Business Green: Branson and Zeitz launch 'Plan B for Business' - The B Team

James Murray

The B Team

Sir Richard Branson and Puma chairman Jochen Zeitz have today launched a major non-profit group, dubbed The B Team, with the view to promoting a new set of progressive business values that “prioritise people and planet alongside profit”.

The group brings together a host of high profile business and political leaders, including Arianna Huffington, Unilever’s Paul Polman, Ratan Tata of the Tata Group, President of the United Nations Foundation Kathy Calvin, and former Irish President Mary Robinson. These so-called “B Leaders” have pledged to work on the development of a “Plan B for business” that seeks to address the growing challenges businesses and societies face, such as high unemployment, global inequality and the unsustainable use of natural resources.

“Today we want to start a global conversation on a ‘Plan B’ for business,” said co-founder Sir Richard Branson in a statement. “We are working with government agencies, the social sector, and business leaders to help get on top of some of the world’s seemingly intractable challenges. We are keen to listen, learn and share with others to build businesses that do what’s right for people and the planet.”

Zeitz, who was responsible for pioneering the development of the world’s first ever corporate environmental profit and loss accounts at Puma, said the goal of the new group was no less than to redefine the way businesses operate.