INSEAD Press Release

Business, Government and Media must regain public trust - Seite 2

André Hoffmann MBA'90D, Vice Chairman of Roche Holdings, shared how Roche integrates societal values into the company's business model, which has placed the company atop the healthcare sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for ten years running. He states that, "We've got to the point where it is becoming really part of the DNA of the company. If we have businesses that manage well their relationship with the planet and with the markets - efficiently and sufficiently; morally and with a sense of purpose - we will not need philanthropy any more. Because the root cause of all these issues will have disappeared. So I think it is very important to amalgamate the two as quickly as possible." 

Peter Zemsky (left), INSEAD Deputy Dean and Dean of Innovation, with André Hoffmann MBA'90D, Vice Chairman of Roche Holdings, at The Force for Good Conference on 5 October 2018.

Piyush Gupta, Group CEO of DBS Bank, Singapore, elaborated on the bank's "do no harm, do more good" responsible banking programme, which focuses on scaling up renewable energy, green bonds, social housing, financial inclusion and gender diversity. He asserts that, "The idea about business for good is so important because this cannot be done by governments alone, nor by society or the NGOs. The only platform and the most relevant entity which has the capacity to do things and to move things along, is private sector corporations. This is the reality in today's world."

Subi Rangan, Professor of Strategy and Management at INSEAD, highlighted that businesses and institutions, which are created and led by individuals in power, need to use power as a force for good. He says that individuals would do well to remember that, "We can regulate power. Trust is always coming back to the use of power, and the purpose for which it is being used. When we abuse power then trust goes down, but if we use power in positive ways, trust can be inculcated."

How business schools can play their part

INSEAD is committed to developing responsible leaders who transform business and society. The concept of stewardship is important. The school has integrated global insights on business and society issues into its new MBA curriculum and executive education programmes to prepare students and participants - the world's current and future leaders - for global challenges and tough conversations ahead.