Appointment of executive Director

Appointment
of Executive
Director
Contents
Introduction3
About The B Team
4
Vision and mission
4
Moral compass 5
Guiding beliefs
6
Declaration7
Agenda8
Approach9
Challenges10
Governance11
Role description
12
Person specification
14
Appointment process and how to apply
15
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
2
Introduction
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the role of
Executive Director for The B Team.
Following the successful leadership of
Derek Handley as our Founding CEO, we are
seeking an innovative, highly collaborative
and dynamic individual who can join us
for the next phase of our journey – as we
accelerate a global movement to redefine
the purpose of business.
This is an exciting time to join The B Team
but also a critical time for the world – in the
face of gross environmental degradation,
increasing inequality and heightened levels
of volatility – as more and more people realise
that business as usual is no longer an option.
Although business is responsible for many
of the problems we see today, we also
believe that business can and must be part
of the solution.
Our hope for The B Team is to serve as a
catalyst for a better way of doing business,
for the wellbeing of people and the planet.
We know what we seek to do is incredibly
ambitious, and that it will take an
unprecedented effort by hundreds of
thousands of leaders to accomplish our
vision and address the critical challenges we
face, but we also know that it is needed now
more than ever.
If you believe in our vision, you know how to
make systemic, transformative and scalable
change in business and you share our
values, then this is the role for you and we
very much look forward to hearing from you.
Jochen Zeitz
Co-Founder & Executive Chair
The B Team
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
3
About The
B Team
The B Team is a not-for-profit initiative that has been formed by a group of
global business leaders to create a future where the purpose of business is
to be a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit.
The initial B Team members include: Shari Arison,
Sir Richard Branson, Kathy Calvin, Arianna Huffington,
Mo Ibrahim, Guilherme Leal, Strive Masiyiwa, Blake Mycoskie, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
François-Henri Pinault, Paul Polman, Ratan Tata,
Zhang Yue, Professor Muhammad Yunus and Jochen Zeitz. Joining The B Team as Honorary B Leaders
are Mary Robinson and Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland
representing People and Planet.
As a catalyst for a better way of doing business
The B Team seeks to develop and implement a Plan B for
business that puts people and the planet alongside profit.
Vision
Our vision of the future is a world in which the
purpose of business is to be a driving force for
social, environmental and economic benefit.
Members of The B Team will focus on execution and
action, amplifying others’ efforts by undertaking specific
global challenges where their collective voice can make
a difference.
The B Team Founders and Co-Chairs are Sir Richard Branson
and Jochen Zeitz. They are joined by supporters who
make up the Founders Circle including Derek Handley
(founding CEO), Havas Media, Strive Masiyiwa,
Joann McPike, Kering/PUMAVision, The Rockefeller
Foundation, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Virgin
Unite (initial incubator of The B Team).
Mission
Our mission is to be a catalyst for a better way
of doing business for the wellbeing of people
and the planet.
We seek to deliver a ‘Plan B’ that puts people
and the planet alongside profit. Plan A —
where companies have been driven by the
profit motive alone — is no longer acceptable.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
4
Our moral
compass
We believe that every action we take and every decision we make has a
ripple effect, influencing those around us and affecting situations.
We use FHPC [Fair, Honest, Positive, Creative] as a practical tool, a daily routine to help us find the best direction and
accomplish our mission. It guides us toward fairer outcomes, honest interactions, positive results and more.
Fair
Fair means balanced. It means we see both
sides, and resist the pressures that can push
us into extreme ways of thinking, working or
living. It also means we are open to all, and
refuse to discriminate against people or make
judgements based on gender, race, religion,
political persuasion, sexual preference, or way
of life. Being fair means listening as much as we
talk, and giving back as much as we take.
Positive
Positive means constructive. It means building
things — and people — up, not breaking
them down. It means suggesting rather than
criticising, and working for solutions rather than
just complaining. It means supporting others
when they try, encouraging them when they fail,
and celebrating with them when they succeed.
It means “we can” more often than “we can’t”.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
Honest
Honest means sincere. It means not faking it,
walking the walk as much as we talk the talk.
It means putting our money, our time and our
energy where our mouths are. Being honest
means admitting our mistakes, and owning up
to our responsibilities – something that applies
to companies as much as it does to individuals.
Creative
Creative means imaginative. It means thinking
outside the box. Being creative means finding
a way around a problem, rather than stopping
when the walls are too high. It means looking
at new ways, listening to new ideas and trying
new strategies. It means striving for the most
innovative solution because just being good
enough is never good enough. Being creative
means having dreams, and then making those
dreams real things, in our individual worlds and
in the greater world.
5
Our guiding
beliefs
In addition to our moral compass we hold the following core beliefs:
Boldness: We believe in pursuing the unreasonable
and radical over the purely possible or sensible – now is
not the time to shy away from breakthrough aspirations,
even if they are unpopular ones.
Action: We believe that we must strive to be an engine
of action – a do-tank, not a think-tank, and that our plans,
attitude and ideas must carry this through at all times.
Independence: We believe in acting with the best
interests of only humanity and the planet, and need to
protect this fiercely in everything we do – who we work
with, how we are funded and what we say.
Humility: We believe we do not have all the answers,
and that this journey that we are on is one that many
people started long before we arrived here.
Collaboration: The change we seek will require
complex, multi-stakeholder solutions to complex,
multi-stakeholder problems — we believe the only way
to achieve this is in committed, transparent and open
collaboration and partnership.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
6
Our
declaration
We, The B Team, believe that the world is at a critical crossroads.
Global-business leaders need to come together to advance the wellbeing
of people and the planet. In fact, we think business has to think this way
in order to thrive.
The private sector can and must redefine both
its responsibilities and its own terms of success;
a Plan B for concerted, positive action that will
ensure business becomes a driving force for social,
environmental and economic benefit.
Business is now waking up to the reality that if we
carry on using the natural resources of the world
unsustainably, they’ll quite simply run out. With a
burgeoning population, more people are still living
in poverty than ever before and inequalities are
increasing in many parts of the world. Unemployment
rates are at frightening levels. Non-profits alone
cannot solve the tasks at hand, while many
governments are unwilling or unable to act.
While there are myriad reasons we’ve arrived at this
juncture, much of the blame rests with the principles
and practices of ‘business as usual’. These are
not the outcomes we envisioned as we grew our
companies; this is not the dream that inspired us.
And the overwhelming conclusion we’ve reached
is that businesses have been a major contributor to
the problems, and we as business leaders have the
responsibility of creating sustainable solutions.
Therefore, if we leverage the many positives of
business – the spirit of enterprise, innovation
and entrepreneurship that has helped realise
improvements in quality of life and enabled
technological and scientific progress – we can create
an unprecedented era of sustainable, inclusive
prosperity for all.
The time has come for us to play our part in finding
the solutions. That’s why we are forming
The B Team. Our vision of the future is a world in
which the purpose of business is to become a driving
force for social, environmental and economic benefit.
Our mission is to help develop a ‘Plan B’ that puts
people and the planet alongside profit. Plan A –
where companies have been driven by the profit
motive alone – is no longer acceptable.
As business leaders, we know that what we’re
proposing will be a challenge, or even an affront,
to many of our colleagues and competitors. But we’re
confident that those who choose to work with us will
see that in the long run what’s better for the planet
and its people is also better for business.
The ultimate aim, with support, energy and ideas
— and yes, constant, frank criticism — is to get
millions of business leaders committed to a better
way of doing business. And before we comment
on the practices of others, we ‘Pledge’ that we will
‘Start at Home’. We will focus on ourselves, our own
businesses and industries, and do our utmost to
ensure we meet the principles of better business.
As members of The B Team, we will work to overcome
large-scale challenges where our collective voices
can make a difference.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
7
our agenda
This is our starting ‘Agenda’, which is comprised of some of the areas that
we believe Plan B must address.
1 The right aspirations 6 Level playing field
That the right global incentives are in place to
promote, inspire and celebrate business models that
integrate people, the planet and profit into their DNA.
That there are no subsidies or incentives for practices
that are destructive for the wellbeing of people and
the planet.
2 New structures
7 Full transparency
That we accelerate new corporate forms, hybrids,
partnerships and social business and that the
enabling conditions exist to mandate a people,
planet, profit agenda.
3 True accounting
That we live in a world where there is full transparency
about what constitutes a better product, a better
company, a better investment and a better leader.
8 Redefined education
That business accounts to society and the planet for
the true cost – economic, social and environmental –
of every business practice.
That the next generation the world over is taught
and inspired to believe that the purpose of business
is to be a driving force for social and environmental
benefit, and not just financial gain.
4 True returns
9 Natures model
That the conditions exist for finance to flow toward
endeavours seeking a multi-bottom line of people,
planet and profit.
That instead of depleting and polluting natural
resources, business works with nature rather than
against it and recognises that economic activity takes
place within planetary boundaries.
5 Wellbeing
That business is a primary driver of holistic
wellbeing, adding social value through evolving
business models, employee welfare, health, citizen
engagement and human rights.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
10 The long run
That the horizon of thinking in business is
considerably extended from the short quarterly focus
of today to a far more sustainable, holistic and longer
term of tomorrow.
8
Our approach
Core to The B Team’s approach is that we are a “do-tank” rather than a
talking shop.
We seek to serve as a catalyst, to help tip the
movement for better business into the mainstream,
and to amplify and leverage the work of others to
achieve large-scale change.
We recognise that the only way to achieve the impact
we seek at the scale required is through partnership,
coalition building, multi-platform story telling and in
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
harnessing the energy and expertise of our growing
community alongside the collective power, voice and
influence of The B Team members.
Ultimately, The B Team aims to forge a platform that
thousands of business leaders can be a part of in
every corner of the world.
9
the
challenges
The B Team’s focus is on execution and action against the agenda of areas
we believe need to be addressed.
We seek to catalyse and amplify others’ efforts and
solutions through large scale challenges, where our
collective voice and actions can make a difference.
The inaugural challenges have been selected based
on listening to and engaging with hundreds of
organisations around the world. The challenges exist
to advance solutions, which are systemic, scalable and
transformative. Ultimately, they aim to create tipping
points for widespread change towards our overall vision.
Each challenge will involve multi-stakeholder initiatives
as well as individual commitments made by members of
The B Team.
The future
bottom line
Business has not accounted for the true cost of its
activity and subsequent negative impacts on society
and the environment. The bottom lines reported to
investors, therefore, do not reflect the true “health”
and status of the business.
We can accelerate a move away from single-minded
financial ‘short-termism’ toward a focus on the long
term, and will aim to expand corporate accountability
beyond financial gains to include negative and
positive contributions to the economy, environment
and society.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
The future
of incentives
There are too few positive incentives and too many
perverse incentives, and there is a need to identify
the biggest opportunities, and build pathways to
enable solutions.
We are working with partners to develop new
corporate and employee incentive structures and
to identify and map both positive and harmful
subsidies, helping to shift market and business
behaviour toward incentives that maximise social,
environmental and economic benefit.
The future
of leadership
Based on the need to redefine what it means to be a
good leader in business we aim to accelerate a new
kind of inclusive leadership underpinned by a moral
compass of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative.
This is founded on cooperation and will be aimed at
generating long term value for society, the economy
and the environment.
Working with others, we will highlight and celebrate
those who are showing us the way and nurturing a
new generation of business leadership.
10
Governance
The B Team members are influential leaders from around the world, they
provide public representation and lend their time, energy, commitment
and voice in order to create and advance a Plan B for Business.
At the core, The B Team as an organisation is
comprised of five principal entities:
1 The B Team members hold primary responsibility
for spearheading Plan B and shaping the overall
strategic direction.
2 The Board of Trustees: This group is accountable
for The B Team (501c3) legal entity.
3 The Executive Staff: The Executive Staff serves as
secretariat to The B Team.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
4 The Founders Circle: This is a group of initial
individual and institutional donors that support
The B Team during its first three years of operation.
5 Advisors: This group consists of a Global Council
(to be formed in 2014) alongside an existing group
of Expert Advisors, who currently provide pro-bono
strategic and technical input to The B Team.
Ultimately, additional entities will be formed over
time to help scale The B Team’s impact, and increase
engagement, including: National/Regional B Teams,
Plan B Agenda Councils and B Circles.
11
Role
description
Following the successful leadership of Derek Handley, who volunteered
his time to help Sir Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz establish The B Team,
an individual of exceptional calibre is being sought to lead The B Team
going forward.
Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees and working
closely with all members of The B Team, the Executive
Director will lead the on-going development and
management of The B Team. S/he will play a central role
in providing leadership and driving action to advance
the vision of the group. S/he will manage the overall
initiative including strategy development and execution,
relationship management with key stakeholders,
monitoring and reporting and driving the overall
agenda.
The Executive Director must be able to operate flexibly
across a diverse audience and capable of building
relationships at the highest levels with top business leaders,
innovators, activists and philanthropists. S/he will also be
responsible for managing, supporting and developing
the core Executive Staff and ensuring clear, consistent and
ambitious strategic direction and related plans.
This role represents a unique opportunity for the new
Executive Director to maintain The B Team’s progressive
vision, lead the development of its strategy, increase its
effectiveness and ensure that The B Team is successful
in acting as catalyst for a better way of doing business
for people and the planet. The Executive Director will
be specifically responsible for delivering against the
following:
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
Strategy
development
and programme
management
• With the consensus of the Board, driving
the development of the overall initiative and
facilitating dialogue with the most respected
leaders in the global business community to
create a strategic framework, which enables
The B Team members and The B Leaders to
advance a better way of doing business.
• Building and managing relationships with the
initial core B Team members in order to strengthen
engagement and to coordinate activities.
• Facilitating the development of strategic priorities
and thematic areas as well as the execution of
new initiatives in the next three years.
• Creating and implementing appropriate
processes for monitoring and reporting
including the creation of an impact framework,
which measures the true value, and benefits of
the team’s activities.
12
Role description
continued
New partnership
opportunities:
Identification,
development and
realisation
• Identifying, nurturing and retaining key donors
to help raise the additional resources needed
to achieve Plan B.
• Seeking out and driving opportunities to
promote The B Team members efforts to a
wide range of stakeholders, for example
CEOs, influencers and key members of the
Global Business Community, with a specific
focus on developing new income streams and
practical partnerships.
• Executing specific collaborative initiatives by
creating implementation plans, identifying
and mobilising partners, and facilitating
discussions and negotiations. Governance/general
operations
• Ensuring that The B Team’s operations and
activities globally are fully compliant with all
relevant local legislation.
• Identifying, developing and improving
relevant mechanisms and structures for the
day-to-day running of the operational aspects
of The B Team.
• Taking accountability for the overall financial
performance of The B Team ensuring robust
mechanisms for budget and financial planning,
monitoring and control are in place and
deadlines are met.
• Ensuring that The B Team’s people processes
are all effective and appropriate and that we
are recruiting and retaining the best possible
talent within the team.
• Expanding the network, including the
development of a catalytic online community
to create a global movement of engaged CEOs
who share and inspire best practice, identify
solutions to problems and take collective action.
• Creating dialogue and awareness about the
group’s work, hosting or attending relevant
events, representing The B Team in the media
at awards and through relevant speaker
opportunities.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
13
Person
specification
Candidates must be of exceptional calibre with a genuine passion for, and
commitment to, making a difference in the world.
The successful candidate should have a strong
background in dealing with top business leaders and
innovators globally in a high profile environment, an
ability to effectively communicate to a diverse audience,
and ideally a proven track record in catalysing large scale
initiatives.
The Executive Director will be selected against a robust
set of competencies. Candidates will be required to have:
• Significant experience of high-level leadership, ideally
in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.
• A successful track record of building and
implementing a strategic vision.
• The capability to take the lead in an organisation and
the ability to work closely and effectively with a highly
experienced Board of Trustees and specialist advisors
and the ability to serve The B Team.
• A track record of successful financial and resource
management and team-building capacity, including
the ability to inspire and motivate a broad range
of colleagues and partners, and manage effective
frameworks for delivery and accountability.
• A track record of leading efforts to advance social
change and an interest in scaling change and having
a large-scale vision.
• Experience of proactively developing and growing
strategic relationships at the executive corporate
level, within the entrepreneurial community and
within the philanthropic sector, and a track record
of achieving results especially in relation to new
business development.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
• The capacity to think strategically, analytically and
critically with the agility to translate ideas and insights
into action through coherent and viable program
work.
• The ability to display gravitas and command respect
within the global business community, with the
capacity to adapt effectively to both formal and
informal business environments due to experience
of working directly with CEOs and their executive
staff, thought leaders, government, civil society and
relevant media.
• The skills required to work in a fast-paced, startup
environment which requires a proactive, flexible and
highly responsive approach.
• The ability and presence to promote The B Team on a
global basis with confidence and authority, through
the full range of media.
• An understanding of new models for effecting
change on a global scale in terms of how businesses
operate and behave.
• Strong convening and facilitation skills and the ability
to listen and learn from diverse perspectives.
• Strong negotiation skills combined with a proven
ability to mitigate conflict.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a high level
of integrity, humility, wisdom and insight.
• Experience or a background in the area of
psychology is highly desirable.
14
Appointment
process and
how to apply
The B Team wishes to encourage applications from senior leaders drawn
from a wide variety of backgrounds, who would bring extensive people and
project management experience as well as strong leadership credentials.
To apply, please upload an up-to-date curriculum
vitae (including comprehensive details of key
achievements and responsibilities) along with a
covering letter of application summarising motivation
in applying and addressing the role description,
key competencies and person specification at:
www.perrettlaver.com/candidates quoting
reference 1453.
The closing date for applications is January 3rd 2014,
9am (EST).
Applicants are asked to provide suitable daytime and
evening telephone and email contact details.
the b team Appointment of Executive Director
Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process
in parallel with the public advertisement of the
role. Following The B Team’s thorough review of all
applications completed early January, the long-listed
candidates will be invited to interview with Perrett
Laver in mid to late January. The B Team selection
panel will subsequently meet in late January to decide
upon a final shortlist who will be invited to informal
meetings followed by a formal interview process.
The formal interview process will take place in New
York on February 6th 2014.
The Executive Director will be based in New York and
the salary competitive with market rates.
15