Peace conference in Oslo Norway to honour seven business figures

The presentation for the Oslo Business for Peace Award will be taking place during the 2010 Oslo Summit on the 18th October, in the Oslo City Hall, Norway. The conference will focus on the relationship between peace and trade through various presentations, as well as a panel debate. The one-day event will conclude with the formal presentation of the Oslo Business for Peace Award to the seven honourees selected by the Oslo Summit award committee.

The aim of the Oslo Business for Peace Award is to inspire businesses and businesspersons all over the world in order to help them recognise business ethics and renew a traditional vision of success.

The seven honourees for the Oslo Business for Peace Award are:

Venkataramani Srivathshan (Nigeria)

Venkataramani Srivathshan is the Managing Director of Olam Nigeria, a leading global supply chain management company of agricultural products and food ingredients. Srivathshan has created the Rice Extension Farming and Out-Grower program. This program has allowed Olam Nigeria to increase the overall returns to the rice farmer through enhanced productivity, improved quality and guaranteed buy-back of crop.

Francis Yeoh (Malaysia)

Francis Yeoh is the managing director of the YTL Corporation Berhad, Malaysia’s leading integrated infrastructure conglomerates. Yeoh believes a sustainable business means a business that can thrive in the long term and that true sustainability has four equal components: Social, Economic, Environmental and Cultural.

Ratan Tata (India)

Ratan Tata is the present Chairman of the Tata group, India’s largest conglomerate today. Tata has more than once declared that his company is not driven to grow “over everybody’s dead bodies.” His personal view is that the Tata group’s sense of social responsibility doesn’t collide with shareholder value creation. Tata gives away on average between 8 to 14 percent of its net profit every year.

Stef Wertheimer (Israel)

Stef Wertheimer is the Founder and Honorary Chairman of Iscar Metalworking Company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of carbide cutting tools. In his company, Wertheimer employs an integrated workforce where his employees work side by side towards a common goal, shedding the stereotypes so prevalent in the Middle-East. He is also committed to peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbours.

Emily Cummins (UK)

Emily Cummins, a product designer and developer, is a good example to the public and inspires the business community with her vision and creativity. Due to the threat of global warming, Cummins set out to redesign everyday appliances to improve their power efficiency. Cummins selflessly gave her design away because she wanted as many people as possible to build their own sustainable refrigerators. Now, her product is serving the everyday refrigeration needs of countless families across southern Africa.

William Rosenzweig (U.S.)

William Rosenzweig is Managing Director of Physic Ventures, whose purpose is to generate wealth by investing in companies that create value by delivering innovative solutions for preventing disease, promoting consumer-driven health and ensuring a sustainable planet for future generations. He founded multiple other venture funds in his investor career.

Roberto Servitje Sendra (Mexico)

Robert Sendra is Chairman of the Board of Grupo Bimbo, a multinational baking company. Grupo Bimbo has a significant social responsibility program. It is tightly related to health, environment, society (poverty, food etc.) and the wellbeing of its workers. In terms of health, the company has been making serious efforts, trying to promote exercise as a way of life. In terms of environment, the company has been making big efforts to recycle, reduce its consumption of water, and it has supported a big reforestation campaign in Mexico.

Sitting on the award commitee for The Oslo Business for Peace Award will be Professor Muhammad Yunus, Winner of The Nobel Peace Prize 2006, Professor Wangari Muta Maathai, Winner of The Nobel Peace Prize 2004, and Professor A. Michael Spence, Winner of The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Studies in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2001.

For further information, visit http://www.businessforpeace.no/

About The Business for Peace Foundation

The Business for Peace Foundation was initiated by Per L. Saxegaard in 2007. Saxegaard, founding partner of the Norden Realkapital group and Norden Investment Banking, has more than twenty years experience in financial and strategic advisory work, and M&A transactions with business entrepreneurs in Scandinavia.

Saxegaard became increasingly conscious of the interdependence between business and peace and the importance of ethical business practice consequently founding the Business for Peace Foundation.

The aim of the Foundation is to increase the awareness of the business person as an individual to the strength of the ethical business case, and thus inspire business people as individuals to foster peace and stability.

Contact Information

Bjørn Richard Johansen

Media and Press Liaison

Business for Peace Foundation

Contact via E-mail