platform is convenient – it’s available 24/7 (as long as you are connected to the internet), it’s available online – so no traveling required, we consider all time zones when scheduling live sessions, and we offer our services at an affordable rate. Of course, one of the most important aspects of joining the Competent Boards movement is that you are connected to a network of global business leaders with diverse perspectives and experience in various sectors. Allowing you as a leader to stay relevant.
Recommended: Q: What are your plans moving forward?
A: We are very excited about all the positive feedback and the fact that we are seeing many future board members interested in being educated and the help we offer to get them placed on global boards. (We have a service where you can send in your CV and recruiters can ask us for candidates).
Our main plan is to continue to set up interviews with global business leaders, so we can continue to tap into their minds and share their insight. We’ll also be posting dates for some very exciting webinars and training sessions coming up soon – so make sure to keep an eye on our website www.competentboards.com. Other than continuing to expand our offerings and schedule training and webinar dates – we’ll be attending events and speaking engagements to continue to build our ever-growing network and spread the word about the Competent Boards Movement.
Our mission is to get boards, investors and business leaders all over the world ‘on board’ to become a part of the Competent Boards Movement – so they can lead sustainable companies that are Climate, Sustainability, and SDG Competent.
Activate Social Media:
