Nudge announces the winners of the Nudge Global Leadership Challenge 2015
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 23 November 2015 – Cindy Abi Khzam (Danone), James Thuch Madhier (University of Toronto) and Jihad Lteif (Danone) have been announced the winners of the Nudge Global Leadership Challenge 2015. The competition challenged 30 young professionals from 19 countries to gain insight into their own talents and development areas of leadership and sustainability. The prize is a trip to Ivory Coast in 2016 to support the mission of reward partner of the Challenge Tony’s Chocolonely: ‘Make other people as passionate about 100% slave-free chocolate as we are.’
Why this Global Leadership Challenge?
Facing a number of challenges, our world is undergoing drastic changes. Natural resources are becoming scarce, new technologies are creating new dilemmas and the call for responsible leadership is becoming louder than ever before. Are we entering an era of transformation, can we leave the industrial revolution behind us? If the answer is yes, we need new leaders and new forms of leadership. How are we going to find these new leaders? Where do we start searching for them? The Nudge Global Leadership Challenge is the start of this search.
About the Challenge
The global search for future leaders in sustainability brought together young professionals and well-established companies from all over the world for a three-day Challenge in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Nudge Global Leadership Challenge is a unique experience which aims at empowering talented young professionals by means of coaching, training, inspiring talks and debates.
Young professionals were selected to enter this competition from all five continents. Inspiration and insights were provided by keynote speakers Daniel Erasmus, owner The Digital Thinking Network and CEO NewsConsole, Paulette van Ommen corporate sustainability manager at DSM, Andy Ridley, managing director of Circle Economy, Marga Hoek, CEO Sustainable Business Association and chairman Sustainable Science Association, Rob Boogaard, President & CEO at Interface, Prof. Dr. Appy Sluijs professor of Paleoceanography at Utrecht University and Henk Jan Beltman, chief chocolate officer Tony’s Chocolonely. Princess Laurentien van Oranje led a brainstorm session with the participants and children from the International School in Hilversum. The group of nine-year olds provided the participants with sharp ideas on how to be a credible leader in sustainability and bring impact to society.
The jury comprises experts in the fields of sustainability, business, media, leadership and finance. The three winners demonstrated their skills such as resilience, adaptability, ability to connect and putting their ideas in practice. Jihad Lteif on his announcement as winner: “These three days have been a life changing experience. I felt challenged to think in a different way. I learned a lot and got equipped with new skills. I have a better idea about what sustainable leadership looks like.”
About Tony’s Chocolonely
Our reward partner Tony’s Chocolonely is an impact driven, social venture that fights the bitter taste of slavery in the chocolate bars. 10 years ago Teun van de Keuken started his struggle by founding Tony’s Chocolonely, a sweet initiative fighting a lonely battle against an unfair production chain. At Tony’s, people are “crazy about chocolate, literally crazy”, says Henk Jan Beltman, the chief chocolate officer. That is why they have established a roadmap to raise awareness about the unfairness in the chocolate production. So far, Tony’s Chocolonely is leading by example.
The Nudge Global Leadership Challenge is supported by: ABN Amro, Calor Gas, Danone, Ferrero, FMO, Heineken, Interface and Unilever.
Partners of the Challenge are: Accenture, AsianNGO, CEIBS, Goal Oriented Learners, LeaderScope, Missing Chapter Foundation, Netvlies, Seedlink, Tony’s Chocolonely and WakaWaka.
